Denis Zakaria is now set for ‘crunch talks’ about his Chelsea future, after reportedly turning down Liverpool this summer.
That’s according to the Evening Standard, who claim that the midfielder could leave the club in January.
Zakaria is reportedly frustrated at Chelsea having failed to make a single appearance since joining on deadline day. The 25-year-old, who admitted that he also had an offer from Liverpool, is set for talks with Graham Potter and owner Todd Boehly this week.
It’s claimed that these talks could lead to an agreement to cut-short the Switzerland international’s loan deal. In a situation reminiscent of Arthur’s at Liverpool, this would see him return to Juventus shortly after the World Cup.
Door opens for Liverpool January swoop?
This is a little bit sad to see, really. In all honesty, Zakaria would probably have been a much better fit for Liverpool than Arthur.
It’s easy to see the former Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder fitting into Liverpool’s high energy approach. Instead, he simply hasn’t been able to find a place for himself at Chelsea.
No matter, the door could once again open for Liverpool to bring Zakaria aboard. With Arthur currently injured into at least the new year, the Reds might be wise to cut his deal short, too.
That would be a shame for Arthur who has tried his very best to get fit. But it’s going to take him time to get up to speed again. By the time he’s ready for action, the season will either be almost over or reaching boiling point. That isn’t the time to blood a new player.
Instead, Zakaria could prove to be a smart addition. He too would take some time to be ready having not played this season. But the Swiss should be competing at the World Cup, so his fitness would be at some kind of level.
Slightly younger than Arthur, he feels like a more feasible long-term addition for Liverpool. If he could prove himself over several months at Anfield, he could be a decent, cheap squad player.
Of course, this is all just speculation at this point. It does seem likely that Zakaria won’t last the full season at Chelsea. But whether Liverpool would see him as a viable option isn’t clear.
What is clear is that Liverpool have been said to be keeping an eye on the player for a number of years. Having missed their chance this summer, maybe another will come along sooner than expected.
Receive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox
