With the summer transfer window approaching fast, many players in the Liverpool squad are facing a race with time to prove to the boss that they belong and have a future at the club. A lot of changes are expected and the existing squad members have to make way for upgrades bought in their place.
One such position which might require an upgrade is the striker’s position. After a lot of chances, it seems Christian Benteke just doesn’t fit the bill which is required for a Klopp’s team. Jurgen Klopp has always praised the Belgian but it is obvious that it just isn’t working. Benteke might be sold for a right price and if he departs, a striker has to be brought to share the workload with Sturridge and the new fan favorite Divock Origi.
One name that has arrived on the big stage is the Dutch sensation, Vincent Janssen. The 21-year old has quickly rose to prominence this season with his exploits this season for AZ Alkmaar. He recently scored his first international goal against England in a friendly. If Benteke leaves, Janssen can be an ideal replacement who can flourish a lot under Jurgen Klopp.
Background :
Janssen joined the Feyenoord academy and rose through the ranks and was a star of their under19 team. But surprisingly Feyenoord did not renew his contract and the budding talent was a free transfer and joined second division club Almere in the 2013-14 season.
He was an instant success and scored 10 goals in his first season. In the 2014-15 season the towering Dutchman scored 19 goals and by this time, everyone in Holland started to take notice of a striker who was once released by his former club.
The 21-year-old joined Az Alkmaar this summer and has taken the Dutch Eredivisie by storm. He has scored 25 goals this season and is looking like a player who can make the Dutch national team great again. Rumours concerning him have started and all the big clubs have started scouting the youngster.
Strengths :
The biggest strength of Janssen is his unpredictability. He is strong with both feet and that gives him an edge over the defenders marking him. His finishing is top class and with 75% passing accuracy, he is quite a player. Scoring 24 goals is no small feat and to achieve that at his age means a special talent has arrived and if he is available, Liverpool should be all over signing him.
His only weakness can be said that he concedes a lot of unnecessary fouls and can get his mind out of the game at times. But he has a lot of time on his side, and people have already dubbed him the next Ruud Van Nistelrooy, the kid has to learn to play under pressure and if he continues this rich vein of form, the future for Janssen and ultimately for Netherlands is bright.