Liverpool Football Club have had a mixed start to their pre-season campaign under new manager Arne Slot. The Reds will be hoping to improve in their final season under Jurgen Klopp, who 'might' only secure the Reds a top four finish and the Carabao Cup title, instead of the quadruple the club was dreaming of.
So far, they have played two pre-season games and got off to a painful start, losing 1-0 to Championship side Preston North End. That said, they played 25 different players, focusing on friendlies to get minutes in their legs rather than winning.
The first game of their pre-season tour in the United States of America saw them beat Spanish side Real Betis 1-0 in Pittsburgh, thanks to a goal from Dominik Szoboszlai. The rest of the season in the USA will see the Slot team take on Premier League rivals Arsenal and Manchester United before a friendly against Sevilla at Anfield closes the pre-season, with their first Premier League game against newly promoted Ipswich just days before that.
To help their offense next season, Liverpool must quickly enter the transfer market to strengthen their squad; at this stage, they haven't found it yet. However, they are linked with one player who may strengthen them in attack.
Liverpool are on the lookout for a highly sought-after centre-back
The player in question here is Galatasaray and Turkish defender Baris Alper Yilmaz. The 24-year-old impressed with the Turkish giants last season and has now been linked with a move away from the club during the summer transfer window.
According to Turkish newspaper FotoMac earlier this week, Liverpool are 'looking' at a deal to sign the defender in the summer, with the report suggesting the Reds have “been chasing the star player for a long time”.
FotoMac believes the Slot side are 'preparing to make a formal offer soon' and that the bid could reach around £25m. However, in order to sell their star winger this summer, Galatasaray will only accept a bid close to £29m, which means Liverpool are somewhat short of the price needed to bring him to the club.
The report reveals that the English champions who have played 19 games are not the only team willing to sign this young player this season. They suggest that 'Yilmaz's name has been mentioned by many European clubs', although they did not mention any other clubs that want to acquire his services, apart from Liverpool.
Why Yilmaz would be a good signing
During the 2023/24 campaign, Yilmaz impressed for Galatasaray. In 55 games in all competitions, the 24-year-old scored seven goals and registered 12 assists. That includes six goals and seven assists in the top flight in Turkey, as well as an assist against Liverpool's arch-rivals, Man United, in the Champions League.
He also went to Euro 2024 with his country. Although he was unable to score or assist in Germany, Yilmaz started every game and was a key player in his side's impressive run to the quarter-finals.
If Liverpool decide to sign Yilmaz this summer, he could be a smart replacement for Colombian winger Luis Diaz. The 27-year-old has been linked with a move away from Anfield, and reports as early as 2024 suggested he was wanted by clubs elsewhere in Europe including Barcelona.
If they decide to complete the deal and bring the Galatasaray winger to the club, the Reds could be looking at their own Son Heung-min. Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has made this comparison in the past, and it rings true when looking at the two.
How does Yilmaz compare to Heung-min Son
Like Son, the 24-year-old is a direct, two-way winger who uses his speed to make him deadly in transition, and a nightmare in one-vs-one situations for defenders. The Turkish player is a classy player, who knows how to use his 6 foot 1 frame to his advantage.
Yilmaz has the ability to play directly in the front three, and last season for Galatasaray, he played on both wings and as a forward, as we have seen Son do for Tottenham Hotspur over the years. He may not find his best position for a few seasons, but for now he's playing very well, although he doesn't seem to be doing much better on either wing in particular.
|
Yilmaz record per position 2023/24 |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Position |
Games |
Goals |
It helps |
|
The right wing |
27 |
5 |
7 |
|
Left wing |
12 |
1 |
3 |
|
Left back |
7 |
N/A |
1 |
|
Right back |
6 |
1 |
1 |
|
Lift forward |
3 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Total |
55 |
7 |
12 |
|
Statistics from Transfermarkt |
|||
It is also reflected in their statistics, according to Sofascore. Last season in the Turkish top flight, Yilmaz created ten big chances and averaged 1.2 key passes per game. According to Sofascore, Son has been slow and created 20 big chances in the Premier League and two important passes per game.
A key pass is a pass that leads directly to a shot at the opponent's goal.
However, another area where the 24-year-old Turkish player has won over the Spurs captain is in his impressive statistics. Yilmaz completed 1.8 dribbles per 90 minutes last season, with a 56% success rate, although Son completed 1.1 dribbles with a 45% success rate.
Sports commentator and broadcaster Stephen Doyle described Yilmaz as a “great” player to watch, and that is reflected in his statistical record. His profile would suit the specific style of play Slot has started to implement at Anfield, and his addition could allow the sale of Diaz which would mean the club have more money to reinvest in the squad.
At just £29m, this is a deal Liverpool may not want to miss out on and would be a smart first signing of the Slot era to help give him the best chance of silverware in his first campaign at Anfield.
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