Carragher predicts Liverpool will SELL €70m star and should sign controversial Prem star as upgrade

Liverpool are being backed to replace one of Jurgen Klopp’s most costly signings this summer in Dominik Szoboszlai, with Jamie Carragher naming the surprise star he thinks Arne Slot could target as his replacement and having explained why he isn’t the Hungarian’s biggest fan.

The Reds shelled out a huge €70m (£60m, $74.5m) to meet the release clause in Szoboszlai’s RB Leipzig contract in summer 2023, proving to be the third-largest transaction in the club’s history behind Virgil van Dijk and Darwin Nunez. The Hungarian has been given a prominent role in the Liverpool line-up both under the German last season and this term, under Arne Slot.

And while the Merseysiders are top of the Premier League, through to the Carabao Cup final and also have aspirations of winning both the FA Cup and Champions League, question marks have been raised over whether Liverpool have truly had value for money from Szoboszlai.

While the 24-year-old has contributed five goals and five assists so far this season from 31 appearances, Carragher feels he should be offering more and he has suggested Slot could look to sign an upgrade this summer, and with a controversial West Ham star seen as a perfect upgrade.

“I was watching [Lucas] Paqueta thinking ‘oh my’, when he brought the ball down every time on his chest or his shoulder,” Carragher began on The Overlap.

“He was like a bit of a throwback. I was actually thinking, ‘would Liverpool sign him?’

“I know [Manchester] City tried to sign him, but I look at a sort of lack of athleticism in some ways and think would that stop a top team signing him.”

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Carragher adamant Szoboszlai should contribute more

Expressing doubts over Szoboszlai, Carragher added: “I’m not Szoboszlai’s biggest fan, but he has great athleticism. He gets talked about as our No.10 and people say ‘oh he’s great off the ball.’

“But he’s our No.10, he’s scored three goals [in the Premier League, this season] as our No.10, but I was thinking that Slot would actually prefer Szoboszlai to Paqueta.”

It’s the first time Carragher has questioned the 51-times capped Hungarian’s role in the Liverpool side. Back in October when Liverpool were first starting to find their rhythm under Slot, the Sky Sports man named Szoboszlai as the weak link in the team and suggested he could be the player who costs Liverpool their chance of Premier League title glory.

While Slot has kept faith with the 24-year-old, their remains questions over his future and even if the Dutchman himself has called on the player to contribute more.

Speaking earlier in the season after a 3-1 Champions League win over AC Milan, Slot said: “He’s been important for us, especially until now in our work when we don’t have the ball. He’s been outstanding in his pressing game.

“I think something that we have to work on with him is that he’s also even more involved in scoring goals and creating chances for us.

“Last season he scored three [in the league] if I remember correctly and for an attacking midfielder at Liverpool, his numbers need to go up.

“But I’m really happy with the way he’s done until now and I’m 100 per cent sure that if he plays in a team with so much quality around him, with the quality he has he will in the end score more goals for us as well.”

Liverpool transfer latest: Big Barcelona signing cleared; Alisson exit denials

Meanwhile, reports in Spain claim the Reds have been given a big green light to sign Frenkie De Jong this summer, with Barcelona both naming their price and having identified a Liverpool target as his prospective replacement.

The Dutch star has just a 16 months left on his deal at the Nou Camp, with the report making clear a bombshell move has been given the green light.

Elsewhere, a trusted source has cleared up speculation over Alisson Becker’s immediate future and amid claims a move to Saudi Arabia could be signed off this summer. The impact the Brazilian’s decision will have on both Giorgi Mamardashvili and Caiomhin Kelleher has also come to light.

And finally, Carragher also thinks Liverpool need to make three big signings this summer to ensure the Reds can maintain the huge levels set under Slot this season – and the Sky Sports pundit has revealed why a recent Man Utd transfer makes one of those deals considerably easier as a result.

IN-FOCUS: Szoboszlai’s Liverpool career by numbers