The summer transfer window saw Liverpool linked with a number of midfielders.
The Reds were keen on Aurelien Tchouameni and Jude Bellingham - the former choosing Real Madrid while the latter remained at Borussia Dortmund - before bringing in Arthur Melo come deadline day. The Brazilian arrived from Juventus on a season-long loan with an option to buy for €37.5million come next summer, should Jurgen Klopp desire.
Liverpool were also linked - albeit fleetingly - with Aston Villa’s Douglas Luiz, but it was another, lesser-known Brazilian that caught attention by admitting ‘Liverpool are a team I’d play for,’ during an interview. The 21-year-old Joao Gomes is reportedly on the radar of Klopp’s scouting team, and has been linked with a move to Europe despite recently signing a long-term deal with current club Flamengo.
READ MORE: Joao Gomes throws transfer into doubt despite admitting he 'dreams' of Liverpool move
The Brazilian side will be desperate not to lose Gomes for a penny less than he is worth - and with good reason. Since making his debut in 2020, the Rio de Janeiro-born player has made 101 appearances for Flamengo and won the Brazilian league and Brazilian Super Cup.
Primarily a defensive midfielder, Gomes' main strength lies within his ball-winning ability. The midfielder’s 4.5 tackles per 90 minutes - as per WhoScored - is second in the league only to Atletico Mineiro midfielder Rubens with 5, for players with over 500 minutes under their belt.
Once Gomes does win the ball, he is more than capable of affecting the game in possession, either by punching passes into the front-line or carrying the ball into any vacated spaces. His average of 0.6 key passes per game is above Fabinho’s (0.43) and only slightly less than Luis Diaz (0.9), while his 0.9 successful dribbles per game would place him ninth in the Reds squad this season.
While Gomes’ predominant quality is his break-up play, the above stats paint a picture of a midfielder that is much more than just a defensive destroyer and one that could come in to cover Fabinho, with the view to eventually succeed the 28-year-old. Furthermore, his energy and drive would allow him to take up a position either side of the defensive pivot if necessary, relieving pressure on the ageing duo of James Milner and Jordan Henderson.
While the Brazilian would by no means be a marquee addition - Liverpool remain keen on bringing Bellingham to Anfield next summer - another young midfield talent joining the likes of Harvey Elliott and Fabio Carvalho on Merseyside would be a shrewd addition to the squad.
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