Five playmakers who could bolster Liverpool’s squad

Five playmakers who could bolster Liverpool’s squad

 

The last time Liverpool finished inside the top four of the Premier League was in 2009.
Since then, the Reds have racked up a sixth placed finish, two seventh placed finishes and an eighth place finish.
Gone are the days when Liverpool were consistently challenging for top three finishes, and you only have to look at their transfer dealings over the last few years to see why.
Roy Hodgson, Kenny Dalglish and even Brendan Rodgers all spent too much money on average players during their times as manager of the Merseyside club.
Andy Carroll, Charlie Adam, Stuart Downing and Joe Allen, to name just a few, all arrived at Anfield with huge expectations after being bought for large amounts of money. None of them particularly impressed.
These transfer troubles seem to be over for Liverpool now though, having brought in an impressive trio of strikers in Luis Suarez, Daniel Sturridge and the recently acquired Iago Aspas.
What one could argue is missing though, is depth in the midfield.
Coutinho looks a very bright prospect, and of course the ever present Steven Gerrard is one of the best in the world, but who else do Liverpool have who can play that killer pass, pick a man out from 30 yards, and chip in with vital goals?
Touchline Talk runs you through five playmakers who could bolster Liverpool’s squad, just click through the links below to find out who we chose!

1. Christian Eriksen
The Dutch midfielder has spent the first three years of his professional career with Dutch side giants Ajax.
In his 161 appearances for the team, Eriksen has shown his great vision and passing, as well as his ability to score goals.
The 21-year-old has a bright future ahead of him, and despite his young age has already made 37 appearances for the Danish national team.
Often touted as “the next Michael Laudrup”, Eriksen would undoubtedly be an exciting signing and a player who should it in well at Anfield.


2. Willian
Another player who has already been linked to Liverpool by the media, the Brazilian can switch between the wing and an attacking midfield position.
However, it appears the Anzhi Makhachkala midfielder is set for a move to Chelsea, according to the BBC, subject to a medical and a work permit hearing.
Could Liverpool make a cheeky late bid for the 25-year-old, though, just as Chelsea did when he seemed set to join Tottenham Hotspur?
You certainly shouldn’t rule it out, given the crazy nature of this transfer window.
Willian can play a good pass, but he has the pace and dribbling ability to take defenders on, so it might be worth Liverpool making one more last ditch effort to land him.

3. Diego
If you were to ask Atletico Madrid fans about the Brazilian, they would almost certainly rave about his pin-point passes, vision and fancy flicks and tricks.
The advanced playmaker spent the last year on loan with Atletico, before returning to parent club Wolfsburg.
Diego is 28 years old, and has spent a lot of his career at big clubs, having played for Santos, Porto and Juventus.
In Germany, it is well known that the player has a very bad relationship with the Wolfsburg manager, so a deal could be possible.

4. Ivan Rakitic
The Sevilla captain is consistent and reliable in midfield, having clinched 10 assists and eight goals in La Liga last season.
The 25-year-old, who was born in Switzerland but chose to represent his parents’ Croatia, is a regular in his national team, having scored nine goals.
Rakitic often sits back in the midfield , and is capable of spraying balls across the pitch to team-mates, as well being able to score long shots.
Strong in the tackle, the Croatian is not afraid to get stuck in, and could be compared to the ageing Steven Gerrard.

5. Luka Modric
The former Tottenham Hotspur man is a genius in midfield, being able to create space for team-mates with brilliant balls.
The Croatian now plays for Real Madrid, but finds it hard to get regular game time.
A seasoned international player, Modric has made 66 appearances for Croatia, and is considered the most important player on the team.
At 27, he still has a lot longer to go before his retirement and could certainly add some creativity and depth at Anfield.