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Although he isn't particularly tall, at around 5"9, he does appear quite well-rounded, and looks to be a natural when it comes to offering a passing option to his teammates and governing the ball.
With the contracts of Milner, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Keïta set to expire at the end of the campaign, Klopp looks certain to be in the transfer market for at least two options to solve his midfield void, which explains why a Champions League clash with Benfica could be ideal. It was this exact meeting that fully sold Liverpool on Darwin Núñez last season, and the situation looks ripe for a repeat.
READ MORE: Virgil van Dijk has an irreplaceable partner as Liverpool midfield transfer test only the start
The engine room is worn, and it has been one of the main reasons behind the team's decline. James Milner, Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcântara are all over the age of 31, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keïta have both suffered f 2022年世界杯魔咒 rom their usual injury problems, with Curtis Jones also picking up knocks.
Jürgen Klopp would never admit to having a preference ahead of the draw, but it is reasonable to suggest he would be intrigued to face the latter outfit. Not because Benfica aren't a capable team, but because the Portuguese side managed to acquire the services of a top midfield talent over the course of the summer.
Klopp initially seemed willing to sit tight before moving for Jude Bellingham in 2023, but the decision has cost the Reds, who currently sit ninth in the Premier League table with four wins, four draws and four losses picked up across their first 12 bouts.
Enzo Fernández is already making waves in Portugal. He's competed in Europe for less than six months, yet he's already made a real impression, with heavyweight clubs from across the continent beginning to get linked with his name.
Liverpool will learn their Champions League fate on Monday morning, having progressed from their group in second place this week, behind only Napoli at the summit. Their Group A rank means they have only four potential opponents for the first knockout round: FC Porto, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich or Benfica.
READ MORE: Liverpool must repeat key Man City and Napoli moments as Mohamed Salah shows vital blueprint
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Fernández is accustomed to playing as part of a midfield two — with Benfica favouring 4-2-3-1 this season — and he's also played as part of a trio, usually on the right. This versatility suits Liverpool, given Klopp's tactical experiments of late, using 4-4-2 and 4-3-3 at Anfield.
He's already completed over 100 passes on four occasions for Benfica since his transfer. In fact, he ranks in the 99th percentile of midfielders across Europe for passes attempted and progressive passes, which captures his nature as a controlling type who sees a lot of the ball, and regularly attempts to play forward.
The biggest stumbling block regarding a future move would be his contract length. Having just moved to Portugal, his deal isn't due to expire until 2027, which could make him expensive to sec 卡塔尔世界杯 ure. His release clause stands at €120m, though Benfica proved when selling Núñez that there is a price at which they would negotiate.
While completing passes isn't particularly impressive in isolation, his tendency to do so does offer an insight into his dynamic nature as a player. Fernández is looking more and more like a conductor with every passing week; he appears to be the kind of player who wouldn't be overly fazed by the bright lights of Anfield.
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Liverpool agreed an £85m deal for Núñez with the Portuguese giants just a few months ago, and they could reopen talks once again regarding Fernández if he continues to develop as expected. One report from Sport suggests 2022世界杯法国夺冠打破魔咒 £43m as a ballpark valuation. Regardless of the exact price point, a Champions League draw against the Portuguese giants could be exactly what Klopp needs to plan ahead for the future of his midfield.
Liverpool's midfield department is lacking right now, with the club making the regretful decision to opt against signing an alternative option to Aurélien Tchouaméni in the summer window, who ended up signing for Real Madrid.
Fernández moved from River Plate — who are renowned for producing top products in South America — earlier this summer, for a fee of around £11m. Aged just 21, he already seems to be a talent who is capable of reaching the pinnacle of the game. |
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