Liverpool are interested in signing Daichi Kamada on a free transfer, with the Eintracht Frankfurt phenom out of contract this summer.
What's the latest on Daichi Kamada?
That's according to Calciomercato.it, who claim that Liverpool are keen to sign Kamada and have joined the race as they look to bolster their midfield after a lacklustre campaign.
The 26-year-old is indeed out of contract this month and could be the perfect replacement for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who is part of the midfield exodus at Anfield this term.
AC Milan have the lead in the pursuit, but Liverpool – alongside Atletico Madrid, Benfica and Borussia Dortmund – will look to swoop and steal the player away from Italian clutches.
Should Liverpool sign Daichi Kamada?
Liverpool's summer war chest will likely be depleted come to the end of the imminent transfer window, such is the magnitude of the need for reinforcements this summer.
The Merseyside outfit's pool of cash is not bottomless, however, and clinching a prolific midfielder of Kamada's ilk would perhaps be the perfect way to effectively enrich the talent at Anfield while leaving ample room to complete more lucrative acquisitions to coincide – with Alexis Mac Allister closing on a £60m move and the likes of £43m-rated Ryan Gravenberch also linked.
The 28-cap international has certainly enjoyed a fruitful few years in Germany, winning the Europa League last season and revelling in a tremendous individual campaign this year, scoring 16 goals and supplying seven further from 46 appearances.
The £33k-per-week star ranks among the top 5% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for rate of non-penalty goals, the top 15% for rate of assists, the top 26% for shot-creating actions and the top 24% for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref.
He is viewed as a comparable player to Juventus' Adrien Rabiot, who has also been linked with a move to Liverpool this season and, like Kamada, is set to depart his club on a free transfer this summer.
Rabiot ranks among the top 3% of positional peers for rate of non-penalty goals, the top 26% for rate of assists, the top 38% for shot-creating actions and the top 16% for progressive carries per 90.
Evidently, both players boast an innate eye for goal and a progressive presence to go with it, but there are several reasons as to why Klopp and co must swoop for Kamada over his French confrere, if such a route is to be delved down.
First and foremost, the wages. Kamada's weekly earnings are minnowed by Rabiot's £150k-per-week, and without a transfer fee, it is likely the 28-year-old will seek an increase on his current deal.
The Frankfurt phenom is also far more dynamic, playing across a range of midfield roles plus capable out on the left flank, and while the 36-cap Frenchman is competent in midfield and deeper, as an anchor, the recent murmurings suggest that the Reds are looking for the likes of Manu Kone and Khephren Thuram to fill that particular hole.
Kamada could be a "hero" on Merseyside, as he was once heralded as by talent scout Jacek Kulig, bringing energy and an eye for goal to a team desperate for some dynamism in the centre, and on a free, his signature could be an auspicious one.