Liverpool: Late £42m-rated signing could help Trent thrive
The summer transfer window is but days away from closing, and Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is faced with mounting issues to solve on the
transfer front.
Who are Liverpool interested in signing?
While the Reds’ window kicked off with promise, Alexis Mac Allister’s bargain £35m arrival preceding the £60m capture of the exciting Dominik
Szoboszlai, deals to sign Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia ended fruitless, with both joining Chelsea.
Wataru Endo was shrewdly signed for £16m to combat this, but work is still to be done, and with rumours of interest from Saudi Arabian outfit Al-
Ittihad in the esteemed Mohamed Salah, the Anfield side appear to be lining up a move for West Ham United’s Jarrod Bowen to replace the Egyptian.
That’s according to Football Transfers, who claim that the £42m-rated winger has been earmarked as the ideal ‘short-term’ replacement for Salah,
though with such little time left in the window and Liverpool’s immediate concerns lying elsewhere, it will take a dramatic turn of events for this one
to come into fruition.
How good is Jarrod Bowen?
Liverpool’s response to Saudi Arabian intrigue in signing Salah this year has been emphatic, with Klopp denying any notion that the club would even
entertain the sale of their most coveted asset at this stage.
But, if the inconceivable was to be contrived, Bowen would be a realistic option, and while he is not the glitziest name on the block, the 26-year-old
has glimmered for the Hammers across the past several years, integral in their rise under David Moyes.
This term, Bowen has scored two goals and registered an assist after just three matches, already hailed by talkSPORT pundit Simon Jordan for
joining the “Salah club” after an “unbelievable” goal against Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend.
Given that the £60k-per-week ace was instrumental in the Irons’ Europa Conference League triumph last year too, scoring in the final, he would offer
the winning, big-game mentality to thrive under Klopp’s management, and he could even blend nicely with Trent Alexander-Arnold down the right
channel.
Alexander-Arnold. Liverpool’s renowned creative source. A divisive figure. Scant few teams in Premier League history have wielded such superlative
ball-playing ability, but the 24-year-old’s questionable defending and lapses in key moments have often welcomed harsh rebuke, with his erroneous
display at St. James’ Park – where he could have been sent off for two bookable offences in the early stages – symptomatic of this.
The 20-cap England international is behind only teammate Andrew Robertson in the all-time Premier League assist chart for a defender (54 to the
Scotland captain’s 57), and has been described as a “wizard” by Statman Dave and “unplayable” by CBS reporter James Benge.
However, having also been branded a “training dummy” by Casey Evans after one particularly horrific defensive display against Real Madrid’s
Vinicius Jr, there’s a bit of a quandary for Klopp when considering how to keep the player’s quality at its zenith.
This is where Bowen comes in. While the one-time Hull City starlet provides a considerable offensive threat, having recorded 31 direct goal
contributions during the 2021/22 season, the right winger is also a tenacious and fierce presence in the defensive third, contributing effectively and
consistently to provide respite for his backline.
As per FBref, Bowen ranks among the top 5% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for
interceptions, the top 9% for aerial wins and the top 23% for clearances per 90, underscoring his application and assiduousness.
This would undoubtedly benefit Alexander-Arnold’s creative ingenuity, with the £180k-per-week phenom ranking among the top 9% of positional
peers for assists and the top 5% for shot-creating actions and progressive passes per 90.
Described as “electric” by journalist Rahman Osman, Bowen could be the perfect foil to unlock the full scale of Alexander-Arnold’s talents, and while
Liverpool fans will loathe the day Salah leaves Anfield, if he does depart this week, then West Ham’s star winger could ensure the club still achieves
their seasonal goals.
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