Following an injury-ridden start to the season for Liverpool, Inter Milan's Marcelo Brozovic could provide a possible answer to Jurgen Klopp's midfield woes.
Thiago was forced off early in the second half of the 2-2 draw with Fulham last week, adding to the list of midfield problems already at Liverpool 's disposal. Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain, Naby Keita and Curtis Jones were all missing from the last matchday squad with separate issues.
And now, with Thiago added to the list, it leaves the Reds with issues in the middle of the park. Klopp stated earlier this window that he wouldn't be adding to his numbers unless his squad availability changes drastically before the end of August, and the injury to Thiago, which could see him out of action for up to six weeks, could have potentially clouded Klopp 's previous judgment.
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One player who has been linked with Liverpool in response to the injuries is Inter's Brozovic. It's not the first time this window the Reds have been linked with the Croatian, and according to Calciomercatoweb, if Liverpool were to pursue Brozovic, Inter could ask for either Naby Keita or Roberto Firmino in return.
But, if Liverpool were to enter the transfer market once more this season, how could the addition of Brozovic impact the Reds' squad? Could the Croatian become a regular, or will he not be needed once players return from injury?
We 'signed' Marcelo Brozovic for Liverpool to see what could've happened
To set up this simulation, we used the Football Manager 2022 editor to arrange for Brozovic to sign for Liverpool in the 2022 summer transfer window, using FM22 to run the simulation. We also sent Roberto Firmino the other direction, with the Brazilian joining Inter as part of the deal.
As the Reds' midfielders struggled with fitness issues and injuries, Brozovic stayed healthy, becoming a key player for Klopp in the 2022/23 campaign. In all competitions, the 29-year-old made 43 appearances, starting in 32 Premier League games.
In those 43 appearances, the midfielder had an impressive contribution, grabbing eight goals and four assists from midfield. Seven of the goals and all the assists came in the league where he averaged a rating of 7.3 per game.
His average rating in all competitions was slightly lower (7.28), but when compared to the other Reds midfielders, Brozovic averaged the second-best average rating, only behind Jordan Henderson (7.53). Henderson ended the season with the highest rating, the most appearances and the most player of the match awards. Brozovic did top the midfielders chart in pass completion (89%), tackle success (87%) and key passes per 90 (1.95).
At the end of the 2022/23 season, Football Manager 2022 put together an overall best Liverpool XI, based on performances, statistics and other metrics. This is what it looked like:
Full Liverpool best XI: (4-3-3): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Konate, Robertson; Fabinho, Henderson, Brozovic; Salah, Nunez, Diaz.
Brozovic made the best XI in Liverpool's midfield ahead of Thiago, with the Spaniard's injury issues playing a part throughout the season. Ibrahima Konate was selected over Joel Matip in defence, whilst a front three of Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz saw Diogo Jota miss out.
Liverpool's results with Brozovic
A run of three consecutive losses in January proved costly for the Reds' Premier League title challenge, with Liverpool ending the season in third place behind Manchester City and Chelsea. Klopp's side managed 80 points in total, finishing nine behind Man City at the top of the league.
The Reds were the league's top scorers and had the second-best defence, but two wins from seven between January and February made it an uphill struggle until the end of the season. Klopp's side weren't able to challenge in all four cup competitions again in the 2022/23 season, but they did end the season with some silverware.
After beating Man City and Paris Saint-Germain in the knockout stages, Liverpool made it to the Champions League final, facing Juventus for the trophy. Nunez scored twice as the game finished 2-2 after extra time, but the Reds won 5-4 on penalties to win the competition.
Nunez scored again as the Reds drew 1-1 with Tottenham in normal time of the FA Cup quarter-final, but misses in the penalty shootout from Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold eliminated Liverpool. And lastly, the Carabao Cup run came to an abrupt end in the third round, with the Reds losing 3-1 at Anfield to Leeds United.
Overall, this Football Manager simulation predicts that if Liverpool were to sign Brozovic this summer, the Croatian midfielder could prove a smart purchase, becoming more reliable for Klopp than other midfield options and regularly starting for the Reds. But, with Inter reportedly wanting a player in return for Brozovic, it doesn't really improve the depth of the squad - a factor which Klopp would realistically be taking into consideration if the Reds were to sign another player this summer.
Would you like to see Marcelo Brozovic sign for Liverpool next summer? Let us know in the comments!
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