Why Fulham should make a move for Liverpool’s Nathaniel Clyne
According to the Sun, new Fulham manager Claudio Ranieri is interested in making a move for Liverpool defender Nathaniel Clyne. The Reds right-back hasn’t played a single league game this season, making just one start, in the Carabao Cup defeat to Chelsea a couple of weeks ago.
The report suggests that Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is happy to see the former Southampton defender go out on loan and reignite his career. The German possesses Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back and can also use Joe Gomez as cover if required. (Sun)
Cardiff City and Leicester City have also been linked with the 27-year-old, who joined Merseyside from the South Coast for a fee of around £12.5million in 2015. But Fulham are definitely the ones who are in need of a new right-back in their squad.
The Cottagers have already conceded a record and league-high 35 goals already this season. They let in two against Southampton as well but ultimately went on to pick up the first win under Ranieri.
Fulham currently have a major crisis going on down their right flank in the defence. Both Cyrus Christie and Manchester United loanee Timothy Fosu-Mensah have failed to make any sort of impact at the back. Nathaniel Clyne would be an ideal option for the Cottagers.
He is defensively very good and is a hard man to get past when in his jive. Though the 27-year-old is not the most explosive full-back when going forward, he is still capable of occasionally whipping dangerous crosses into the box.
Clyne is also a clean tackler and good player of the ball. The English right-back surely isn’t a bad player but was overshadowed by the rise of Trent Alexander-Arnold last season.
The Liverpool right-back will help shore things up at the back for the Premier League newcomers who have looked better after the change in the managerial hot seat.
Alfie Mawson and Denis Odoi will definitely be more confident as well with Clyne on the right-hand side, given that Fulham have always looked fragile down that flank.
Read more: Ranieri joining hands with his former protege would solidify Fulham’s midfield
Claudio Ranieri should beat his rivals to the signing of Nathaniel Clyne. The manager can aim for a season-long loan move that will also allow them to make it permanent at the end of the season. Clyne is barely playing any football under Klopp at the moment and a move away would be hard to resist.
Given that he is totally out of favour at Liverpool and isn’t an important player at the club anymore, he shouldn’t cost too much. Signing Clyne would be an absolute steal for Fulham considering the quality player that he is.