The Southampton right-back flourished where the Reds were lacklustre last season.
According to the Guardian, Southampton have accepted a £12.5 million bid from Liverpool for Nathaniel Clyne.
That would make the 24-year-old yet another potential recruit for the Anfield outfit this summer – and one statistic suggests he could thrive on Merseyside.
Indeed, while some Liverpool players went many, many games without even winning a tackle last term, Clyne fared a little better…
As Opta stats show, the Southampton defender attempted the most tackles in the Premier League last season, showing real bravery – something Liverpool’s defenders lacked, while winning 74 of them in total:
| Team | Total Tackles | Tackles Won | Appearances | Minutes Played | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nathaniel Clyne | Southampton | 115 | 74 | 35 | 3,147 |
| Pablo Zabaleta | Man City | 106 | 77 | 29 | 2,586 |
| Daryl Janmaat | Newcastle | 103 | 77 | 37 | 3,254 |
| Joel Ward | C. Palace | 95 | 80 | 37 | 3,330 |
| Martin Kelly | C. Palace | 94 | 75 | 31 | 2,498 |
| Branislav Ivanovic | Chelsea | 88 | 75 | 38 | 3,419 |
It’s important, of course, not to get carried away. Clyne could well be the perfect Liverpool signing – the Anfield outfit have needed a top right-back for years. Roberto Firmino, too, could flourish.
But there seems to be a clamour to praise Ian Ayre and co. at the minute simply because the Reds have already signed a number of players. They signed a number of players last season, as well. Look how that turned out.
Caution should be urged, then, and no Liverpool signing judged until they’ve performed out there on the pitch. Southampton’s Clyne, though, has the potential to be one of the club’s top recruits in a long time. Hopefully he won’t do a Dejan Lovren…
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