Would Real Madrid’s Jese Rodriguez be a big hit at Liverpool?

Fri 29 July 2016 10:30, UK

🥃Despite the left-back area being in the most obvious need of strengthening, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has been hard at work on his attacking arsenal at Anfield. The German has added midfielders Georginio Wijnaldum and Marko Grujic to the Anfield ranks, in addition to Senegalese flyer Sadio Mane, making his team’s offensive prowess far greater than before.

🐷Now, according to and the , (2) the Reds may be prepared to reignite their interest in Real Madrid winger Jese Rodriguez, as the Gran-Canaria born player finds his first team opportunities increasingly scarce at the Bernabeu.

🐈Despite a good relationship with manager Zinedine Zidane, the 23-year-old has fallen down the pecking order at Real after struggling to dislodge either of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale or Karim Benzema. Jese only managed 28 La Liga appearances last season, with a mere seven starts and notched a total of five goals.

ಌHis situation has only worsened with Alvaro Morata now back at the club after re-joining from Juventus, so Zidane has advised Jese to consider opportunities elsewhere, and Real may be keen to offload the player for the right price before the end of the transfer window.

🍸This will be a welcome boost for Liverpool. If there is any substance to their pursuit of the youngster, and were he to break into the first team at Anfield, there is every indication that he would have a positive impact, given his versatility in attack, his ability to cut inside, use of both feet and his direct style and technical brilliance.

𓆉Were Klopp to bring in Jese, he would not be a player simply isolated to the left flank. During his years at Real Madrid Castilla, he often played in a false-nine role, but can also feature on either flank, behind the striker or as a centre-forward.

♐Despite having little game time under his belt at Real, at Castilla he scored 32 goals in 80 league appearances, and with a further 13 for the senior side, Klopp and Liverpool could well get the youngster firing in the Premier League with a run of games under his belt.

ꦆBesides the potential of chipping in on the score-sheet, he could also effectively add to Klopp’s options in the role of a creator or playmaker. Ancelotti preferred to deploy him on the flank at Real to exploit his ability to cut inside and create chances, and a direct player is just the type to create competition up front for Liverpool and give the attack extra spice.

𝔉The pace of the young attacker, alongside his ability to finish and retain possession of the ball, is akin to the style of play of Cristiano Ronaldo. The player has also worked on his eye for a pass since climbing the ladder at Real, and has developed into an excellent playmaker, capable of wreaking havoc behind the forwards. Such traits are much desired at Liverpool, and have been somewhat missed since Steven Gerrard’s partnerships with Fernando Torres and Luis Suarez at Anfield.

🐽In small spaces, his technique is effective and he has thrived from the tutelage of team-mates such as Ronaldo and Gareth Bale. With several wide options already present on Merseyside in the form of Roberto Firmino, Philippe Coutinho, Adam Lallana and now Sadio Mane, an attacker capable of playing the free-role like Jese may just be the ideal link for the midfield, wingers and centre forward in order to create more goals.

🦋Capable of taking chances himself, with other skilful players around him, Jese would likely spend much of his time wreaking havoc on opposing defences with Daniel Sturridge alongside him, Coutinho, Firmino and possibly Mane in wider roles, while feeding on the service of Wijnaldum, Grujic and a host of other creative midfielders behind him.

🦂It is likely, given that Klopp opts for a 4-3-3 system at Liverpool, that Jese would have to dislodge Coutinho, Firmino or Mane in a wide role. However, given the fitness issues that have blighted Daniel Sturridge’s Liverpool career, and the lack of another regular proven goal-scoring forward, there is every indication that Jese could be the main man up front at some point in the coming season at Anfield.

🦋Although Roberto Firmino even occupied the role at stages during the 2015/16 campaign, the general belief is that this was more of a stop-gap while better options were not available. With speculation rife that Christian Benteke and Mario Balotelli may be on their way out of Anfield, Jese could well find himself one of four senior forwards at the club, including Daniel Sturridge, Danny Ings and Divock Origi.

🔥With Origi promising but inconsistent, Ings fresh from a return from injury, and Sturridge prone to spending time on the side-lines, the Spaniard would have a much easier time forcing his way in as a centre forward in such a system. Though if Klopp changes tact, the three-pronged attack may become four, with wide men in Coutinho and Mane/Firmino, and Jese free to create behind a centre-forward. This may be one of the methods in which to really get the best out of the forward.

🌺Were the Canary Islander to arrive at Anfield, he has all the attributes to be a big hit at Liverpool, at least if Jurgen Klopp is able to get the best out of him. Jese is a player capable of forcing his way into Klopp’s current system, but with a host of proven attacking flair players already at the club, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a change of formation to accommodate the Spaniard’s tendency to craft golden chances.

ꦛEven if he were to spend time on the bench, he would certainly be excellent back-up. Though with Arsenal as another interested club and potentially sides from Spain circling the centre-forward, Liverpool would have to go through something of a transfer battle to land their man. So, this transfer saga may well be one to look out for.

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Would Real Madrid’s Jese Rodriguez be a big hit at Liverpool?