Liverpool’s turbulent transfer window has left the Merseyside club scurrying for a defensive midfielder, but a clever option may have been unearthed.
Who will replace Caicedo at Liverpool?
According to ESPN, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, and Paris Saint-Germain are all interested in PSV star Ibrahim Sangare.
The Premier League club sold Fabinho to Al-Ittihad for £40 million and have yet to recruit a successor, having lost Moises Caicedo to Chelsea, who are also hoping to steal Southampton’s Romeo Lavia from Jurgen Klopp.
Sangare has a £32 million release clause and may be a worthy replacement for the Anfield side, bringing grit and a tough-tackling mentality to fortify the ranks.
How talented is Ibrahim Sangare?
Liverpool technical director Jorg Schamdtke is on the verge of desperation and will need to act quickly to give the club the best chance of success this season.
Liverpool drew 1-1 against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last weekend in the Premier League opener, and while there were positives, the lack of a strong No. 6 was evident, with The Athletic’s James Pearce stating, “the lack of both control and protection in front of the back line was glaring.”
It remains to be seen whether the Reds are successful in their pursuit of Lavia, but Sangare could prove to be a first-rate alternative, having impressed in the Netherlands during the past few seasons, appearing in 136 games, scoring 14 goals and providing 10 assists.
Described as a “dangerous” player in the centre by analyst Aad de Mos, Sangare could quickly allow the Merseyside club to forget about Caicedo, who has been heralded as a “physical monster” by Dr. Rajpal Brar and admittedly looks to be a superlative machine in the middle, ranking among the top 5% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion and the top 14% for tackles and interceptions per 90, as per FBref.
Comparatively, the 31-cap Ivory Coast international ranks among the top 8% of midfielders in the eight leagues most comparable to the Eredivisie in terms of goals, the top 18% in terms of passes attempted, the top 9% in terms of progressive passes, the top 13% in terms of successful take-ons, the top 19% in terms of clearances, and the top 12% in terms of clearances per 90 minutes.
While it’s important to remember that Sangare plays outside of the top five European leagues, which is reflected in his metrics, he clearly possesses an all-encompassing midfield skill set as well as the passing ability and defensive work rate to provide Klopp’s team with the missing component. With such characteristics and traits, you may argue he is Caicedo 2.0.
He would also be available for a fraction of the cost of Caicedo, who is projected to cost Chelsea £115 million. As a result, Liverpool would be able to focus on other goals and possibly build a successful group by spreading the need for reinforcements over numerous players.
Before moving to PSV, Jacek Kulig described the 25-year-old as “one of Ligue 1’s best midfielders,” and while Sangare is not the most well-known name in the Brighton squad, he could prove to be a wise acquisition, providing the toughness and tenacity needed to propel the Reds forward this season.
