Transfer insider: Liverpool identify preferred target for one position which is on Hughes’ agenda
A fresh revelation from a transfer insider suggests that Richard Hughes has one position in the Liverpool squad firmly in mind when it comes to potential recruitment in 2025.
For the past four years, the left-back pecking order has seen Andy Robertson as the preferred option with Kostas Tsimikas as a trusted alternative, although that area of the pitch could be in line for a shake-up if new reports are to be believed.
Liverpool eyeing two Premier League left-backs
According to Graeme Bailey for TBR Football, that position has been earmarked as one with potential room for improvement by Anfield chiefs, with a couple of Premier League targets already identified.
Rayan Ait-Nouri of Wolves is understood to be Liverpool’s preferred option and he’s continuing to be monitored, with the Reds having tracked him for more than 12 months already.
Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez is also being watched, as is Jorrel Hato of Ajax, who’s been the subject of scouting missions from Merseyside.
Ait-Nouri seems an exciting option for Liverpool to target
Ait-Nouri was the subject of rumoured interest from Liverpool over the summer, with CaughtOffside reporting that Anfield chiefs met with Wolves for discussions on a potential swoop for the 23-year-old and David Lynch claiming in August that a deal had seemed viable at one point before the transfer deadline that month.
The Algeria international has been quite prolific for a left-back in recent weeks, scoring in three of his last four games for the Old Gold (including an equaliser in their 1-2 defeat to the Reds at the end of September), and he’s also claimed a couple of assists for Gary O’Neil’s side (Transfermarkt).
He ranks among the top 1% of positional peers in Europe’s five main leagues over the past year for successful take-ons per 90 minutes, as well as the top 3% for non-penalty xG and top 4% for non-penalty goals per game (FBref), which further underlines the attacking threat that he can provide from the left flank.
Bailey’s update on Ait-Nouri comes just after Robertson endured a shaky outing against Arsenal and may also cast some doubt on Tsimikas’ future if the Greece defender were to be bumped further down the pecking order.
It remains to be seen if Liverpool will make a move for the Algerian in 2025, but don’t be surprised if he continues to be talked up as a plausible recruit for Hughes in the coming months.
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