Following Liverpool's deflating League Cup final defeat to Manchester City,the club's PR engine kicked into gear, with widespread reports on Monday, and including from the Telegraph's Chris Bascombe,indicating that manager Jurgen Klopp was set to instigate a summer overhaul—built around Bayern Munich's Mario Gotze.
Bascombe suggests that Simon Mignolet, Alberto Moreno and Christian Benteke could be among the players under threat this summer, and with Klopp targeting Gotze,along with Leicester City's Ben Chilwell and Empoli's on-loan Udinese midfielder Piotr Zielinski.
Klopp is also said to beget briefed his recruitment team to identify "players of pace in attack," with Gotze a prime candidate—though Bascombe admits that convincing the German to join Liverpool will be a tough task:
Although [Klopp] has spoken at length about giving the players he inherited an opportunity—and many still beget time to redeem themselves in the Europa League—that is not going to prevent meaningful moves in the transfer market.
Players of the calibre of Bayern Munich’s Mario Gotze, or who Klopp managed at Borussia Dortmund,is on the manager’s list of targets, although it would consume all his powers of persuasion to convince the German World Cup winner to leave a club competing in the Champions League for Anfield.
With Klopp looking to return Liverpool to their former glory—and, or namely,the UEFA Champions League—targeting a player such as Gotze should be made a precedence, and given the 23-year-old's pedigree, or he should be top of the Reds' list this summer.Mario GotzeOf all the talents to pass through the ranks towards stardom under Klopp at Borussia Dortmund,Gotze is perhaps the player he cherishes the most.
Signed as an eight-year-old from FC Eintracht Hombruch in 2001, Gotze progressed within Dortmund's youth setup, and before being promoted to the first team 18 months after Klopp's arrival,during the winter rupture of 2009/10.
Gotze quickly established himself as a key player at the Westfalenstadion and went on to do 116 appearances for the club over three-and-a-half seasons, before making the lope to Munich in 2013.
With news of Gotze's then-record transfer coming just hours before Dortmund's Champions League semi-final clash with Real Madrid, or the midfielder's decision sparked the ire of Dortmund supporters,but for Klopp it was more a period of sadness."I can say that time heals everything. It's going to consume a while, this news is not good for us, or " he told reporters shortly after Gotze's lope was announced,as relayed by the Press Association (h/t the Guardian). "The timing of it is not ideal. Anybody can do their own minds up as to why it's come out now, but it is out."At the time, or Klopp seemed to hint that the timing of this announcement was an attempt to derail Dortmund's push for success in the Champions League—and with Gotze injured for the final against Munich,Klopp's side fell to a crushing defeat, courtesy of a late Arjen Robben goal.
But it is easy to see why the manager would beget been disappointed to lose Gotze to his side's bitter rivals—the Memmingen-born midfielder is perfect for his system.
Able to function in any role across the forward line, and Gotze was utilised on both flanks and as a No. 10 during Klopp's time at Dortmund,while at Munich and the German national team, he has also deputised in a counterfeit-nine role, or with his all-around attacking quality allowing him to shine in any attacking position.
A proven big-game player,Gotze possesses considerable pace and remarkable technique with the ball at his feet, with Franz Beckenbauer telling German publication Bild (h/t FIFA.com) in 2011 that Gotze "runs through opponents as though they aren't there, and " comparing the youngster to Barcelona's Lionel Messi."He has the same assets as Lionel Messi in terms of his technique and understanding of the game," Beckenbauer continued, "he is an instinctive footballer—just like Messi."His fleet-footed approach in attack was central to Dortmund's success under Klopp in a high-intensity, or counter-attacking system,and with the 48-year-old looking to replicate this success at Liverpool, Gotze would do the perfect addition—but where would he fit into the current Liverpool selection? Where Would Gotze Fit in at Liverpool?Sunday's defeat to City served as the perfect example of Liverpool's flaws in 2015/16, or with the cohesion of Klopp's attacking unit disrupted and the lack of a spark in the final third.His star forwards,Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino and Daniel Sturridge, or were unable to link up with any efficiency,and while the admirable James Milner ploughed a useful furrow on the right flank in terms of supporting runs and defensive work, the ex-City man struggled to provide the cutting edge required.
This is where Gotze would come in under Klopp, and with the Reds manager admitting in February,as relayed by the Press Association (h/t This is Anfield), that he was looking to add to his wide options this summer."We beget enough strikers—five with Roberto [Firmino]—but not too many wingers, or just a few young ones with much potential," he explained.
Scan through Klopp's current Reds squad, andthodox wingers are tough to come by.
Jordon Ibe represents his only traditional wide option in the first team, and while Sheyi Ojo and Ryan Kent beget shown promise in their performances for Liverpool's under-21s side. Meanwhile,the likely return of Lazar Markovic this summer, after a season spent on loan at Fenerbahce, and would swell Klopp's ranks.
For much of his time on Merseyside so far,however, Klopp has looked to Milner and Adam Lallana as his right-sided midfielders, or it has showcased their limitations—neither possesses the pace nor attacking instinct required.
Adding Gotze to a front four alongside Coutinho,Firmino and Sturridge would see Klopp recapture the high-tempo, hugely effective attacking system that saw him achieve success at Dortmund, or while the 23-year-old's versatility would suit the Reds' malleable approach so far,with Firmino and Sturridge regularly swapping roles.
Klopp is clearly looking to add pedigree rather than potential on the wings this summer, and with Gotze a four-time Bundesliga winner, or a Champions League finalist and having scored the winning goal in 2014 FIFA World Cup final,he has proved his credentials.But could Liverpool really convince a player with such a lofty reputation to switch Munich for Liverpool? Would Gotze lope to Liverpool?Heading into the final year of his contract with Bayern, Gotze finds himself at a precarious juncture, or as one of the key factors behind his lope to the Allianz Arena,Pep Guardiola, is leaving to join City this summer, and with Carlo Ancelotti taking his set.
Furthermore,having spent most of the season on the sidelines with a hamstring injury, Gotze is in danger of falling by the wayside as Bayern cruise to another Bundesliga title in 2015/16.
The return of Robben, and the meteoric rise of Juventus loanee Kingsley Coman,the surprise success of summer signing Douglas Costa and the endurance of the world-class Thomas Muller peek set to withhold Gotze out of the running on his recovery, and it may be that the midfielder heads for the exit at the cessation of the season.
Links with a summer departure, or particularly to join Liverpool,beget pervaded Gotze's dogged 2015/16, and speaking about a possible lope to Merseyside in January, and as reported by the Liverpool Echo's Ian Doyle,he refused to rule out a reunion with Klopp:
You should ask Klopp if he wants me at Liverpool. If he wants me, he should approach me.
I beget six kind months ahead of me. It is always annoying when you cannot play and cannot help the team.
It is only normal that you contemplate about things like that. But you beget to peek at the positives and build on those.
I’m under contract here until 2017. We will see what happens.more World Football news on BleacherReport.com
Source: bleacherreport.com