West Ham United have signed Felipe Anderson from Lazio for £35m whereas Xherdan Shaqiri has joined Liverpool. While Anderson will improve the Hammers’ forward line and add extra quality, Shaqiri is likely to play as a deputy for Jurgen Klopp’s deadly attacking trio.
However, looking at the situation in hindsight, the Reds manager should have targeted the Brazilian and replaced Phillipe Coutinho.
Let’s scout the player with his attributes and playing style to figure out why he might have been the answer to fill the void left behind by Coutinho, who now plays for Barcelona.
Anderson is an unpredictable attacker who can play anywhere across the pitch behind the main striker. His dribbling skills are top-notch as he averaged a total of 3.7 per game last season. His sudden bursts of acceleration often helps him drive past defenders to create opportunities up front.
The 25-year-old is quite dangerous if provided with space and time on the ball, as he can pick out key passes and supply devilish crosses with either foot. He supplied 7 assists and 20 key passes in 18 appearances last season. In addition, the Brazilian has the required awareness to track back and help the defence when required.
Considering his playing style, Klopp could have worked wonders with a player of his calibre. Anderson possesses an all-around ability to impact the game with and without the ball.
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In Shaqiri, Liverpool have a player who can be deployed on either wing. However, with Anderson, the Reds could have gotten a lot more than just wing play since the Brazilian has a wide array of skills which could have made a difference at Anfield.
Klopp certainly missed a golden opportunity to sign Anderson but that said, one cannot doubt Shaqiri’s qualities and his potential. Liverpool will certainly not regret signing him in the near future but by targetting Anderson, they could have landed a well-rounded player.
