Liverpool dispatch scouts for defender with better stats than Van Dijk – report
Liverpool have reportedly dispatched scouts to keep an eye on Antonio Silva’s progress at Benfica.
Football Insider shared the report in question, with a quick glance at FB Ref showcasing some rather impressive stats that compare favourably to Virgil van Dijk, with the player’s tackling and rate of interceptions putting him in the 84th and 85th percentiles respectively.
Interestingly, the defender appears quite reliable in possession, boasting a near-perfect pass completion rate (99th percentile) for Benfica per 90 across the last 365 days.
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Whether the Portuguese star should be considered a viable long-term replacement for our Dutch colossus is another matter, of course, and we’d argue that his statistical strengths – in particular, his ability to confidently carry the ball (80th percentile) and complete take-ons (55th percentile) – earmarks the centre-half as more of a Joel Matip replacement.
Given that the Cameroonian is a potentially likely candidate to be sold this summer, it’s an avenue we’ll need to consider exploring in the near future.
At the cost of £77m, however, this is one transfer race we’d be well-advised to avoid given that the vast majority of our resources should be focused on fixing our clear midfield deficit.
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