Liverpool are keeping a watchful eye on Crystal Palace midfielder Eberechi Eze's situation this summer as sporting director Jorg Schmadtke considers lodging a summer transfer offer.
What's the latest on Eberechi Eze to Liverpool?
According to recent reports, Jurgen Klopp's outfit are "planning to check" on the 24-year-old this summer as they plan to recraft their midfield following the departures of James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Fellow Premier League sides Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are all said to be interested in the England international, with the Eagles willing to talk business for around €30m (£26m).
A mercurial midfielder with dazzling skills, Eze would be a stellar addition to the Anfield ranks, and with just two years left on his current deal, his club might seek to secure maximum value with haste.
How good is Eberechi Eze?
Considering Liverpool's problems throughout the 22/23 campaign stemmed from the stagnancy of a midfield depleted of energy and with a pervading loss of belief, signing a progressive menace in Eze, who finished the term atop the crest of a wave, could be an auspicious move.
Hailed as "magic" by former Palace teammate Christian Benteke, Eze scored ten goals and supplied four assists in the Premier League last season, indeed coming into his own in the business end and plundering six strikes from his final nine matches.
Having recently made his international debut, the one-cap England star's box-surging prowess and potency could leave him as the perfect alternative to Celta Vigo prospect Gabri Veiga, who has been in scintillating form in LaLiga this season, scoring 11 goals and supplying four assists, and subsequently leaving Liverpool considering paying his €40m (£34m) release clause.
Such similar returns indeed stand out among the aforementioned pair, but a deeper dive into their styles reveals that Eze could produce every bit the 'magic' that Veiga could, with the 21-year-old Spaniard being called a "wonderful talent" by journalist Josh Bunting.
As per FBref, Eze ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for rate of non-penalty goals, the top 6% for shot-creating actions, the top 16% for progressive carries and the top 1% for successful take-ons per 90.
Veiga, comparatively, ranks among the top 1% for rate of non-penalty goals, the top 24% for shot-creating actions, and the top 12% for progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90.
The 24-year-old Eagle would indeed be a worthy alternative to Veiga, and Klopp must now choose carefully as he charts the best route to success on Merseyside.