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READ MORE: Virgil van Dijk has forgotten one thing as Liverpool are lacking vital Jamie Carragher trait
Timing is everything in football. From Mohamed Salah waiting for the perfect moment to unleash his finish, to Virgil van Dijk biding his time and choosing when to commit, sensing when to act is perhaps the biggest difference between success and failure.
Perr Schuurs was available in the summer. L 世界杯直播 iverpool had been linked as far back as December 2020, in the midst of Klopp's injury crisis at the back (ECHO), and he was mentioned again in the last transfer window. But it was Torino who ultimately went for the then-Ajax defender, paying around £8m to land him — a trifling sum in the modern game, thrown into even sharper relief by Manchester United paying more than 10 times that to land Antony from the same club.
Soon, the time will be ripe for defensive reinforcements. The current options remain very strong for the time being, but Jürgen Klopp's two starters are in their 30s. Two more are waiting in the wings, but they in turn will then need to be replaced in the squad.
READ MORE: Liverpool brace for RedBird reality as FSG approach exciting new era of US-led ownership
The owners will need to rectify that error as soon as they can, and heavy midfield recruitment is surely to be expected in the upcoming transfer windows. But the rest of the team cannot be neglected, or else Liverpool will simply repeat the same mistake in a different department.
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On its face, this looks like another FSG blunder, a second case of getting the timings wrong. If Liverpool are now taking a close look at Schuurs, just 12 games into his Torino career, where were they in the summer? It has the whiff of Enzo Fernández, who was allowed to move to Benfica and has now probably increased fivefold in value.
FSG are well aware of it. That may be why, according to Tutto Mercato Web, they are 'taking information' on a potential Van Dijk successor.
Much the same principle applies off the pitch. FSG have enjoyed such success at Liverpool partly because they have known when to act. Conversely, many of the struggles this season have stemmed from a failure to recognise the need for transfer action to strengthen the midfield.
But those 12 games are far from ins 世界杯体育直播 ignificant. In that short period, he has taken to the Italian top flight like a duck to water. His aerial dominance has been largely unaffected, and classic defensive metrics like tackles and interceptions are also holding up in his new environment. He even ranks well above average for dribbles, showcasing a touch of the modern centre-back.
Even now, Schurrs may not be the answer. The report claims that Liverpool want him as a Van Dijk successor, but he has not impressed at Torino when it comes to his passing range, or indeed his attacking contributions. It may well be that he is too limited for Klopp's needs. But as the data sample grows in a good league, FSG can get a clearer grasp on that.
Further afield, both Matthijs de Ligt and Frenkie de Jong have had what can fairly be described as mixed fortunes since leaving Ajax. In many ways, it's the inevitable reality of an elite academy setup in a league which does not have the requisite level of quality to act as a failsafe proving ground. In this instance, Liverpool are wise to bide their time.
If he does ultimately come to Anfield, Schuurs will cost far more than £8m. But FSG know that they will sometimes have to take big hits on players in order to reduce the risks involved once they actually arrive. Van Dijk himself had already shone at Celtic and Southampton since his days in the Dutch league before Liverpool were ready to buy him. That was £75m very well spent — by waiting a little longer, they can get a better idea if his compatriot can provide similar value.
After all, Ajax has been a lottery when it comes to transfer hit rate in recent times. Manchester United will be holding their breath on Antony, who has not exactly set the world alight in the opening months of the season. Lisandro Martínez has so far been impressive, but all the while Donny van de Beek has been sitting on the bench as a reminder of the risks involved.
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With Van Dijk and Joël Matip still in great shape, and Joe Gomez and Ibrahima Konaté on standby, Liverpool knew they had the luxury of time — a fundamental difference to the midfield, where FSG clearly miscalculated. That has allowed them to let Schuurs make an 世界杯篮球 intermediary step, giving the club room to take stock of how he gets on at a higher level.
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发表于 2022-11-6 15:28:04
发表于 2022-11-10 21:46:27