There’s a midfielder for Atalanta who could emulate what Darwin Nunez did against Liverpool a few years ago.
Almost exactly two years ago, as Benfica faced Liverpool in the Champions League quarter-finals, there was one player who stole the show in both games.
The Reds may have advanced quite comfortably, but the main headline was not one of their own players. Instead, it was a player who would soon to be joining up with Jurgen Klopp.
Darwin Nunez scored in both games against Liverpool, and tormented the Reds’ defenders with his constant running and energy.
If the Reds’ scout were not certain of their choice to bring him to Anfield that game will have definitely sealed his fate.
Now two years later, there is a midfielder at Atalanta who could follow in Nunez’s footsteps tonight.
Why Ederson could follow in Nunez’s footsteps by joining Liverpool
This time around, that player who could catch the Liverpool scouts’ attendance is Atalanta’s Ederson.
The Brazilian midfielder has recently been linked with a move to Anfield, so he is already on the club’s radar.
Last week, Ederson played a big role in a very dominant Atalanta midfield keeping the Reds completely at bay. It may not have been as eye-catching as Nunez’s rampant runs for Benfica against Liverpool.
However, the scouts watching the game will have noticed. The reality is that Liverpool need a long-term holding midfielder and Ederson fits that profile really well.
What is Ederson like as a player and why does he suit Liverpool?
Ederson reads the game really well, and he is exceptional in his defensive qualities while also possessing key technical traits to progress the ball into dangerous terriories.
He’s also versatile and capable of playing as a holding midfielder and as a box-to-box midfielder as well.
His former manager at Corinthians, Tiago Nunes spoke to Sky Sports in the past and described him as a ‘powerful’ player.
“He is a box-to-box player with the energy to keep going back and forth all the time,” Nunes explained.
“My first impressions were of a player with a lot of strength, a lot of physical ability, a player who was a powerful striker on the ball, with good technique. Basically, someone with characteristics that are difficult to find, especially in Brazilian football.”