How Ajax playmaker would fit into the Liverpool set-up under Jurgen Klopp

Liverpool look set to swoop for 25-year old Ajax midfielder Hakim Ziyech in the summer transfer window, according to reports such as this one that appeared in The Express and other mainstream media publications recently.

The 25-year-old is a Moroccan international who was born and raised in the Netherlands. He’s come up through the ranks of the Eredivisie, firstly with Heerenveen and then FC Twente. The latter paid the former around £2.5m for his services. They got value for money, that is for sure.

It was whilst at Twente that Ziyech truly caught the eye, scoring 30 times in just 68 appearances to underline his importance. Ajax interest was aroused and they snapped him up for a fee of around £10m. He signed a five-year deal with the Amsterdam giants, but was sent off early in the Europa League less than a month after joining them.

He’s since played 95 times, scoring 25 goals, and has redeemed himself sufficiently after the inauspicious start. This season alone, he opened with four goals in eight games which has perhaps prompted his agent to start talk of Liverpool and Arsenal.

Hakim Zeyich – By Антон Зайцев – soccer.ru (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Would Ziyech fit in at Anfield? After all, moving to one of the biggest clubs in the world would be daunting, leaving the comfort of his home country as well as entering the glaring spotlight of the world’s media. Once upon a time perhaps Ajax and Liverpool were comparable, but the gulf between the two has surely widened. Does the midfielder have what it takes?

He plays in an advanced attacking midfield role, perhaps akin to the roles either Salah or Mane played against Chelsea recently. There might be difficulty at fitting him into the 4-3-3 they use at present, although he could theoretically play behind Firmino if Klopp shuffled things around a little.

What he does have is skill in abundance and it is the playmaker element of his game that would benefit the Reds the most. He’s got a touch of the Coutinho about him, clever on the ball and always striving to get forward. He can create, he can score and he’s got a wicked long shot too, something that could trouble Premier League defences.

Liverpool are currently at 9/1 to win the Champions League, according to PaddyPower, and success on the continent is perhaps more appealing than domestic glory for Klopp. Ziyech has European experience and would go some way to shortening those odds, something he may boast over other targets.

He might be cup-tied in Europe this season, but Ziyech does look to be the type of player Liverpool would develop. One key aspect of his game, according to Ajax Daily, is his through-ball, and he regularly finds the keys to unlock a defence. That would allow the likes of Mane and Salah to get away in the channels and make use of his attributes.

He might fill a gap in their squad; the advanced midfielder with flair and creativity that might just be the final piece of the Klopp jigsaw. At £15m, the fee is achievable and this does appear to be the sort of business Klopp should be targeting in January.