Liverpool: £70m starlet would be an ideal Henderson heir
Liverpool are still looking to sign another midfielder this summer.
Liverpool recently completed the surprise signing of Japanese midfielder Wataru Endo for a fee of £16.2m from Stuttgart as Jurgen Klopp continued his midfield rebuild.
Having missed out on Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, who both joined Chelsea, the German will need to move swiftly to land another one or two players before the end of the transfer window.
Endo may not be a marquee name, yet his experience could be vital – and Klopp also appears to be edging closer to signing another target…
Who could Liverpool sign next?
With Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita all departing Anfield, the Reds find themselves a bit short in the middle of the pitch.
According to Football Insider, Crystal Palace star Cheick Doucoure is still on Klopp’s list despite the arrival of Endo earlier this week.
The Eagles are set to ask for a fee believed to be around £70m for one of their prized assets, and should Liverpool submit an offer in this region, it’s highly likely they will secure his signature.
The £60k-per-week Palace gem has just one season of Premier League football behind him, yet Klopp clearly sees enough to launch a move to lure him to the north-west.
How good is Cheick Doucoure?
Although a mass midfield exodus was perhaps expected with a few players out of contract, to see Henderson depart after 12 years with the club was a major surprise.
The Englishman played a key role during their success between 2018 and 2022, captaining the side to a Premier League title, Champions League crown and a handful of other trophies as the Reds emerged out of the shadows that had plagued them for years.
The 33-year-old made nearly 500 appearances for the Anfield outfit, and although he started just 23 league matches last season, Klopp could still have counted on his experience for the 2023/24 campaign.
A move for Doucoure could certainly alleviate the blow of losing the 77-cap England international, especially with his wonderful debut season in England.
The 23-year-old even won the Player of the Year Award for his 2022/23 performances and there is no doubt he could be an ideal heir to Henderson.
The Mali international not only made more tackles per game than Henderson (2.3 v 0.9) last term, but also made more interceptions (1.6 v 0.6) and won possession more often (0.7 v 0.4) per game than the former Liverpool star in the league.
This suggests he could be much better at winning the ball back in the heart of the midfield, while his defensive abilities would allow others to thrive in a more advanced role.
Indeed, he ranked in the top 6% when compared to positional peers across Europe’s big five leagues for interceptions per 90 (1.73), while he even showcased his ability to take on defenders by ranking in the top 5% for his take-ons per 90 success rate (71.4%, as per FBref).
Lauded by former boss Patrick Vieira for being “the complete holding midfielder”, it’s evident that Doucoure belongs at a more esteemed club, and Klopp should be tying up a deal as quickly as possible.
