The summer of 2024 will represent much change at Liverpool Football Club. For the first time in nine years, the Reds will experience a new manager taking over the reins, with Jurgen Klopp departing following the end of the Premier League season.
His replacement is former AZ Alkmaar and Feyenoord manager Arne Slot, who will take charge of a club outside of his native country the Netherlands for the first time in his career. Klopp confirmed the appointment after Liverpool’s last Premier League game when he began a chant at Anfield in Slot’s name.
As with any summer, speculation has begun to ramp up for Liverpool about who they could sign. However, this transfer window feels slightly different, given the appointment of Slot, and there is more uncertainty surrounding the club.
At this current stage of the summer, the amount of money at Slot’s disposal in the 2024 transfer window has not been confirmed. However, he will no doubt look to strengthen the squad in a few areas to bolster his side ahead of a vital first summer at Anfield.
There were rumours recently that Mohamed Salah might leave Anfield in the summer, although they were squashed recently, with neither the club nor player considering a departure. However, there is one player who Liverpool have targeted to be Slot’s first incoming at the club.
Liverpool’s first summer transfer target
The man in question here is RB Leipzig and Spain midfielder Dani Olmo. The 26-year-old attacking midfielder is highly thought of in the Liverpool ranks, and he could well be the first signing under Slot this summer.
According to reports in Spain, the Reds “have begun to move” for Olmo. The Spain international has a £51m release clause in his current contract, although that is rumoured to expire on the 15th of July this year.
It's stated that Liverpool are not the only club hunting Olmo’s signature this summer. They believe that fellow English clubs Manchester City and Manchester United are interested, with European giants Bayern Munich and Barcelona also wanting to bring him to their respective clubs. The amount of interest in Olmo is perhaps unsurprising, given his impressive form in the 2023/24 season for Leipzig.
Indeed, there's a suggestion that Olmo’s preference this summer is to join Barcelona, yet that might not be a possibility for the 26-year-old. Their financial issues are persisting after some tough years on the fiscal side of things. Barca might not have the luxury of spending £51m on Olmo, no matter how much they, or the player, want the move. Enter Liverpool, who are poised to sign him if he can’t join Barca.
Why Dani Olmo would be a good signing
The biggest red flag when it comes to signing Olmo is the fact he has struggled with injuries over the course of the season.
He has missed 29 games for Leipzig and Spain in 2023/24, the most he has missed in a single campaign and did not play the last few games. However, Olmo has been named in Spain’s provisional Euro 2024 squad, suggesting he is over his latest fitness issue.
Knee injury
37
11
Acromioclavicular joint dislocation
53
16
Muscle injury
18
2
Injuries aside, however, there is no doubt that Olmo is a fantastic footballer, a sentiment that legendary Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola shares. Following Olmo’s goal for Dinamo Zagreb against the Cityiens in 2019, Guardiola described his countryman as “incredible”, explaining that “he has a bright future”, and that he can one day “play in the strong leagues in Europe”.
Olmo has impressed this season for Leipzig, despite his limited game time. The Spaniard has played 25 games in all competitions, scoring eight goals and registering five assists. He registered a hat-trick in the German Supercup against Bayern Munich at the start of the term to secure Leipzig the trophy.
Interestingly, there are some similarities between Olmo and the La Liga player of the season, Jude Bellingham. According to Fbref, Olmo averages 1.99 key passes per 90 minutes, compared to Bellingham’s 1.87 key passes per 90 minutes.
Not only that, the Spaniard averages 3.79 shot-creating actions per 90 minutes, with Bellingham averaging 3.85 shot-creating actions per 90 minutes. There is little difference in their goal-creating actions per 90 minutes, too, with the Leipzig number seven averaging 0.5 per 90 minutes, and the Englishman 0.51 per 90 minutes.
However, where Olmo really excels is when carrying the ball. He is a wonderful, fluid dribbler and uses his body to roll defenders with ease, just like Bellingham excels in. He is superb on the half turn and is able to glide past defenders once he has received the ball, with his impressive close control helping him keep possession.
In fact, he is actually statistically better than the Ballon d'Or contender when carrying the ball. Olmo averages 3.73 progressive carries per 90 minutes, 3.04 carries into the final third per 90 minutes, and 1.12 carries into the penalty area per 90 minutes.
In comparison, Bellingham averages just 3.31 progressive carries per 90 minutes, 2.84 carries into the final third per 90 minutes and 1.01 carries into the penalty area per 90 minutes. The only area the Englishman pips the Liverpool target in is completed take-ons per 90 minutes, with the former averaging 1.95, compared to Olmo’s 1.93.
Signing the Leipzig star could give Liverpool their answer to Bellingham, who they targeted last summer, although pulled out of a deal before his move to Real Madrid. Instead, signing the Spanish sensation could add a like-for-like option to their squad, raising the technical ceiling given Olmo’s excellent ability on the ball.
For £51m, it could certainly be a deal that offers a great option for Liverpool this summer, and start the Slot revolution in the best possible way. It would not be an easy deal to do, given the other clubs targeting him, but he would be a superb signing, and, as Guardiola said, they would be signing an “incredible” player if they brought him to Anfield.
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ByAngus Sinclair May 28, 2024