The victory over Tottenham Hotspur, before a two-week break, has given Liverpool some hope of making it to the top-4 in the Premier League by the end of the season. The manager will be relatively pleased with the way his team have come back after a poor run of form and will now hope that they can see the remainder of the season off with some consistent results. Jurgen Klopp is already planning for next season and wants to add some star names to his squad, to help Liverpool compete with the best next season and one name that has been linked with The Reds is that of Borussia Dortmund star Mario Gotze.
The 24-year old, who came to limelight in Germany under Jurgen Klopp at the Signal Iduna Park, has etched himself into football history books of his country, by scoring the only goal of the 2014 World Cup win over Argentina and is now regarded as one of the most exciting stars in Germany. He was linked with a move to Liverpool before the start of the season but Klopp failed to lure him away from Bayern as Gotze decided to move back to Dortmund in the summer. However, he is unsettled at the Iduna Park this season under Thomas Tuchel and though he insists that he is fighting for a place in the side, he has made just 11 appearances in the Bundesliga this season.
How well would he fit in at Liverpool?
Capable of playing on either wing, Gotze is at his best playing just behind the striker. He is also capable of playing as a false-9. In 16 appearances in all competitions, Gotze has just 2 goals and 2 assists to his name and is struggling to impress his manager in Germany. He is a perfect fit for the system at Liverpool, having already played under Klopp, and looks to be a decent option for the Reds. A decent dribbler with superb finishing, Gotze loves to have the ball at his feet and is quick in finding his teammates in dangerous areas. His key passes ratio per game is still among the highest in the Bundesliga.
The Reds already have a similar player in Roberto Firmino and if they sign Gotze, it will only add to the confusion up ahead for Liverpool. The common consensus is that Liverpool are going to sell Daniel Sturridge in the summer and are looking for replacements. But Gotze might not be the man to take Liverpool forward. Jurgen Klopp’s side are in need of a target man who can constantly score goals for the side next season. They need a first-team star, who can add some dynamism to this Liverpool attack and Gotze does not fit the bill.
The Verdict
He surely is a wonderful option to have, with all his experience at the highest level, but he might not make Liverpool anything different. The Reds have struggled against sides that sit back and defend and it is hard to see Gotze make a difference in such games. He is too good to act as a backup, neither is he at the level of walking into the team, thus making him an unnecessary buy for Liverpool. Surely, Klopp should look at a player who can walk into the first team next season.
Do you think Mario Gotze is a decent option for Liverpool?