As the Netherlands kicked off their World Cup campaign with a late 2-0 win, Liverpool target Frenkie de Jong showcased against Senegal why he could be the perfect alternative to the injury prone Thiago.
In the summer, it was reported by the Times that the Reds were interested in swooping in to sign the Barcelona midfielder.
While it seemed as if Manchester United and Chelsea were the frontrunners to sign the Dutchman, Jurgen Klopp’s side were also enticed by the idea of adding the 25-year-old to their ranks.
Despite de Jong deciding to stay put at the Spotify Camp Nou, Liverpool should try to prise him away from the club in the summer, as he could work alongside as well as in place of Thiago.
Liverpool should eye de Jong as the perfect Thiago Plan B
While the former Ajax starlet does not profile exactly like Thiago, he can run the show in midfield singlehandedly in the same way as the Spanish international.
Against the Senegalese, de Jong was playing in tandem with winger Steven Berghuis and yet, was perhaps the best player on the pitch.
Much like how Thiago has not let his partners-in-crime in the middle of the park not affect his superb displays, the same can be said for de Jong.
The Blaugrana lynchpin was omnipresent against Senegal, dropping deep to collect the ball, carrying the ball out of trouble time and again, whilst kickstarting Netherlands’ swift counter-attacks.
And to top it all off, it was the Eredivisie champion’s pinpoint delivery into Coady Gakpo that set up the all-important winner.
The fact that de Jong has so much to his arsenal may add a completely different and much-needed dynamic to this Liverpool side that lack a midfielder that can grab the game by the scruff of the neck.
As No.8’s go, Liverpool would often struggle to find an alternative that could even lace Thiago’s boots.
But the aforementioned statement does not apply towards de Jong, referred to as a “genius” by Xavi (via Fabrizio Romano) who exhibited how he is the perfect blend of finesse and fight in the same vein as the La Masia graduate.
Just this season alone, Thiago has missed more than 10 games through injury.
And considering this has been a recurring them throughout the 30-year-old’s career, it is inevitable that a knock will keep him on the sidelines sooner rather than later.
While Frenkie de Jong and Thiago in tandem would be the stuff of dreams, the former proved against Senegal why he is one of the select few players that could ably deputize for the latter.
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