Most expected the 2024/25 campaign to be one of contention and toil for a Liverpool side stepping away from an illustrious era. But FSG always knew they were beginning a new journey which could breed similar levels of success.
And though Arne Slot’s tenure is still in its foothills, the Liverpool head coach has already scaled the Premier League mountain and sealed the club’s 20th league title, levelling with Manchester United at the most successful club in England’s top-flight history.
1.
Liverpool
20
1=
Man United
20
3.
Arsenal
13
4.
Man City
10
5.
Everton
9
However, this is a hungry bunch of players with a winning mentality. Their appetite has not been filled, with domestic cups and the Champions League crown roads that were closed off at premature stages this season, especially when considering the Carabao Cup final defeat against Newcastle United too.
Mohamed Salah and captain Virgil van Dijk, of course, lead the charge, but Alexis Mac Allister has quietly gone about his business and is not only one of the best midfielders in the world but one of the chief trophy drivers too.
Mac Allister, Liverpool's unsung hero
Though Mac Allister is recognised across the footballing landscape as one of the best around, there’s still a lingering sense that he doesn’t receive the recognition he deserves.
Signed from Brighton & Hove Albion for an eye-catching £35m fee in 2023, Mac Allister has brought energy, leadership and completeness to the Anfield engine room, with Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley even calling him “the outstanding midfielder in the league’s outstanding team” last week.
Operating beneath the superficiality of statistical analysis, Mac Allister dictates, dominates, directs from the centre of the park, so important for Klopp and now Slot, a worthy Premier League champion.
Of course, this isn’t to say that the Argentina international isn’t a favourable read on the data front.
Matches (starts)
33 (31)
33 (30)
Goals
5
5
Assists
5
4
Touches*
74.2
58.2
Pass completion
88%
87%
Key passes*
1.4
1.3
Dribbles*
0.5
0.5
Ball recoveries*
5.9
4.4
Tackles + interceptions*
4.1
3.6
Duels won*
5.9
5.1
Liverpool would jump at the chance to sign another midfielder cut from such cloth, and they might just have found the perfect target to complete Slot’s midfield.
Liverpool eyeing new midfielder
According to Spanish reports, Liverpool are preparing a €60m (£51m) bid for Stuttgart star Angelo Stiller, with Slot giving his personal approval toward a potential deal.
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Stiller, 24, is considered to be one of the most underrated midfielders in Europe, with the modern-angled talents to thrive at one of the continent’s biggest hitters.
The Athletic have since offered their 50 cents on the Reds’ interest, revealing that Stuttgart’s number six was considered as an alternative to Martin Zubimendi last summer when the Spaniard rejected Liverpool in favour of remaining at Real Sociedad.
Clearly, he’s got the right kind of skill set to flourish under Slot’s wing.
What Angelo Stiller would bring to Liverpool
Stiller knows his way around a pass; having been likened to his esteemed Germany teammate Joshua Kimmich, with Stuttgart peer Denis Undav even remarking that he’s “one of the best sixes Germany has.”
Across 44 appearances in all competitions this season, the German has scored four goals and supplied nine assists for his teammates, excelling as the heart of his team after once being discarded by Bayern Munich, having graduated from their youth academy.
Sitting at the foot of Stuttgart’s midfield, Stiller has been a creative and combative force in the Bundesliga this season, racking up eight assists from 30 fixtures while also completing 90% of his passes, winning 62% of his ground duels, creating 13 big chances, as per Sofascore, while also averaging 1.6 tackles and 4.5 ball recoveries per game.
For those with reservations to do it at the highest level, Stiller has already showcased his playmaking skills in the Champions League this season, ranking among the top 2% of centre-midfielders in Europe’s elite competition this season for passes attempted, the top 1% for progressive passes and the top 6% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref.
Shot-creating actions are pieces of play that lead to a shot. These include moments such as a pass, take-on or foul being drawn.
Curiously, Liverpool’s Mac Allister is listed as one of Stiller’s most comparable players when pulling such data, which only strengthens the case for his signing this summer.
Stiller is a “special” player with a gifted technical level, as has also been noted by Critchley, and he really could be the perfect Liverpool signing to follow in Mac Allister’s footsteps, bearing a similar outlook on the midfield game.
But given that he’s been previously identified by FSG’s analysts as the perfect alternative to Zubimendi, there’s no reason why the two midfielders could not work in fluent conjunction for Liverpool next season, Stiller challenging Gravenberch for a regular starting berth at the base of the midfield trio.
Though another Spanish publication have recently revealed that Liverpool would only consider offers totalling £85m for Mac Allister’s sale to Real Madrid, who indeed have a vested interest, this summer, Los Blancos’ desire is there and it isn’t likely to dissipate as Luka Modric closes in on the end of his historic career in Spain.
Stiller could prove to be Liverpool’s centrepiece for many years to come, having already made headway in his homeland and now attracting the attention of a side who have just claimed the Premier League title and now want to consolidate their new project with hordes of further honours across the coming years.
His likeness to Mac Allister, who has been such a superstar on Merseyside, has likely convinced bosses that he is the man for the job.
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