He's more creative than Trent: Liverpool make £87m "superstar" a top target
da betobet： At some point this week, Liverpool could be crowned champions of the Premier League, should Arsenal lose at home against Crystal Palace on Wednesday evening or Anfield claim three points against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
da dobrowin： Of course, neither juncture could turn the Reds toward the title, but there’s no doubt in anyone’s mind that the Redmen’s romp toward the finish line has turned into a procession.
The Premier League is lauded by many as the toughest, most competitive and most prevalently entertaining division in the world, and while some would claim that the top flight has lulled this term, Liverpool have capitalised emphatically to defy pre-season predictions and move Arne Slot within touching distance of the crown in his first year.
It’s quite the feat, especially since he entered an outfit dealing with three contractual conundrums which have itched at Liverpool’s campaign all year long.
Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah have penned extensions, but there’s been radio silence from Trent Alexander-Arnold.
However, noise from the media suggests that his move to Real Madrid on a free transfer is a matter of when, not if.
What Liverpool will miss when Alexander-Arnold leaves
Alexander-Arnold scored the winner against Leicester City at the weekend, and his celebration felt like a farewell of sorts, hanging his shirt on the corner flag.
While the most optimistic Liverpool supporters are holding onto hope that the 26-year-old will pen a new deal with his boyhood club, Fabrizio Romano and the rest have confirmed that Trent’s camp and Los Blancos are working toward an agreement on a summer move.
He will be missed. Not only is the emotional connection strong, but Alexander-Arnold is one of the most distinctive players in the game.
The unique advantage that the right-back offers, sparking attacking play with such frightening consistency from an unconventional ball-playing position, has helped Liverpool maintain their place as the Premier League’s most creative team for the past five seasons.
Most Big Chances Created in the Premier League (past 5 years)
Season
1st-place Team(s)
Stat
*24/25
Liverpool
97
23/24
Liverpool
102
22/23
Liverpool & Man City
103
21/22
Liverpool
97
20/21
Liverpool
82
Data via Premier League
Conor Bradley may well get the nod as Slot’s first choice at right-back next season, but Liverpool are going to need to replace Alexander-Arnold’s ball-playing genius somehow.
Liverpool lining up potential Trent replacement
Reports in recent weeks have suggested that Liverpool could make a move for two full-backs, namely Jeremie Frimpong of Bayer Leverkusen and Nottingham Forest’s Ola Aina.
Yet, could Slot replace Trent’s creativity from a different area of the pitch instead?
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Well, according to Spanish sources, Liverpool are ready to compete with Manchester United for the signing of Xavi Simons this summer, with the RB Leipzig magician now said to be a ‘top target’ for the Reds.
A transfer fee might prove a sticking point, though, with the Germans looking to bank around €100m (£87m) for the 21-year-old this summer, just one year after buying him from Paris Saint-Germain for a €50m (£43m) fee.
However, if sporting director Richard Hughes can move discussions into a more agreeable zone, this could be a stunning capture for Liverpool.
What Xavi Simons would bring to Liverpool
Don’t worry, we’re not suggesting Simons could take Alexander-Arnold’s berth at full-back. However, the little Dutchman is one of the most exciting attacking midfielders in the business, and he’s still got plenty of development left to complete.
However, the Netherlands international does have a similar sort of ball-playing strength that could be utilised and unleashed to preserve Liverpool’s slick offensive play, maybe even unlocking a new dimension.
Xavi Simons – Bundesliga Stats 24/25
Stats (* per game)
#
Matches (starts)
21 (21)
Goals
9
Assists
5
Pass completion
84%
Big chances created
10
Key passes*
2.2
Dribbles*
1.3
Ball recoveries*
5.1
Tackles + interceptions*
1.5
Duels won*
4.4
Data via Sofascore
He’s a complete midfielder, capable of shifting into flanking positions too. Simons’ 2.2 key pass average this term actually stands taller than Alexander-Arnold’s 1.9 average, further evidence that he has what it takes to thrive at Anfield.
But to emphasise it more clearly, the Dutchman ranks among the top 13% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for passes attempted, the top 19% for shot-creating actions, the top 10% for progressive passes and the top 7% for ball recoveries per 90, as per FBref.
There’s a reason Simons is shaping up to be such a hot commodity with his talent for picking at the seams of opposition defences, something Liverpool could make good use of, especially if Alexander-Arnold leaves.
Simons’ playmaking superiority over the Liverpool man may in part be down to positional placement but it doesn’t detract from his being a high-level “game-changer” with his passing and flair, as has been said by talent scout Jacek Kulig.
It’s exactly the kind of quality that Liverpool will need. Trent has scored 23 goals and racked up 90 assists across his 350 career appearances as a Liverpool player, described as a “genius” by reporter Neil Jones.
Simons may still be young, but his 41 goal involvements across 72 Leipzig games, partnered with the underlying creative metrics that speak in his favour, do suggest that Slot could make good use of his countryman’s qualities, transferring Liverpool’s playmaking hub to a more central area.
It’s possible that Liverpool have accelerated their plans to sign Simons due to the growing sense that Alexander-Arnold is going to leave the club this summer. Maybe, tacitly, those in FSG’s head offices already know the outcome.
With plans already being drawn up for a new centre-forward, it might be worthwhile to sign such a player to sit in behind, jockeying with Dominik Szoboszlai for a regular starting berth and enhancing the overall fluency of the Anfield side.
In any case, it might be good for Slot to steer the creative heartbeat toward the middle of the park, with Simons, who has been described as a “superstar” in the making by analyst Ben Mattinson, capable of anchoring Liverpool’s inventiveness behind the frontline, reorienting toward a more conventional well of supplementation.
Truth is, though, it’s far simpler: the Dutchman is a brilliant young player, one who could do really well in Slot’s Liverpool team.
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