Brendan Rodgers said to add two wonderkids to Anfield roster…
SEE ALSO: The Best Liverpool goals.
Liverpool are about to complete two big summer signings, in the form of Lazar Markovic and Divock Origi, for fees of around £35m and £10m respectively.
Here’s what the pair could bring to Anfield next season:
10) Youth:
Markovic is 20, and Origi is only 19. Now Rodgers will have Sterling, 19, Ibe, 18, Coutinho, 21, Suso, 20, and the two new signings as phenomenally talented young attack minded players. That can’t be a bad thing, right?
9) Pace:
Liverpool’s counter attacking style last season thrived on rapid attackers, and Origi and Markovic have it in abundance. Both will fit into Rodgers’ style of play.
8) Versatility
Rodgers said after signing Adam Lallana, the player was attractive to the Reds because he was comfortable in an number of positions, and could therefore be used in various systems. Origi can play wide left or up top, and Markovic can play in any of the three attacking midfield roles – right, left or centrally.
7) Big game experience
Origi’s played at the World Cup, and Markovic started four of Benfica’s matches in the Champions League last season – the biggest stage in club football.
6) Exciting bench options
While neither may be immediate starters, they’ll provide goals and assists – and hopefully excitement – which Liverpool badly lacked last term. The likes of Victor Moses and Iago Aspas totally lacked it.
5) Unrivalled Potential
Here’s what Avram grant said about Markovic:
I can say that apart from Ronaldo and Messi, Markovic is one of the best talents I’ve ever seen at 19 years of age.”
Here’s what Chelsea’s Nemanja Matic had to say:
“He has such massive potential that if he changed his attitude in training he could be one of Europe’s best players in his position. But he’s young, he’ll mature, and then nobody will be able to stop him!”
And Origi is the only teenager to score at the World Cup. Reds fans should be whetting their appetites…
4) Technical competence
While Rodgers like his attackers to have pace, he demands them to be good on the ball first and foremost. Markovic especially is technically superb. His close control far outweighs many his age, and while Origi’s main attribute is his power – the ball sticks to him up top, and he can play clever lay offs to onrushing teammates.
3) Power
Origi is exceptionally strong. Like his international colleague Lukaku, for his age – Origi is frightening in this respect. Markovic too, for a more technical, tricker player, has fantastic upper body strength, which will only improve.
2) Ease the burden on Raheem Sterling
Sterling’s brilliant. Right now, he’s probably the best teenage footballer in the world. And that’s based on his performances last season, not hyperbole. But can he carry the creative load for Liverpool when Luis Suarez leaves? Maybe, but it’ll be a big ask – and having solid options to play instead of the wonderkid will allow Rodgers to rest Sterling and help the youngster continue his jaw-dropping development.
1) Dribbling
Markovic loves to pick up the ball in the final third and take on opponents, and he can either beat them on the outside or inside – while Origi’s pace and power means he loves to knock the ball past a defender before taking a shot on goal. This is exciting, and means that goals will be created from seemingly nothing next term at Anfield with these two on board.