Liverpool have had their worst start to a Premier League season in a decade after a run of poor performances which has left them sixth within the desk, one thing that Jurgen Klopp will wish to enhance over the second half of the season.
The Reds have picked up simply 22 factors out of a attainable 42 over their first 14 top-flight outings and are at the moment 15 factors adrift of league leaders Arsenal.
In consequence, the Liverpool supervisor may look to the January switch window to strengthen his squad and bolster the standard of choices that he has accessible to him not solely to enhance the performances within the Premier League however assist the Reds to compete within the Champions League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup this season.
One participant who has been linked with a transfer to Anfield is Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, a proficient ahead who may increase Liverpool’s attacking risk in 2023.
Certainly, supporters of the Merseyside giants shall be all too conversant in the Georgian after he dominated for Napoli of their monumental 4-1 victory over Liverpool in a Champions League conflict in September.
In his 57-minute efficiency that evening, the €100m-valued (£87.2m) ace registered one help, accomplished three key passes, gained 4 duels, accomplished 4 dribble makes an attempt and created one large probability.
The excellent shows from the Napoli attacker led to excessive reward from Klopp himself, with the Liverpool supervisor hailing Kvaratskhelia as “cheeky” following the return fixture at Anfield through which the Reds sealed victory.
The German said of the 21-year-old: “He’s actually good, the boy, and actually fast and it’s a must to defend him collectively in these moments. When he has the benefit of the primary motion, then he’s already gone.”
“You must attempt to be there within the second when the ball arrives, however when you can not try this then it’s essential to be protected as a result of he has velocity, he’s cheeky, he goes inside, he can go exterior, that makes it at all times actually tough.”
Kvaratskhelia ranks within the prime 6% of his positional friends throughout the highest 5 European leagues in 2022 for non-penalty targets, photographs, assists, and shot-creating actions and touches.
The truth is, Klopp may land his personal Bukayo Saka for Liverpool, with the England and Arsenal star named as one of the vital comparable gamers to the 21-year-old Napoli winger during the last 12 months in response to FBRef.
The 2 extensive forwards have shared many similarities of their output over the season to this point, together with aim contributions (11 v 10, Kvaratskhelia first), go completion price (77.3% v 78.3%), shot-creating actions (58 v 57) and goal-creating actions per 90 minutes (1.14 v 1.00).
With that in thoughts, signing the Georgian could be a serious coup for Liverpool – particularly if they may safe his providers in January – as he might be simply what Klopp wants as a way to revive his staff’s marketing campaign.