Liverpool had to bring in a few midfielders after some of their key players left the Merseyside club in the summer. They brought in the likes of World Cup winner, Alexis Mac Allister, Hungarian wonderkid, Dominik Szoboszlai and Japanese midfield maestro, Wataru Endo. These players have settled into the team but Klopp still needs a bit of experience. They are being linked with a few players, including Turkish midfield talent, Hakan Calhanoglu.
The Turkish midfielder has played for the likes of Bayer Leverkusen, and AC Milan and is now at Inter Milan. His technique with the ball is magnificent and has caught the eye of many clubs. A player with Bundesliga and Serie A experience will add some quality to the Reds’ midfield. Let’s look at his stats from the current season that show why Liverpool are interested in the Turk.
Attack-minded defensive midfielder
Hakan Calhanoglu plays as a defensive midfielder and Liverpool wants a midfielder in that role. They like to stay on the attack and Calhanoglu is a player who plays an active role in carrying the ball forward. His pizza chart shows that Calhanoglu is very highly rated for passing the ball and his goal contributions are at the top in comparison to other defensive midfielders in Tier 1 of league football.
The 29-year-old Turkish midfielder likes to run down the middle with the ball. He is not a great dribbler of the ball but has the vision to take the ball through gaps in the midfield.
In addition, Calhanoglu possesses a lot of defensive techniques. He wins a lot of defensive and aerial duels for Inter Milan in the middle of the park. In the current season, Hakan averages 63.2% of his defensive duels and 63.6% of his aerial duels. The Turkish international has given away a few silly fouls, but most of these have been made to stop the opposition from hitting Inter on the counter. Overall, Calhanoglu has been a big asset for Inter Milan in the defence.
Creative side
One of the primary reasons why Calhanoglu will be a great pick for Jurgen Klopp is his ability to rotate the ball. The defensive midfielder averages 64 passes over 90 minutes and has a high accuracy rate of 92.7%. These include 9.3 passes to the final third and around two into the opposition penalty box. His progressive passes viz shows that the player can create chances from anywhere on the field. He is a st-pice taker and has the quality to deliver high-quality passes.
Calhanoglu has netted eight goals in the 2023-24 season. He is the penalty taker and has netted seven goals from seven penalty kids. The 29-year-old also scored a banger against Napoli from outside the penalty box. He is capable of scoring such goals.
Liverpool will monitor Calhanoglu’s situation and might make a move for him in the summer. They might also try to persuade him in January.
Visuals via TFA data viz engine
