Liverpool in for Doku as Klopp rejects seven-year theory
FT Desk
- 9 Oct 2022 12:35 BST
- 3 min read
Liverpool remain keen on a deal for Rennes wonderkid Jeremy Doku as Jurgen Klopp has dismissed the idea that his management style creates a seven-year cycle.
Liverpool have got off to their worst ever Premier League start under Klopp this season, and the €41 million sale of Sadio Mane to Bayern Munich has been cited as one of the reasons why.
The Reds are currently 10th in the league table, and could fall 14-points behind Arsenal should the Gunners go top with victory at the Emirates. Klopp left Mainz and Borussia Dortmund after seven years, and is in his seventh year at Liverpool…
What is Liverpool's best attack? 🤔
Does Jurgen Klopp know yet? 🧐#LFC pic.twitter.com/RcUT8GQpKr— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) September 20, 2022
"The situation was really different," Klopp said ahead of the game. "A seven-year spell was not planned or because I lost energy. I was a manager at Mainz and, after three years, we got promoted to the Bundesliga then three years later we got relegated. We tried one more year and the club needed a change, players left us for the Bundesliga, so they needed a fresh start.
"I went directly to Dortmund, and it was all fine. Seven years and it was just a situation that players constantly got bought by other clubs. It was a really hard job to do, constantly making two steps back."
The transfer landscape is significantly different at Anfield, and Liverpool spent €100m on signing Darwin Nunez from Benfica this summer, but the Uruguayan is a No.9, with the wide areas still needing addressed, even if Mo Salah and Luis Diaz remain on the books.
Count on Doku
Doku is seen as the genuine long-term successor to Mane, and he came close to joining Liverpool before - something he admitted in an interview in 2018.
"I was able to discuss with Jurgen, Mane, [Gini] Wijnaldum… [Steven] Gerrard too," he said. "I talked a lot with Mane but we didn't really talk about football. We talked about everything.
"As soon as I'm asked if I regret [staying at Anderlecht], I always say no, because if Liverpool came to me at 15, if they like me, they'll come back later, that's certain. It's up to me to play well."
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Doku has kept up his end of the bargain. No player has averaged more progressive carries (15 per 90 minutes), shot-creating actions (six) or made more tackles (three) than Doku has among all Ligue 1 wingers over the last year.
If Klopp can help him add goals to his game, Liverpool would have a serious player on their hands, one whom they could pick up for €17m according to Football Transfers' in-house algorithm.
