There’s a perfect midfielder for Arne Slot’s Liverpool playing in La Liga and the club could sign him this summer.
Arne Slot will be changing things around at Liverpool next season. There are no questions about it. Things will not remain entirely the same.
While Slot plays with a similar style to Klopp, it’s not identical. He has his own way of doing things and his own formations.
That means there will be changes made to the playing squad as well. Some players at Liverpool may not fit into Slot’s plans. In other areas, the club may even have to turn to the transfer market.
Why Johnny Cardoso could be a perfect fit for Arne Slot’s Liverpool
A lot of the times at both AZ Alkmaar and Feyenoord, Arne Slot has used a double pivot. That means it’s likely he might do the same at Liverpool as well.
But in order to use a double pivot, Slot will need another ball-winning defensive midfielder. Right now, the only profile who fits that profile in the squad is Wataru Endo.
One player who would be really suited to this role is USMNT and Real Betis midfielder Johnny Cardoso. The 22-year-old has been brilliant while playing in Brazil and has stepped up his game to another level in La Liga after arriving at Betis earlier this year.
He’s been so impressive that despite only playing six months in La Liga he has been nominated for the Young Players of the Season award.
The numbers that prove Cardoso is the perfect fit for Liverpool
Taking a look at Cardoso’s FBref profile, he ranks in the upper percentiles for pretty much every defensive metric.
For interceptions, he ranks in the 92nd percentile among his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues. Meanwhile, for clearances he ranks in the 94th percentile and for aerial duels won in the 84th percentile.
Defensively, Cardoso is a top player. But he also contributes going forward, making him the perfect fit for Slot’s system. Cardoso ranks in the 85th percentile for successful take-ons and also has three goal contributions in 14 appearances.