Done Deal Mohamed Salah and Darwin Núñez’s to leave klopp’s cry’s

Liverpool set for $44m transfer reminder as Mohamed Salah can show if Jürgen Klopp missed out
Jürgen Klopp has been prioritizing his midfield department this summer, and rightly so considering that proved to be Liverpool’s biggest weakness last season, with the team finishing fifth in the Premier League table. A huge renovation job has been undertaken in the club’s engine room, with Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Fabinho, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keïta all departing.

Those players have so far been replaced by Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Wataru Endo, with Klopp nearing the end of his seismic rebuild in the middle of the park. Once his midfield department has been completely regenerated, the Reds seem likely to address their defensive line, with Joël Matip’s contract due to expire next year.

Liverpool has been interested in adding a new center-back this summer, but that need hasn’t ranked near the top of the to-do list on Merseyside. Interest in Levi Colwill was widely reported but after months of speculation, the English defender decided to stay at Chelsea, signing a new contract at Stamford Bridge.

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The Blues wonderkid has plenty of quality and potential attached to his profile, but he is also left footed. Klopp is said to have an interest in a left-footed option in defense, with Matip, Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Ibrahima Konaté all right footed. In fact, the last left-footed center-back at Anfield was Ragnar Klavan.

Upon inspection of the rest of the Premier League, Klopp is competing against managers who have what he doesn’t. Pep Guardiola has new signing Joško Gvardiol and Nathan Aké at Manchester City. Mikel Arteta has two lefties in Gabriel Magalhães and Jakub Kiwior at Arsenal. Erik ten Hag has Lisandro Martínez at Manchester United after bringing him from Ajax last year, and Newcastle United has Sven Botman.

Indeed, Liverpool is scheduled to come up against the latter this weekend. Botman is a relatively new addition, having joined the Magpies from Lille just 12 months ago. The Dutchman is a physically imposing presence standing around 1.95m tall, he’s capable in possession, and he favors his left boot.

Still just 23 years old, he’s already proved to be a great capture for the Toon.

Photo by Richard Callis/MB Media/Getty Images

(Image: Richard Callis/MB Media/Getty Images)

Lille demanded around $44m (£35m/€41m) for Botman’s signature at the time, and that has since proved to be a solid investment. He appeared in all but two of Newcastle United’s 38 Premier League matches last term, having been named as a starter by Howe in 35 of them.

The Toon posted the joint-best defensive record with Botman as a fixed pillar of strength, conceding just 33 goals from 38 games, which was the same amount shipped by champions Manchester City.

The Dutch international was tipped for a move to Merseyside back in 2021, when Klopp was attempting to navigate a disastrous injury crisis in the heart of his defense. Van Dijk, Gomez and Matip all suffered season-ending injuries, which forced Liverpool to explore the market for a solution.

Klopp eventually ended up getting Ozan Kabak on loan from Schalke — while also signing Ben Davies from Preston North End for a nominal fee — with Botman proceeding to remain in France for another 18 months before making the switch to Tyneside and competing in the Premier League.

As a left-sided center-back, he will come up against a certain Mohamed Salah this weekend, with Klopp set to be presented with a reminder of what might have been.

The Reds are still looking for a left-footed addition in the market as the transfer window approaches its closure at the end of the month, but if Liverpool had simply moved for Botman around two years ago, Klopp would have one less item on his to-do list right now.

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