Until last season, FSV Mainz 05 star Shinji Okazaki had been enjoying a rather workman like career. Whilst he was at VfB Stuttgart between 2010-2013, he scored 13 goals in 85 games. Given that he is a striker, I’m sure he’ll be disappointed with this return.
Maybe changing club helped him to find his best form in front of goal, or maybe he simply hit maturity (he’s now 28-years-old). Either way, the goals are now coming thick and fast. Last season he scored 15 goals in 35 games for FSV Mainz. This year, he’s already found the back of the net 7 times in 9 games.
These are the kind of figures that tend to attract Premier League club’s attention. Right on cue, The Express recently published an article claiming that Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham are all keeping tabs on the fleet-footed forward. Why wouldn’t they be? He’s in fine goal-scoring form and his club probably aren’t in a position to prevent the sale from going through.
All three of the Premier League clubs listed need options, but I’d argue that Okazaki would fit in best at Liverpool. The Reds already have two quality options in the form of Daniel Sturridge and Mario Balotelli, but the Japanese ace would be able to make a mark as a third-choice striker.
He’s clearly good enough to give the likes of Mario Balotelli a run for his money, even if Sturridge’s place in this Liverpool side is more or less secure.
The aforementioned source claims that Shinji Okazaki would cost his next club £8m. Given his current form, he could well prove to be a genuine bargain. Brendan Rodgers knows a smart deal when he sees one, so he’s sure to be interested. Let’s just hope he’s able to hustle his way to the front of the queue and beat off all the attention from his fellow Premier League clubs.
What’s your take? Do The Reds really need another centre-forward? Is Shinji Okazaki the right man for the job?
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