Liverpool will be in the market for a number of central midfielders this summer as Jurgen Klopp looks to bolster a squad that fell way short of expectations this season.
After only qualifying for the Europa League following a fifth-placed finish in the Premier League, the Reds may find it a little harder to recruit the top talents that may have been on their shortlist heading into the summer.
However, midfield reinforcements will be a priority for Klopp after the exits of James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita, with Borussia Monchengladbach ace Manu Kone one man who could arrive at Anfield.
What has Fabrizio Romano said about Manu Kone?
According to transfer specialist Romano, Liverpool are keeping a close eye on the 22-year-old after his impressive performances in the Bundesliga this term.
He wrote: "Manu Koné, one of the midfielders on Liverpool's list. He’s highly rated as LFC are already informed on conditions of the deal.
"Parties feel there’s a chance for Koné to leave this summer, as BILD called — he’s a name to consider for Liverpool plans."
Previous reports have claimed that the defensive-minded midfielder could cost around £26m this summer, which could represent a bargain for the Reds if he can live up to his potential at Anfield.
Would Manu Kone be a good signing for Liverpool?
This season saw Kone feature regularly in Daniel Farke's side, making 30 appearances in the Bundesliga and averaging a solid 6.81 rating from WhoScored for his performances.
He had previously averaged a strong 6.99 rating in the 2021/22 campaign so has been impressive in Germany for some time now, and it seems likely that the former Toulouse man could be destined for a big move in the upcoming window.
WhoScored suggests that the young midfielder excels at dribbling, passing and tackling, so he could be the ideal man to replace Keita as a ball-carrying midfield in Klopp's squad, while his obvious potential and strong performances at Monchengladbach certainly suggest that he could eclipse the Guinean at Anfield.
Just this term, he amassed a healthy 1.9 dribbles per game and an impressive 2.5 tackles per match, numbers that would have ranked him joint-top and the very best in the entire Liverpool squad for those metrics. It's those very performance that have seen him tipped to become a "monstrous" asset in the future by scout Jacek Kulig.
On the flip side, the former RB Leipzig man never lived up to expectations at Liverpool, with injury issues plaguing his time in the Premier League, as he mustered just 129 appearances in five years with the Merseyside club, contributing 11 goals and seven assists.
His lack of minutes in the Premier League this season was always going to make an exit likely but Klopp will still need to replace him after midfield depth became a key issue for the Reds throughout the 2022/23 campaign.
Kone is certainly highly-rated, doesn't have too high a price tag and has plenty of room to grow at just 22, so he could be an excellent first signing by Jorg Schmadtke this summer.
