1 year ago
181 Liverpool are now said to be interested in signing Schalke wonderkid Assan Ouedraogo, a player who has been compared to Michael Essien.
The Reds have always kept a close eye on the German market and that has only increased since the arrival of Jorg Schmadtke. Liverpool signed Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch from Germany in the summer, and they could bring in another one soon.
Liverpool-linked Assan Ouedraogo plays just like Michael Essien
Just yesterday, on X, Sky Sports Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg claimed that Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is really keen to sign Assan Ouedraogo from Schalke.
The now-17-year-old broke Julian Draxler’s record and became the youngest goalscorer in the club’s history on the very same day that he became the youngest-ever player to don the famous Royal Blue of Schalke.
Liverpool are among quite a few clubs interested in signing Ouedraogo, with Plettenberg claiming he has a release clause of just over £17 million (€20m).
For those who don’t know who Ouedraogo is, he is a German U17 international who mainly plays as a central midfielder in the Bundesliga 2.
Bundesliga.com have further explained the teenager’s style of play by comparing him to Spain, Real Madrid and Liverpool legend Xabi Alonso, and one of Chelsea’s greatest-ever midfielders, Michael Essien.
“Ouédraogo may still be at the start of his career, but he plays the game with experience and composure that belie his age, and he has already shown he has plenty of strings to his bow,” they write.
“While he may not quite possess the passing range of Bayer Leverkusen head coach Alonso, Schalke’s starlet likes to drop deep and build attacks from there.
“However, he is at his best when using his explosive pace and power to break the lines like Essien did at his peak, and his goalscoring record suggests he could add goals to his game as well.”
One for the future
It really is a shame to see Schalke in the second division of the Bundesliga, but that’s the sad reality of the great German club these days.
However, the one thing Schalke have not stopped doing is developing young players, and Ouedraogo is the latest to come through the ranks.
The 17-year-old seems destined to move to a bigger club in one of the next two transfer windows, and Jurgen Klopp‘s presence at Liverpool could help lure him in.
However, wherever he ends up, we’re certain he will only be a player for the future.
The post 'Explosive': Liverpool now reportedly want to sign record-breaking £17m player who plays like Michael Essien appeared first on TBR Football.
