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Liverpool should replace James Milner using Virgil van Dijk template to fix new midfield problem
Liverpool will need to invest in the club’s midfield this summer. Not only does the center of the park need ammunition in the starting XI, but Jürgen Klopp will also need to add depth to his options and ensure he has squad players ready to step up when needed.
His best Liverpool side was the most balanced when there were players ready to make that step up in every role, and now the ambition should be for Klopp to create a similar environment around Anfield as he embarks on a new era at the club.
That means the lesser-heralded signings are going to be just as important as the big-money arrivals.
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Signing players specifically to boost the squad is a tricky business though. Players won’t necessarily want to sit on the bench, and under FSG’s budget Liverpool will be aware the club cannot afford to spend too much money on potential transfers.
The club has to find raw potential and under-the-radar gems. One such player could be Reo Hatate.
Just like Virgil van Dijk once caught the eye at Celtic, Hatate is now one of the Scottish side’s best players and has helped the club win the Scottish Premiership this season.
The 25-year-old midfielder has contributed to the club’s success with eight goals and ten assists in all competitions and his tenacious style combined with his excellent technique makes him a player who is really easy on the eye.
Well-suited to Klopp’s pressing game, Hatate reads the game well to provide stability in midfield, but he will also roam forward and create dangerous situations in the opposition’s final third, making him a typical box-to-box midfielder.
He wins 58.95 per cent of his defensive duels in the Scottish Premiership this season which ranks him among the top 30 midfielders in the league as per Wyscout.
While when it comes to smart passes he is in third place among his positional peers, recording 1.74 per 90. For progressive passes (7.99 per 90) he ranks in the top ten, and to illustrate his offensive threat, Hatate averages the second-most shots per 90 out of midfielders in the league (2.21).
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There is a really exciting midfielder in the Japanese talent, who among other things is also blessed with a lot of tactical maturity and the ability to adapt his role if necessary. As well as in midfield, Hatate spent a campaign playing as a full-back for Kawasaki Frontale a few seasons ago, and he is comfortable on the flanks, while he can also step back and play a holding midfield role as well.
Liverpool will be losing James Milner this summer — who was a similar extremely versatile option for Klopp in his squad — and Hatate could be an astute replacement for the English veteran for the right price.
Like Van Dijk when he was playing in the Scottish Premiership for Celtic, Hatate has been a stand-out player and he is ready for the step up to the Premier League. He will need time to adapt, but he is definitely someone Liverpool should consider this summer to fill out Klopp’s squad and provide much-needed depth.
