Liverpool can solve Firmino problem with £27m starlet who matched Mbappé

Liverpool can solve Firmino problem with £27m starlet who matched Mbappé

Liverpool Echo Sports·2021-09-15 18:00

In the last couple of seasons, the oldest piece in Liverpool's attacking jigsaw has started to fade. Roberto Firmino's numbers have declined and his performances have not been the same as they once were. With the Brazilian forward edging closer to 30 years of age, Liverpool must prepare a contingency plan to replace the club's number nine in the relatively near future. Karim Adeyemi has been linked as a long-term solution, but Spanish outlet Todo Fichajes have thrown another name into the list of potential targets in Amine Gouiri. According to the report, Jürgen Klopp has made a 'direct request' to the club in order to pursue the French forward, and Liverpool's supposed interest in Gouiri is intriguing.In fact, it is making the club's approach to replace its ageing stars young players even clearer. The potential list of candidates that have been drawn up so far are all under the age of 23 and all very much still honing their craft in professional football.Read MoreRelated ArticlesRead MoreRelated ArticlesTwenty-one-year-old Amine Gouiri is definitely in that category; the Nice and France U21 forward is a raw proposition but stylistically there is a lot to admire about him.First of all, like Firmino, Gouiri is adept at pressing the ball high up the field and retaining possession for his teammates. This season he has averaged 6.67 pressures per 90 in the opposition's final third and has made 2.31 tackles and interceptions per 90 via FBref.These are all numbers above average and of a similar rate to Firmino himself. For example, last season Firmino averaged 7.74 pressures in the opposition's final third and made 1.43 tackles and interceptions. On top of Gouiri's voracious appetite for the ball, the French forward is also relatively versatile in a similar mould to Diogo Jota. Gouiri is capable of playing as a number nine, but he is also comfortable playing as a left-winger. He is quick, and technically gifted too. Gouiri, like Firmino, is blessed with an astute first touch which can get him out of tight situations and beat his opponents with ease. Read MoreRelated ArticlesRead MoreRelated ArticlesAt U19 level for France, Gouiri scored the same amount of goals as Kylian Mbappé in fewer games with seven in eight matches. And Gouiri generally has a formidable youth goal-scoring record in the French national set-up.He was regarded as one of France's best prospects before a cruciate ligament injury ruled him out for almost an entire year three years ago. However, he has rebuilt his career at Nice and has revamped his reputation, particularly last season scoring 16 goals and registering eight assists in 41 games.This season he already has four goals and one assist in his first four games. While Gouiri used to be an efficient finisher at youth level, and those numbers this season and last season back this up, many of his goals have come from the penalty spot. His non-penalty goals per 90 was only 0.26 last season, and he has averaged a 38 per cent shot on target success rate over the last two seasons, which can definitely be improved upon. Liverpool, then, would be getting a raw and young forward, but one who could help Klopp's issues with depth in attack and be a long-term project to build on. Read MoreRelated ArticlesRead MoreRelated Articles

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