Jurgen Klopp could be plotting a bid for Carlos Soler as he aims to strengthen his Liverpool squad ahead of next season.
What’s the word?
According to Spanish newspaper Sport (via Sport Witness), the Reds are among the clubs linked with the 25-year-old as they join Barcelona in the chase for the midfielder.
It was claimed earlier this week that the Catalan giants had reached an agreement to sign Soler, which was quickly rejected by Valencia, and his future destination is yet unknown.
The report by Sport has claimed that Soler is upset with his manager Jose Bordalas, and this could be good news for Klopp.
Klopp could find a new Thiago in Soler
With Klopp always aiming to strengthen his squad, regardless of whether or not players are at the peak of their powers, it makes sense to find young hungry talents who want to make a name for themselves in England.
Soler’s market value is currently £45m, but with his contract expiring at the end of next season, Liverpool could grab themselves a “bargain” signing which will only bolster the squad.
The 25-year-old could well be Klopp’s new Thiago, with the two Spaniards displaying similar characteristics. Both play predominantly in the centre of midfield, although Soler appears to be more of a goalscoring threat than Thiago, scoring 11 goals this season compared to just one for the 30-year-old Reds maestro.
The Liverpool player does appear to hold the advantage in terms of passing, completing nearly double the number of passes compared to his younger compatriot (1,174 to 559), although this is a skill where Soler may well improve.
There seems little doubt that the player who former Valencia star Curro Torres recently described as the “complete midfielder” has the necessary skillset to follow in the steps of Thiago at Liverpool and maybe even go on to be even better than the 30-year-old if he too joins Klopp's Anfield revolution.