da poker： Liverpool may be focusing their attention on the rebuilding of the midfield this summer but are still attentive to the situation of Barcelona centre-back Andreas Christensen, and may yet make their move.
Is Andreas Christensen joining Liverpool?
da realbet： That's following recent news from Spanish reports, who claim that Liverpool are hoping to sign Christensen after failing with a €30m (£25m) bid, with La Blaugrana holding out for closer to €50m (£43m).
The Denmark international was impressive in Spain last season after joining from Chelsea on a free transfer and played a central role in the club's momentous LaLiga triumph, with Jurgen Klopp now desperate to seal a deal.
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Fabrizio Romano recently confirmed the Reds' desire to sign a centre-back this summer, and with a move for No. 6 Romeo Lavia edging towards completion, Christensen could be next in line.
Would Andreas Christensen suit Liverpool?
Described as "very underrated" by Cesc Fabregas, Christensen would be the perfect option for Klopp in the likely scenario that Liverpool miss out on Josko Gvardiol, with Spanish sources recently linking the Croatian defender with a move to Anfield.
Gvardiol, aged 21, is touted at £85m by RB Leipzig and has been centre of intense speculation over a transfer to Manchester City, though this has recently stagnated.
Hailed as a "Rolls-Royce" by journalist Zach Lowy, Gvardiol is a first-rate prodigy and exemplifies the desirable qualities of a modern-day central defender, ranking among the top 16% of positional peers for pass completion, the top 18% for progressive passes, the top 1% for attempted passes, the top 4% for successful take-ons, and the top 9% for goals per 90, as per FBref.
Once said to be a "really special talent" by Chelsea writer Simon Phillips, Christensen could emulate the skills of Gvardiol, and himself ranks among the top 1% of centre-backs for pass completion, the top 5% for passes attempted and the top 10% for progressive passes per 90.
He is also the "intelligent" player – as once praised by former manager Thomas Tuchel – that Klopp covets, making correct decisions and laudable passes with great regularity.
Having made 32 appearances across all competitions for Barcelona last year, the £149k-per-week ace secured the Spanish first division title and impressed with an average Sofascore rating of 7.05, completing 94% of his passes, averaging two clearances per game and winning 69% of his aerial duels – important in the club's league-best defensive record of just 20 goals shipped.
For comparison, Gvardiol recorded an average rating of 6.94, completing 89% of his passes, averaging 2.3 clearances per game and winning 56% of his aerial duels.
Given that Christensen could be available for about half the fee that Gvardiol's departure from Leipzig would demand, and considering the lucrative spending Klopp's side have conducted already this summer, it's quite the no-brainer regarding which signing would be more appropriate, given the circumstances.
And while Liverpool's central defence consists of Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip, making a move for a ball-playing pro like Christensen could go a long way towards ensuring the club achieve their seasonal goals.