Dominik Szoboszlai has the pedigree to be a hit at Anfield, just like Steven Gerrard, after showing promising signs in his initial games for Liverpool
Dominik Szoboszlai has played a few games for Liverpool until now, and his impressive performance suggests that he is a worthy successor to Steven Gerrard and his iconic number eight shirt, as per the Liverpool Echo.
In 2015, shortly before Jurgen Klopp took over from Brendan Rodgers at Anfield, Liverpool’s legendary player, Gerrard, chose to end his career with the club. The English midfielder had brought numerous trophies to Merseyside, including the Champions League, FA Cup, UEFA Cup, and more.
He made a move to the LA Galaxy in the United States to experience new competition. The former captain’s iconic number eight jersey remained unoccupied until the summer of 2018 when it was given to Naby Keita, who was highly regarded as a unique talent.
The Guinean international appeared to possess a promising skill set, but despite performing reasonably well, he struggled to meet the high expectations placed on him. Gerrard built the essence of Liverpool during his tenure at the club. He was among the most dynamic and standout performers ever seen at Anfield, renowned for his ability to shine in crucial moments when others struggled under pressure.
The experienced midfielder possessed a versatile skill set, excelling in scoring goals, crafting opportunities, making crucial tackles, displaying an impressive range of passing, leading by example, and maintaining a remarkable level of consistency week in and week out. While it’s there to see that finding a player as exceptional as the Reds icon is unlikely, the English giants appear to have found a promising successor for his iconic number eight shirt.
Liverpool acted swiftly to secure a replacement for Keita and successfully signed Szoboszlai from German club RB Leipzig for a transfer fee of €70 million this summer. The Hungarian national team captain has now taken up this role, as he is a huge fan of the Anfield legend.
Although it’s just the beginning of his new journey, the youngster has already participated in four Premier League matches. His debut was particularly noteworthy as he received the Man of the Match award, impressively donning the iconic number eight jersey and delivering a well-rounded performance.
Such has been his impact that even Klopp has held high praise for the former Bundesliga talent. As quoted by the Liverpool Echo, he said:
“He’s a machine, eh? That is now four games, pretty impressive, absolutely impressive, tactically smart, absolutely ready for the dirty part of the game, really hard work, not the fancy stuff.”
Szoboszlai brings a combination of hard work, energy, and strength to the field, all while displaying a graceful touch and technical finesse when controlling the ball. His well-rounded skill set makes him a truly versatile talent, and at such a young age, he occasionally exhibits qualities similar to Gerrard.
The Hungarian star possesses a similar level of versatility in his playing style and has significant room for growth in his career. It’s talk about him being a success, but he’s already showing immense promise.
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While he faces the challenge of living up to high expectations in the coming years, his impressive start in English football suggests that he’s more than up to the task and perhaps even exceeds expectations.
His eyes would now be on his national team as the captain prepares for the upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers against Serbia and the Czech Republic.
