Liverpool are known to be a club that runs more by data than emotion. That isn’t true for many other European clubs but perhaps, that is why Liverpool are the Champions of the World. Being run in that way allows the Reds to make effective signings. And that is one reason why Jadon Sancho might not be a Liverpool player at the end of the season.
That is, in no way, a means to say that Sancho is a bad player at all. The Englishman’s talents are beyond his tender age-group. He has contributed to 35 goals in just 33 appearances in all competitions this season. More than that, he’s had a hand in 29 goals in only 22 Bundesliga games for Borussia Dortmund. Many a betting platform offer good odds on Sancho being involved in a Dortmund goal in their next fixture.
Those are phenomenal numbers for anyone, let alone a player who is only 19 and already playing at the highest level. But that is unlikely to leave a club like Liverpool flattered or tempted to make a move. A lot of is because they don’t exactly need to pay huge amount of money for a player like him. So many sports bookmakers are falling over themselves to offer odds on Sancho being the next player to leave Dortmund for big money.
The last time Liverpool spent big on a player was when they brought in Alisson from Roma. They made him the costliest goalkeeper in the world before Kepa’s move to Chelsea broke that record. This came after Fabinho’s big-money move to Anfield from Monaco and after Virgil van Dijk switching St. Mary’s for the Merseyside.
Those signings have gone onto become massive cogs in Jurgen Klopp’s wheel. But historical evidence shows that after that, Liverpool haven’t spent big. In fact, they’ve not spent big bar those three. Naby Keita was expensive but injury issues have let him down. And it has come to a point where Liverpool would prefer not signing a player at all if there is no need.
That became clear last summer. But when they have a crisis situation in any position, that is when they spend big. Loris Karius has cost them a Champions League in 2018 and Alisson came in. They had been struggling at the back in the 2017-18 season, leading to them spending big on Fabinho and Van Dijk.
In that sense, there is no issue like that in the current team. Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane play in the positions that Sancho will and they don’t seem to be going anywhere. They’ve collectively found the back of the net 28 times in the Premier League. They will be there next season too, as they are still 27 each.
More than that, the reason for Liverpool pursuing Timo Werner has been simple. They fear a lack of depth when the AFCON starts in the beginning of 2021 and Salah and Mane will be away for that. In that sense, only Werner will make sense because of his cost.
Werner will be available for around £50 million and for a player who is meant to add quality depth, Liverpool aren’t the ones to spend more than that. Werner brings the added bonus of his ability to play in all the front three positions- something Sancho doesn’t bring.
Sancho would add immense quality and could be an upgrade. But his cost demands any club to play him over Mane or Salah. Doing that would unsettle one of the two and end up leaving Liverpool in the same position as they were in without Sancho.
What would work for Liverpool is a cheaper alternative to Sancho. It could Werder Bremen’s Milot Rashica, who too can play anywhere in the front-three like Werner. He will add quality and depth. He has a release clause of £31 million, making him a much more sensible signing.
