OPINION
After being linked with a move for Tottenham’s Victor Wanyama and Napoli’s Jorginho, it’s clear that the latter is the midfield enforcer Liverpool should sign.
The Daily Mail previously reported that the Reds were keeping tabs on Spurs’ Wanyama as the 26-year-old had been used sparingly by Mauricio Pochettino this season.
Whereas the Sunday Times reported that while Liverpool were indeed looking to sign a new No.6 in the summer, their first choice was Napoli’s Jorginho.
Both reports clearly suggest that Jurgen Klopp had identified his side’s lack of a proper No.6 , as an issue that needs to be addressed ahead of next season.
Wanyama and Jorginho are both talented players, but the Napoli player is clearly the better choice for the Reds.
The Italian international has impressed in the 28 appearances he has made this season, and his displays are a key reason why Napoli sit top of Serie A.
Jorginho regularly wins the midfield battle for his side and dominates the pace of games through his ability to hold up play.
The 26-year-old would easily squash any suggestion that Liverpool have a leaky defence, as he would sit in front of the back four and clear any danger before it had chance to develop.
Also given the momentum he will gain from potentially winning a league title this season, it will carry him into his next campaign, whomever he plays for, with a new found confidence.
Now while it’s true that Wanyama would also add a layer of protection to the Reds’ defence, he lacks in other areas compared to Jorginho.
Firstly, after spending a significant amount of time on the sidelines this season, due to a serious knee injury, the Spurs midfielder is yet to get back to his best.
With his injury being one that could potentially give him problems in the long run, it’s hard to know if he’ll ever hit his stride again until he gets a regular run of games.
Wanyama is unlikely to get that in the second half of the season at Tottenham, as they have a lot of important fixtures coming up, so the Reds would be taking a risk on the fact that all he needs is regular playing time in order to be at his best.
This a gamble for Liverpool to take as there will be no guarantees.
The other reason Klopp should sign Jorginho ahead of Wanyama is simply because of the superior attacking threat the Napoli midfielder offers.
Both are capable of holding up play, but Jorginho has the ability to play a pass that cuts through a defence and Wanyama is yet to show he has that skill on a regular basis.
Jorginho will no doubt cost just as much as Wanyama in the summer as Spurs will hike their midfielder’s price, if they choose to sell to a Premier League rival, but Jorginho’s ability makes him better value.
Therefore, Liverpool should stop monitoring Wanyama’s situation and make their interest in Jorginho concrete.