Football Transfer Rumors: Jürgen Klopp Eyes Fiorentina's Khouma Babacar as Christian Benteke Replacement
Cristian Andal | | Apr 18, 2016 05:01 AM EDT |
(Photo : Getty Images) Reports have emerged that Liverpool FC head coach Jürgen Klopp is eyeing Fiorentina striker Khouma Babacar as a potential replacement for £32.5 million flop signing Christian Benteke this summer.
Reports have emerged that Liverpool FC head coach Jürgen Klopp is eyeing Fiorentina striker Khouma Babacar as a potential replacement for £32.5 million flop signing Christian Benteke this summer.
Caught Offside noted that "despite having a rather solid group of strikers at Anfield, the outlier for Liverpool since Jürgen Klopp took over has been" the 25-year-old Benteke. The Belgium international was signed by the Reds last season for a transfer fee of £32.5 million from Aston Villa when the club is still under the reins of former manager Brendan Rodgers.
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Benteke has failed to meet expectations in his first season at the Anfield, scoring only seven goals in 24 domestic top flight appearances, which is something that has not satisfied Klopp enough to keep him moving forward.
Meanwhile, the 23-year-old Babacar is said to be "one of the latest candidates to replace Benteke" in the Reds lineup and "could be made available for a very affordable price". Tagged at only £10.3 million (€13 million), the Senegalese goalscorer will be hard to miss for the 48-year-old German manager.
Babacar has played five seasons with Viola, scoring 12 times in only 51 appearances for the Florence residents. Overall, he netted 19 goals in 68 games in all competitions for Fiorentina so far.
The Liverpool Kop also reported the rumor, citing Italian media outlet CalcioMercato as source, saying that "Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp is thinking about signing Fiorentina striker Khouma Babacar as a replacement for the departing Christian Benteke".
However, the website posted some interesting scouting reports on him, such as "a young talent who must be managed well in order to get the best out of him", as per his former Viola coach Vincenzo Montella in 2014, and "guilty of lapses in concentration. Must master retention of the ball and regularly draw team-mates into the game. Overzealous at times, making unnecessary fouls," which made some fans dubious about Klopp really wanting to sign him.
TagsFootball, Football Transfer Rumors, Football Transfer Rumors 2016, Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool FC, Christian Benteke, Khouma Babacar, Fiorentina
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