Another name has popped up on Liverpool’s ever-growing list of transfer targets.
German newspaper Bild report that Liverpool are tracking the developments of Borussia Moenchengladbach midfielder Denis Zakaria.
Zakaria, 23, is currently contracted at the Bundesliga outfit until 2022 and has an asking price worth to be in the region of £37 million with Monchengladbach open to selling him ahead of the final year of his contract.
The defendive midfielder is a Swiss international who has become a key figure for his national side having been capped 28 times for his country.
GELSENKIRCHEN, GERMANY – JANUARY 17: Alessandro Schopf of FC Schalke 04 and Denis Zakaria of Borussia Monchengladbach battle for the ball during the Bundesliga match between FC Schalke 04 and Borussia Moenchengladbach at Veltins-Arena on January 17, 2020 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. (Photo by Lars Baron/Bongarts/Getty Images)
He signed for Moenchengladbach from Young Boys in 2017 and recently helped inspire his club-side to a Champions League finish in the German top-flight.
Last season the imposing midfielder clocked up 22 starts in the league, netting twice and assisting twice.
Opta powered website WhoScored.com recently ranked Zakaria as the 26th best player in the Bundesliga last season. He averaged 2.1 tackes per game, higher than any Liverpool midfielder.
Zakaria has earned big praise so far in his career and has even been compared to some of the game’s greatest ever players including Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane.
His teammate Yann Sommer previously raved: “It’s not easy to compare him to the greats of the past, but he combines many qualities that have were really defined by Michel Platini and Zinedine Zidane.”
Lothar Matthaus said: “I’m glad that Gladbach have found another pearl. At his age I was earning my first stripes for Borussia. He reminds me of Toni Kroos at that age.”
Speaking in regards to the interest currently being shown in him, Zakaria told Bild in an interview this year how flattering it was.
He said: “The fact that other clubs are dealing with me shows that I perform well.”
TOPSHOT – Moenchengladbach’s Swiss midfielder Denis Zakaria jumps for the ball during the German first division Bundesliga football match Schalke 04 v Borussia Moenchengladbach in Gelsenkirchen, western Germany on January 17, 2020. (Photo by INA FASSBENDER / AFP) / DFL REGULATIONS PROHIBIT ANY USE OF PHOTOGRAPHS AS IMAGE SEQUENCES AND/OR QUASI-VIDEO (Photo by INA FASSBENDER/AFP via Getty Images)
Can Liverpool sign him
The simple answer is yes, especially given that Moenchengladbach aren’t willing to sell until 2021 which comes at a time where Liverpool may be more inclined to make sufficient dealings in the transfer market.
At £37m, it could prove great value for money given the player’s age and early signs of promise. He could also benefit from learning alongside arguably the Premier League’s best holding midfielder in the form of Liverpool’s Fabinho.
He is an outstanding prospect who is only going to get better. Liverpool may need to act before Gladbach offer him a contract extension and put themselves in a stronger financial position.
Zakaria’s involvement in the Champions League next season will allow Liverpool to keep an added insight into the player’s development in Europe’s biggest cup competition.
In an interview with Empire of the Kop, German football expert Christian Falk recently confirmed Liverpool’s interest in the player when asked if there were any Bundesliga bargains of interest to Michael Edwards.
Falk said: “I know that Liverpool have their eyes on Zakaria of Mönchengladbach. This is a very talented player who will hit the market next year. A move to the Premiere League is easy for him to imagine.”
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