Liverpool could sign ‘future Ballon d’Or winner’

liverpoolof return to Champions League Tuesday night’s game was a success as they fought hard to beat Ligue 1 side Lille 2-1 at Anfield.

The Reds needed a second-half strike from youngster Harvey Elliott to secure all three points in the European competition after Jonathan David’s strike canceled out Mo Salah’s opener.

Arne SlaughterThe team has won all seven games in the league stage so far and has qualified for the next stage with one game remaining.

It’s just Eliot’s Second goal of the season Of all competitions, the other was against Southampton in the Carabao Cup, in what has been a frustrating season for the 21-year-old.

The England U21 international has not yet start a game He has made just eight substitute appearances so far in the Premier League as he has struggled to establish himself as a regular under Slott.

The Liverpool boss prefers the most hard-working but still technically superior options at his disposal, such as Alexis McAllister, Dominic Szoboszlai, Curtis Jones and Ryan Gravenberch.

Slott doesn’t have a first-team star who can be as ready to play week in and week out as former Reds star Philippe Coutinho.

Philippe Coutinho’s Liverpool career

Like Elliott, the Brazil international is a diminutive attacking midfielder who looks to make an impact at the top of the pitch through dribbling, finishing and key passes.

Philippe Coutinho-Liverpool-Manchester City

During his time on Merseyside, Coutinho gained 54 goals and 43 assists He made 201 appearances in all competitions for the club, demonstrating his ability as both a scorer and goal creator.

Not only is the former Inter Milan prodigy impressive in the final third, but the midfield dynamo is also a joy to watch and a player capable of making goals out of nothing.

Coutinho is a mercurial talent who can cut in with his right foot and score incredible goals at his best, possessing great finishing ability and creativity from distance and in the penalty area, as As you can see in the video below.

The Brazilian star’s performances over the years eventually caught the attention of Spanish giants Barcelona, who swooped in to sign the midfielder. Reported expenses of £142m January 2018.

This represents huge profits £8.5 million The club spent a lot of money to sign him from Inter Milan, making the initial fee they paid the Italian side a bargain in hindsight.

Liverpool could now strike a similar deal to secure their next version of Coutinho by signing one of their reported targets in the January transfer window.

Liverpool’s interest in Ligue 1 talent

Recently there were reports that Liverpool are one of a number of clubs considering a move for Lyon attacking midfielder Rayan Cherki ahead of the February deadline.

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The Reds are said to have stepped up their interest in the France U21 international and are willing to pay the Ligue 1 side’s £19m transfer fee for the 21-year-old magician.

Lyon’s financial situation is said to have forced them to consider cashing in on Cherki this month, with a fee of £19m being enough to secure the young star’s services before the end of the January transfer window.

However, the Premier League leaders are not the only interested parties, as are Turkish giants Fenerbahce. Reportedly in talks The midfield sensation was signed while Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich signed the midfielder. Also linked With the French ace.

This means there is likely to be stiff competition for his signature and it won’t be an easy task for Liverpool to get the deal done as they may need to beat out these clubs in the race for him.

Slott should urge the board to complete Cherki’s move before the end of the January transfer window, though, as he could provide a spark in midfield like Coutinho did during his time at Anfield.

Why Rayan Cherki could become Philippe Coutinho 2.0

Like the Brazilian, Liverpool could sign the Lyon attacking midfielder for a reasonable fee, as £19m is hardly breaking the bank for a potentially exciting player and one that opens up the possibility of a future for the club. That leaves room to profit from him. .

Cherki is also a mercurial attacking midfielder who, like Coutinho, possesses excellent technical qualities and the ability to score impressive goals, aided by his striking Techniques, which are on full display in the France training session below.

This 21-year-old generator man, StatsBomb founder Ted Knutson Known as a “dribble master”, he has accumulated 22 goals and 33 assists Despite his advanced age, he has played 163 games for Lyon so far.

Given that he made his debut in the 2019/20 season, it is easy to forget that Cherki is still a very young player with plenty of time to develop and improve. In fact, The Athletic’s Alex Buck even said he’s “Future Ballon d’Or Winner” In 2023, we are still many years away from achieving this goal.

While he’s not yet at Ballon d’Or level, the French midfielder’s performances at Lyon, both domestically and in Europe, are set to be impressive heading into the 2024/25 season.

Rayan Cherki(24/25)	Ligue 1	european league
Debut (start)	14(9)	6(5)
Target	3	2
created huge opportunities	8	8
Key passes in every game	2.3	3.7
Assist	3	4
Number of dribbles completed per game	2.2	3.0
Statistics via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Cherki has scored five goals and created 16 “great chances” in 14 starts in Ligue 1 and the Europa League, which speaks to his ability Scored goals regularly in the final third. .

Like Coutinho, the £19m wonderkid has the ability to consistently dribble past opponents while also influencing the game with goals, key passes and assists, which is why he can be a joy for fans to watch.