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This article is part of Football FanCast's Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news...

Liverpool are interested in Napoli's Fabian Ruiz, according to Italian outlet Calciomercato.

What's the latest?

The midfielder signed for Carlo Ancelotti's side last summer and his performances have reportedly attracted the interest of the Reds as well as Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.

He has made 42 appearances for Napoli, scoring seven goals and assisting three, and has impressed at international level for Spain's Under-21s, being named the Player of the Tournament for the U21 European Championship this summer.

Ancelotti has described the 22-year-old as having "great talent", with the potential for him to develop further, and Anfield could be a good place for him to learn under the tutelage of Jurgen Klopp.

Liverpool are not short of central midfielders, boasting seven senior players currently in the ranks, but with the futures of James Milner and Adam Lallana looking uncertain - both have contracts that expire at the end of the season - there could be a space in the squad for a midfield addition by next summer.

Is he what Liverpool need?

Fabian possesses good technical ability and an eye for a pass, as evidenced by his 91.2% pass success rate for Napoli, and the 23-year-old would provide Klopp with an alternative to what he already has.

One area the current midfield is lacking is in its productivity, with Jordan Henderson, Georginio Wijnaldum and Jordan Henderson amassing a combined total of seven goals and eight assists in the last campaign.

Ruiz, on the other hand, contributed to nine Serie A goals single-handed last season, while he provided two goals and two assists for Spain's U21s during the summer.

The Spaniard has proved he has an eye for goal and also made an average of 2.3 key passes for Napoli in Serie A last season, once again highlighting his creativity alongside 1.3 dribbles and 1.9 shots. Those returns are all higher than what the aforementioned trio averaged in the Premier League last season.

If he can adjust to the Premier League he should prove to be an effective alternative for the Reds in the engine room, offering an extra dose of offensive intent.

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