Liverpool hold talks to sign “Ballon d’Or level talent”

Negotiations with Bayer Leverkusen are trundling on, but there’s a willingness from each party to see Liverpool sign Florian Wirtz in the coming weeks.

To be sure, this is a dizzying deal, but one which will provide Liverpool with a truly elite creative player, hailed by former Leverkusen man Patrick Helmes as “probably the best midfielder in the world.”

The thing is, Wirtz, 22, is pretty good. Sure, this is silly money, but is there honestly a player out there worth forking out a British-record sum for, barring, maybe, Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak?

Liverpool want bang for their buck, and they’ll get it with Wirtz, whose prowess as an attacking midfielder with elite ball-carrying skills allows him to play across a variety of roles, including out wide or in a more focal attacking berth.

It’s been a while since the Reds have had such a profile. Maybe you’d have to date back to Philippe Coutinho to find a player on Wirtz’s technical level, or somewhere similar.

Liverpool want Coutinho 2.0

Dominik Szoboszlai is an attacking midfielder, but he’s more industrious and workmanlike in his football, only clinching 15 goals and 14 assists from 94 Liverpool appearances since joining from RB Leipzig in a £60m deal.

What Slot wants is Coutinho 2.0, with Liverpool selling the Brazil sensation to Barcelona way back in January 2018 for a £142m fee. Jaw-dropping. That facilitated the transfers of Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker, effectively creating a base from which Jurgen Klopp achieved his illustrious successes.

Hailed by Klopp as a “world-class” player in his final full season at Anfield, Coutinho played an instrumental role in Liverpool’s meteoric rise, so prolific and influential, a cut above for much of his stay.

However, after his sale, Liverpool’s midfield reverted to a more focused and pragmatic style, albeit growing into something more dynamic over the past few years.

Wirtz has been picked out as the man to take the baton. Liverpool are confident they will seal the signing of the German international, but in football, as with life, you just never know.

That’s why FSG are ensuring they have a contingency plan.

Liverpool hold talks with Wirtz alternative

As per The Athletic’s ever-reliable David Ornstein, Liverpool have held talks with Lyon star Rayan Cherki, performing due diligence on a range of targets in case the bid for Wirtz falls through.

In fact, it’s understood that Slot left his holiday and flew to the south of France to have a face-to-face chat with the French talent, who is also being courted by Manchester City in a £25m deal after their withdrawal from the Wirtz race.

If Liverpool are to pip Man City to the 22-year-old, who will cost in excess of €30m (£25m), they will need to be quick about it, with Pep Guardiola looking to seal the deal in the coming days.

What Rayan Cherki would bring to Liverpool

Cherki is one of the most talented players in the world, one of the most gifted and skilful. The caveat is that he’s been tagged with a bad-attitude reputation, but his performances across the past year do speak of a new maturity.

With 32 direct goal involvements from 44 matches in all competitions this term, it’s clear Cherki is the real deal, even regarded by data analyst Ben Mattinson as “a Ballon d’Or level talent.”

Located centrally or toward the right wing, the left-footer is a creative menace with the ability to score a goal with standout finesse. Moreover, he appears to have reached a new level in regard to his output.

Such qualities suggest he would bring a Coutinho-esque style to Slot’s Liverpool, especially when you see the underlying data.

As per FBref, Cherki ranked among the top 1% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues this season for assists, shot-creating actions and progressive passes, as well as the top 10% for successful take-ons per 90.

Such metrics suggest Cherki is not only a playmaking wizard but a willing driver of the ball himself. Indeed, his flashy footwork and balletic twirls have foiled many Ligue 1 and Europa League backlines this term, something Coutinho produced at Liverpool.

So then, where are we with all this? Well, it’s improbable Liverpool would hijack Man City’s move for Cherki if indeed they reach an agreement with Leverkusen for Wirtz, and while that should happen, every day without a breakthrough is another day for Merseysiders to fret over that dreaded and sinking possibility.

However, if it were to happen, Liverpool could score an absolute blinder in stealing Cherki from Citizen clutches. Truly, he’s got the X-factor about him that players seldom possess. Wirtz is one of those rare geniuses, and Coutinho, back in his heyday, was another.