Liverpool is said to be interested in Real Madrid’s Marco Asensio, and it’s easy to see why.
Flexibility is the order of the day on Liverpool’s frontline. Last season, Diogo Jota, Sadio Mane, and Takumi Minamino all started at least one game in all three available positions.
The composition of Jurgen Klopp’s preferred front three has yet to be determined, but the Reds’ attacking signings in 2021/22 have also demonstrated their versatility. Luis Diaz has already played on both flanks for Liverpool, while Darwin Nunez was effective both centrally and on the left for Benfica.
As a result, it’s not surprising to see the club linked with more players who can play multiple positions on the field. One persistent rumor is that Real Madrid’s Marco Asensio is set to join Liverpool.
Last summer, it was reported that Liverpool made a £34 million bid for the Spanish international, and in February, it was reported that he had received offers from both Arsenal and Liverpool. With Sadio Mane’s contract expiring and Mohamed Salah entering the final year of his contract, Asensio could be a transfer target.
The 26-year-old has just finished the best scoring season of his career, reaching double figures for the first time. According to WhoScored, Asensio scored six goals as a right forward in Carlo Ancelotti’s 4-3-3 formation, while also scoring three goals in two appearances in midfield and two from the bench.
Throughout his seven seasons in La Liga, he has scored 10 of his 32 league goals when starting on the left side of the attack and eight when starting on the opposite side. The answer to why the Madrid man has reached new heights this season lies in a number of interconnected factors.
Asensio scored three times from outside the penalty area, a total matched by only 15 players (one of whom played fewer minutes) in Europe’s top five leagues. This is an area where Liverpool could improve in terms of goal scoring. In 2021/22, they led the Premier League in shots from outside the box, but four teams scored more long-range goals than them, with Manchester City scoring nearly twice as many (15 versus eight).
