Stuttgart striker Sasa Kalajdzic may be an option for Liverpool if Jurgen Klopp wants to add a different dimension to his Premier League title-chasers, former Anfield favourite Dietmar Hamann tells talkSPORT (11 May, 9am).
Well, he’d certainly give Klopp a Plan B.
The Austria international is a giant of a man at 6ft 7ins, just one centre meter shorter than one-time Liverpool targetman Peter Crouch. And, given that two of Europe’s best crossers of a ball are currently plying their trade on Merseyside – the irrepressible Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold – it’s not hard to imagine Kalajdzic plundering his fair share with such stellar service arriving from out wide.
The £17 million-rated poacher has hit the target 22 times since Stuttgart returned to the Bundesliga in 2020. Almost half of those goals have been scored with his head.
Could Liverpool target Stuttgart’s Sasa Kalajdzic?
“Liverpool’s recruitment has been spot on. I’m sure they’ve got one or two players in the pipeline that they’re looking at,” says Hamann, the former Germany international.
“It’s always important to have competition in the squad, that you bring players in and freshen it up.
“There’s a player at Stuttgart, Kalajdzic. A Peter Crouch-type, he’s 6ft 7ins, with very good hold-up play. That might be a player who might be interesting for Liverpool.”
Kalajdzic looks certain to be on the move this summer, turning down the chance to extend his contract at a Stuttgart side sitting three points from safety with just one Bundesliga game remaining.
It remains to be seen whether he ends up following in Erling Haaland’s footsteps, swapping Germany for England in the upcoming summer transfer window.
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Haaland completed his protracted move to Manchester City this week. And while some have questioned why Liverpool did not make a move for the Borussia Dortmund talisman – especially at a bargain £51 million – Hamann is not convinced that the Champions League finalists would have been the ideal destination for such an old-school throwback of a number nine.
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“The way Liverpool play, (Klopp) wants link-up play. A centre-forward who scores 40 goals, I don’t think that’s the player Liverpool are looking for,” Hamann adds.
“You look at (Roberto) Firmino, or even when (Diogo) Jota or (Sadio) Mane plays (through the middle), their link-up play brings others into play.
“I don’t think (Klopp) wants an out-and-out number nine.”
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