Juventus are ready to sell Dejan Kulusevski, according to reports. This is one Liverpool should really have eyes on.
Calciomercato claim that Juventus could sell Dejan Kulusevski. The Swede is out of favour with new boss Massimiliano Allegri, averaging only 32 minutes per game this season.
That’s leading to clubs circling for Kulusevski. Calciomercato’s report claims Fiorentina and Atalanta like the player, with Tottenham Hotspur considering things.
Sky Italia throw another name into the mix – Arsenal. They could also try and tempt Juventus into a transfer.
As for a price, the Old Lady would reportedly listen to offers above £30m. That, for us, should be music to Liverpool ears.
Dejan Kulusevski
Liverpool could use a new forward, especially with both Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane disappearing for AFCON next year. Fabrizio Romano claims the Reds are on the lookout for wide players.
Now, Kulusevski isn’t an out-and-out winger as he splits time between wide and central roles. We’d argue that benefits Liverpool, however, as they have another option for both the wing and centre-forward.
He’s also not someone who will find himself completely out of the reckoning with the stars back. Like Diogo Jota, Kulusevski is versatile enough to mix with everyone else in any kind of trio.
As for playing style, we think Kulusevski could be perfect.
Using Statsbomb data on FBref, the Swede compares brilliantly with other players across Europe’s top five leagues.
Kulusevski, for instance, averages 0.31 expected assists per 90 minutes. That’s in the 95th percentile when compared to other wingers and attacking midfielders. Compared to other centre-forwards, it’s 99th.
No matter what you class him as, Kulusevski is above the 90th percentile for touches in the box. He’s 79th for shot-creating actions as a winger and 97th for a forward. Either way you cut it, he’s scoring well.
But it’s his pressing that really stands out and it will to Liverpool, too. Kulusevski presses 22 times per game which is 95th for wingers and 97th for forwards. Again, you can consider him to be either position and he still looks like the right fit.
Kulusevski is a very talented player who already excels at ket things that Liverpool love. Then add the context that this is a 21-year-old who isn’t playing all that often and things look incredible encouraging.
Jurgen Klopp could turn Kulusevski into a monster of a player, much as he has done with Jota, Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah. When the Reds go shopping in January, we’re not sure they’ll find anyone remotely as promising for £30m.