Liverpool are the latest club to be linked with Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Kouadio Kone

The Reds number one target in midfield is widely reported to be Jude Bellingham, however the consensus is that they will need more than one to undergo a successful rebuild of their engine room. 

Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain were supposed to be key figures, bought in the summer of 2017, as Jurgen Klopp sought to revolutionise his midfield. Injuries have plagued both players' time on Merseyside and both players' contracts are expiring in the summer.

The club have signed just one central midfielder in the past four and a half years, and whilst Thiago Alcantara has brought a creativity that the 'heavy metal' work-horse trio of Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and Gini Wijnaldum were criticised for lacking, Liverpool's midfield lacks the intensity that they were once renowned for. 

In evolving to a more technical midfield, the Reds have lost their identity, losing their physical edge, the midfield have covered less distance and clocked less sprints, opponents all too aware how to play through the middle of the park against them.

So who is Kouadio Kone and how does he solve that issue?

  • Who is Kouadio Kone? 

Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle United also reportedly hold an interest in the 21-year-old. 

 

Die Fohlen are looking for a fee above £40 million, which would represent a profit of over £30 million on the £7.9 million that the club paid Toulouse

The young Frenchman has already established himself as one of the best midfielders in the Bundesliga and has the potential to become the perfect Jurgen Klopp midfielder.

He is an imposing figure, standing at six feet, one inch and would be able to operate as a lone six, in a double pivot or as a roaming eight for The Reds

Aggressive, tenacious and strong, his ability to read the game and make a tackle or interception when necessary really stands out. He is willing to put his body on the line to help the team. 

Always willing to show for the ball, constantly recycling and retaining possession. Kone is a fantastic ball carrier, with a deceptive turn of pace, that is always looking to progress the ball with it at his feet (averaging 1.1 progressive runs and 5 dribbles per 90 minutes in the 2021/22 Bundesliga season). 

That progressive nature of his play combined with his dribbling abilities means that Kone is the ideal box-to-box midfielder for The Reds. To highlight this point, he has completed the most take-ons by a defensive or central midfielder in Europe's top-five leagues (59). 

However, the French under-21 international does have his flaws. He can be slow to react in pressing or counter-pressing situations, leaving space for opponents to exploit.

This tendency often results in a lack of communication with his teammates, which causes defensive lapses and allows opposition attackers into the penalty area that often go unchallenged. 

On the attacking side of his game, he is not particularly a goal threat, with just ten goals in 104 senior matches and he does not average a high rate of progressive passes (he ranks fifth in comparison with Thiago, Henderson, Bellingham and Harvey Elliott, playing just 4.26 per 90 minutes so far this season).

He tends to prefer to play the ball sideways or backwards (something Wijnaldum was heavily criticised for in his time at Anfield).

  • The Verdict

Whilst Kone is certainly a rough diamond, he may be the diamond in the rough that Liverpool need to solve their midfield dilemma. 

The limitations in his game currently can be attributed to a lack of experience rather than ability, can be ironed out on the training ground and his skill-set could be a real asset to The Reds or another team that pulls the trigger on a move. 

Liverpool need a midfielder that is physically dominant, that can bypass the opposition press and progress the ball up the pitch, 'Manu' Kone ticks the boxes. 

His signature would be the beginning of a shift to regaining the physical edge, the identity and the intensity of a typical Jurgen Klopp midfield. 

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