Liverpool eye cut-price deal for 20-year-old midfielder as Klopp plots revamp; his idol is Luka Modric
Liverpool are discussing a potential summer move for Red Bull Salzburg wonderkid Luca Sucic, according to reports.
It’s no secret that Reds manager Jurgen Klopp is keen to bolster his midfield for next season and the Croatian represents an excellent option.
Indeed, with the likes of Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain set to leave Anfield, Liverpool will likely have to bring in more than one new addition.
Klopp is reportedly planning a complete revamp of his squad for next season, as he looks to take the Merseyside club back to the top of the Premier League.
Overall, Liverpool have been disappointing this season, currently sitting in eighth place after losing seven of their 22 opening Premier League matches.
They have picked up some good results recently though, beating rivals Everton at Anfield on Monday, before defeating high-flyers Newcastle at St. James’ Park on Saturday.
But, there is still a clear need to revamp their midfield. As well as Keita and Oxlade-Chamberlain’s situation, the likes of Thiago, Jordan Henderson and Fabinho are all over the age of 30, so aren’t long-term options.
Klopp is a huge admirer of Borussia Dortmund superstar Jude Bellingham, who has been heavily linked with a move to Anfield in recent months, but he could cost a ginormous fee.
Sucic represents a much cheaper option, though, and could prove to be a fantastic midfield partner for Bellingham if Liverpool can complete deals for the pair.
Could Sucic become the next Luka Modric?
Since signing for RB Salzburg in August 2020, Sucic has made 93 appearances across all competitions, scoring 13 goals and making 10 assists.
The 20-year-old has a key role in his club’s recent success, helping them to two domestic doubles in 2020/21 and 2021/22, when Salzburg won both the Austrian Bundesliga and the Austrian Cup.
He was also in the Croatia squad that secured a third-place finish in the World Cup in Qatar last year.
Sucic is a versatile player, with the ability to play as a central or attacking midfielder, or even as a left midfielder on occasion, so he could provide cover in a number of areas for Liverpool.
According to a report from Football Transfers, ‘conversations have been held internally about bringing the player to Anfield – but he is one among a number of options.’
They also add that Sucic has a release clause of somewhere between €15m-€20m [£13.4m-£17.8m], which the Reds should be able to afford easily.
If they are forced to pay a hefty sum for Bellingham, who is valued at approximately £110m, then Sucic would represent a much more affordable recruit.
The youngster is a big fan of compatriot Luka Modric, who he would like to emulate in his career. Sucic said: “Messi I like, but my idol is Luka Modric.”
Indeed, if Liverpool could sign a Modric-like player, it would represent a very positive step in revamping their midfield options.
