da heads bet： Liverpool are interested in signing Jose Maria Gimenez from Atletico Madrid this summer, per AS.
What’s the word?
da jogodeouro： The Reds are said to be keen to reinforce their defence in the coming months and, as such, have identified a number of targets for the position, of which Gimenez is one. The other two mentioned are Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni and RB Leipzig’s Dayot Upamecano.
The main criteria needed, per the report, is a player who is good in the air and with the ball at his feet, and Gimenez ticks both boxes, though he does have a €120m (£110.7m) release clause in his contract.
However, he has lost his place at times this season, struggling with injuries and making just 16 appearances in all competitions. He has registered one assist throughout the campaign, against Juventus in the Champions League.
No clues: Can you name the season these iconic Liverpool images belong to?
The perfect partner
Gimenez needs to join the club.
He would be the perfect partner to Virgil van Dijk, who does not really have a genuinely world-class foil within the Reds squad.
While Joel Matip, Dejan Lovren, and Joe Gomez have performed manfully in the role when they have been called upon, Liverpool need a player with a heavyweight pedigree to go alongside their magisterial Dutchman.
Per WhoScored, Gimenez is dribbled past just 0.4 times per game in La Liga and also averages 1.4 tackles, 1.3 interceptions, and 3.4 clearances, plus a pass success rate of 85.2%.
Gimenez could be the ideal player to partner van Dijk and add another rock-solid foundation to Jurgen Klopp’s machine-like Reds side.
He would be an expensive acquisition, but Liverpool have shown that they can break the bank when they need to.
After all, they spent £75m to bring van Dijk into the club.
Michael Edwards securing another such swoop would lock up their backline for years to come.
Meanwhile, take a look at Kenny Dalglish’s nightmare swoop!