A round-up of the latest Liverpool news as Jose Mourinho risks annoying Tottenham Hotspur fans with a bold Reds claim and Didi Hamann praises a ‘class act’ at Anfield.
Liverpool gem Jarell Quansah is Europe’s best defender aged 21 and under
Liverpool gem Jarell Quansah is the best defender who started this season aged 21 or under in Europe’s top five divisions. That is according to Jacek Kulig, who notes Quansah is shining in his defensive duels with Everton centre-half Jarrad Branthwaite ranking in just third place.
Radu Dragusin, who joined Tottenham Hotspur from Genoa in January, also only sits in ninth amongst young defenders who have played at least 1,000 minutes. He has won 70.3% of the 22-year-old’s defensive duels, compared to the 77.7% that 21-year-old Branthwaite has won.
But Quansah is the only defender in Europe’s top five divisions who started this season aged 21 or under to have won more than 78% of their defensive duels. The 21-year-old has so far won 78.6% of his duels through 32 appearances, including during 15 Premier League games.
Read more about Liverpool defender Quansah’s efforts so far this season, here.
Didi Hamann is ‘not surprised’ Dominik Szoboszlai has thrived at Liverpool
Reds hero Didi Hamann is ‘not surprised’ that Dominik Szoboszlai has thrived since his move to Liverpool in July. The Reds triggered a £60m release clause in the Hungary captain’s deal at RB Leipzig to lure the playmaker to the Premier League in the off-season to great success.
Szoboszlai has been a pivotal player under Jurgen Klopp in what is the German’s last season in charge. The 23-year-old has featured in 43 of the Anfield club’s 56 games so far this term in all competitions. He has also provided seven goals and four assists across 2,678 minutes.
But Hamann expected Szoboszlai to shine on Merseyside having led the way for a struggling Leipzig side last term. He left Saxony on the back of scoring 10 and assisting 13 goals in 46 games. Hamann even feels Liverpool hit gold by signing Szoboszlai and not Moises Caicedo.
“You don’t always need the big names,” Hamann told the Liverpool ECHO. “Maybe it was a blessing not to get Caicedo for £100-odd million because I knew what a good player he is.
“He kept a struggling side together. I said all along [that] I think he will surprise a few people because he’s very disciplined, technically very gifted, two-footed and an absolute team player. I’m not surprised at all.
“It took a few weeks or a few months to get into the rhythm, maybe to get used to the pace of the Premier League. But, no, he hasn’t surprised me at all. He’s a class act.”
Read more about what Hamann has had to say about Szoboszlai at Liverpool, here.
Jose Mourinho thinks Tottenham captain Son Heung-Min ‘could be playing’ for Liverpool
Jose Mourinho has risked the wrath of Tottenham Hotspur supporters by claiming that Son Heung-Min ‘could be playing’ for Chelsea, Liverpool or Manchester City. He firmly believes the 31-year-old has the talent to play for the best teams in the world and be winning titles.
Son joined Spurs from Bayer Leverkusen back in August 2015 and is now their captain after replacing Harry Kane last summer. He has even made 405 appearances with Tottenham for 162 goals and 83 assists. Son has also scored seven goals in 16 meetings against Liverpool.
Mourinho knows first-hand what Son can offer, as well, after seeing the South Korea captain score 29 and assist 24 goals in 70 games under the Portuguese. He particularly admired Son for his versatility, too, as the 122-cap international can play anywhere across a team’s attack.
“I look at Son as one of the best players in the world,” Mourinho explained to EA Sports FC. “Maybe Tottenham supporters aren’t going to be happy with what I’m going to say – it’s not disrespectful – he could win titles [and] he could play for the best teams.
“He could be playing in England for Man City, for Liverpool, for Chelsea. It could be abroad playing for one of the top teams. He has that modern mobility of the attacking players. He can play through the middle [and] from the sides, wide to coming inside.”
Read more about what Mourinho has had to say about Son and Liverpool, here.