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Liverpool has signed Dominik Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig for £60 million. Newcastle was reportedly also interested in the Hungarian but withdrew from the race. This is the second incoming for Liverpool in this transfer window, alongside Alexis Mac Allister, who was signed from Brighton for £35 million.
Last season Szoboszlai managed to pick up 10 goals and 13 assists in all competitions, and was at the top of the Bundesliga charts for secondary chances created (41). That showcasted his crucial part in the build-up to the majority of RB Leipzig’s shots. This is something that will be overlooked by many supporters.
He captains the international side Hungary at just 22 years of age, who he made his debut at 18 years old against World Cup finalists Croatia and helped the side win 2-1 with a terrific performance.
Jürgen Klopp’s thoughts
Klopp has commented on the signing of Szoboszlai and stated he is “our present and also for our future.” He is very excited to see what Szoboszlai can bring to Liverpool and says “there is no pressure” due to the fact he is still a young player and has time to develop.
Furthermore, he expressed that “it makes sense for us all to be patient,” which is understandable due to the fact a lot of players struggle initially with the difference between other leagues and the Premier League. To hear that Klopp is not putting immense pressure on him to immediately perform is a relief. However, Szoboszlai likely has high standards for himself and will want to impress in his new colours.
His position
Szoboszlai is a versatile player, who has the ability to play as an attacking midfielder or as a winger. He is known for creating chances. Steven Gerrard’s iconic number eight was chosen to be worn by Szoboszlai. In his first interview at the club, when questioned on his reasoning for the choice of the number, he stated it was “not a special reason but of course, it’s a great number, a lot of great players had this number. And also I have a tattoo from Steven Gerrard, what he said – I don’t even remember when but before. It was also a reason why.”
Suits you, Dominik 👌
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) July 2, 2023
Something he is renowned for is his excellent ability at set pieces. Thus, many opposition teams must be prepared for next season otherwise they will be punished. Another thing to note is his conversion rate on penalties, at his time at RB Leipzig he had taken 16 penalties and successfully converted 15 of them. Mohammed Salah is currently the main man on penalties for Liverpool but that position could be in jeopardy with Szoboszlai in the picture.
Additionally, alongside the high work rate, he is good at ball retention and has good defensive traits. Last season Liverpool’s midfield struggled to keep possession throughout games and conceded a high number of goals due to counterattacks.
Similar to James Maddison
The Hungarian had a total comparison of 94% to James Maddison when he was playing for Leicester City back in the 2019/20 season, an interesting stat to keep note of. In the season being compared, Maddison was the fifth-highest player for shot involvements (153), behind the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Mohammed Salah. Maddison this season was a player who would like to have a shot at goal, which is something we can expect to see from Szoboszlai.
Injury free
Throughout the past two Bundesliga seasons, Szoboszlai has only missed one game due to injury, a stat Liverpool fans would love to hear. This allows the squad to get used to his presence throughout the campaign and the impact he will have in key moments, injuries are something that can ruin a team’s momentum and we have seen many cases of this in the past.