Liverpool eye move for £60m PL star who plays like Jeremy Doku

Liverpool plied their transfer work with confidence and conviction in the summer and now the sense that success lurks at the top of the hill is almost tangible.

Jurgen Klopp has produced a masterclass in restoring a withered outfit at the end of its charge, signing several influential midfielders to banish the pervasive lethargy that had seeped into the system.

And now, midway through January, Liverpool hold a two-point advantage over Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table, also taking a lead into the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final tie against Fulham.

Icing the cake, so to speak, the Reds have advanced in both the FA Cup and the Europa League and are in a commanding position when assessing the possibility of gleaning silverware before the summer.

If something occurs in the market this month, it won’t be drastic, though things are happening behind the scenes ahead of the end of the campaign, when heavy spending will resume.

Liverpool looking to sign Premier League sensation

Liverpool’s first port of call in the summer will likely be to address the lack of depth in the backline, which has been aggravated by Joel Matip’s season-ending injury in December.

The Cameroonian, aged 32, is out of contract at the end of the campaign nonetheless, and Jarell Quansah’s emergence has probably allowed Klopp to avoid any lunging bids to patch up the defence this winter.

The backline isn’t the only area attracting the rumour mill, and according to ESPN’s Mark Ogden, Liverpool are interested in a move for Crystal Palace phenom Michael Olise, though Manchester United are believed to hold the lead after holding discussions with the London side.

Olise signed a new contract in the summer after rejecting an approach from Chelsea but is expected to be allowed to leave by June, with a release clause of £60m activating in his Eagles deal.

Michael Olise the assist machine

Crystal Palace signed Olise, who is 22 years old, from Reading for just £9m back in 2021, having been named as the Championship’s Young Player of the Season before the transfer.

In total, the Frenchman has scored 11 goals and supplied 20 assists from 80 appearances at Selhurst Park, really coming into his own last term and showcasing his creative ability in the Premier League.

Hailed as “one of the best wide playmakers in Europe” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Olise’s elite level of invention, principally on the right flank, has cemented him as a formidable outlet for Roy Hodgson’s team, and it’s really no wonder that so many top European outfits are vying for his signature.

Moreover, as per FBref, he ranks among the top 14% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 10% for shot-creating actions, the top 17% for tackles, the top 5% for interceptions and the top 12% for blocks per 90.

Effectively, these metrics highlight not just his spark and attacking skills but his application across the pitch and subsequent success in preventing opponents from clicking into gear, stifling them with his tackles and interceptions.

How Michael Olise compares to Jeremy Doku

Energetic and artful, Manchester City whiz Jeremy Doku is considered one of Olise’s most comparable players via Football Transfers, and Liverpool would be wise to emulate their title rivals and sign a player of Doku’s ilk.

The treble winners purchased Doku from French club Rennes in August for £55.5m, viewed as the replacement for Riyad Mahrez, and his fleet-footed electricity has taken the English game by storm.

With just four goals and six assists across 19 games for City so far, the 21-year-old does need to work on his final product, but there is no denying the innate dribbling quality that strikes fear into opponents every match.

Doku has completed 44 dribbles in the Premier League this season which places him in first place in the dribbling charts, though perhaps more impressively, he has also played the fewest minutes of any player on the leaderboard.

Described as a “diamond in the rough” by club and country teammate Kevin De Bruyne, the Belgian ranks among the top 1% of positional peers for progressive carries and successful take-ons, the top 9% for assists and the top 4% for shot-creating actions per 90.

He’s deadly and singular and Liverpool would only improve their forward fluidity by sealing a swoop, with Olise offering similar qualities.

The £100k-per-week Palace star has endured an injury-affected campaign so far but he has glittered when gracing the Premier League pitches, scoring five goals and supplying one assist from just seven starting appearances.

Complementing this stunning return with three shots and 2.2 key passes per game, having completed 81% of his passes, won 60% of his ground duels and averaged 2.7 dribbles, 1.6 tackles and 3.8 ball recoveries per fixture, Olise really is the kind of rounded player that Klopp could take to new heights.

If this is compared with Olise’s metrics this season, there is a discernible similarity in creative and work rate, with the Citizen scoring twice and providing five assists from ten displays from the outset, completing 84% of his passes, averaging 1.9 key passes, 3.8 dribbles, 1.8 tackles and 3.3 recoveries per match, also winning 61% of his duels.

Olise might have unearthed his clinical touch this season but he remains Palace’s chief creative outlet, creating chances with constancy, even if his moves are not receiving the deserving finishing touch.

While the two players in question differ across certain facets, they are both enterprising and combative, with technical skills that most players would only dream of; Olise has even been praised for his “unstoppable” style when at his best by pundit Darren Bent.

Like Doku, Olise would not be a cheap purchase for the Anfield side, but it would complete the frontline and must be considered ahead of the summer, especially with Manchester United poking around.