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As Jurgen Klopp prepares for his first full season in charge of Liverpool – with their Premier League winner odds of 8/1 revealing an increase in expectations – transfer rumours are already swirling.
According to The Daily Star, Gonzalo Higuain is keen on a move to England, with the Reds believed to be in the running for the Napoli man’s signature.
Furthermore, the tabloid is reporting that the striker, who scored 36 times in Serie A this term, equalling the division’s all-time record for a single campaign, wouldn’t be put off by a lack of European football at Anfield.
However, when you look at the signings Klopp tends to make, it seems that this may not be the best move for either party.
This is because the 48-year-old tends to fare better at recruiting unknown players and moulding them in his own image rather than getting the best out of established stars.
Indeed, Robert Lewandowski joined the eight-time German champions from Lech Poznan on the cheap – the fee was reported to be around the £3.5 million mark – when little was known of the Polish striker outside of his homeland.
Similarly, Shinji Kagawa headed to Signal Iduna Park for a six-figure sum straight from Japan, but went on to win two league titles and the German Cup during his first spell with BVB.
In contrast, when Klopp tried to bolster his squad with people who had already performed well and made their name in Europe, they failed to deliver.
Most noticeably, Ciro Immobile was signed in 2014 following a breakout season for Torino, with the Italian forward topping the charts with 22 goals in 33 Serie A appearances.
The Italy international was brought in to replace Lewandowski, who moved to Bayern Munich, but couldn’t replicate his form. He managed just three Bundesliga goals over 24 matches and was loaned out to Sevilla the following season, returning to Torino on loan for the second half of 2015/16.
Similarly, Adrian Ramos was another name brought in to fill the void left by Lewandowski, with Klopp obviously hoping the Colombian striker could carry on his Hertha BSC exploits.
Ramos averaged a goal every other game in his 32 German top-flight outings in the 2013/14 campaign with the Berlin outfit, but only managed to find the net twice in 18 Bundesliga fixtures in his inaugural season at Dortmund.
Another reason to be sceptical of the Higuain links is the Reds’ business to date under Klopp, with additions like Loris Karius, Joel Matip and Marko Grujic fitting the model of buying mouldable potential rather than finished articles.
