After 30 long years, Merseyside outfit, Liverpool, finally ended their league drought, winning their maiden Premier League title emphatically, leaving defending champions, Manchester City, in second.
Over the course of the 2019-20 Premier League campaign, Liverpool won 32 games, drawing three and losing three. Their fine exploits helped them finish 18 points ahead of Manchester City in the league, but the gap was a lot narrower than the numbers tell us.
Liverpool needed many last-minute interventions, they survived multiple close calls to get to the gold. And chances are, the next campaign won’t be that kind.
So, irrespective of the stars they already have at their disposal, Liverpool must look to rebuild, gear up to defend their Premier League title as well as they can.
Battered by the COVID-19 pandemic, almost every football club in the world is looking to improve their financial state. And the champions of England are no exception.
Liverpool probably don’t have the muscle to go after the big guns, but that shouldn’t stop them from getting the players they deem important. And the Merseyside giants desperately needed a cover for their flamboyant left-back, Andy Robertson.
Kostas Tsimikas could be the ideal deputy to Andy Robertson
Instead of standing on ceremony, the Reds have signed their first player of the summer, snatching 24-year-old Greece defender, Kostas Tsimikas, from Olympiacos.
Jurgen Klopp’s side have spent £11.75m on the full-back, which is quite a bargain in this cut-throat market. He has signed a five-year contract at Anfield and is set to wear the number 21 shirt, next season.
The 24-year-old pacey defender is a natural left-back and will hope to give Andy Robertson a run for his money. Last season, Liverpool didn’t have a like-for-like replacement for Robertson and had to depend on veteran midfielder James Milner’s versatility to get the job done at times.
Kostas Tsimikas’ signing will not only add some much-needed depth to Liverpool’s Premier League-winning squad, but it could also offer improved flexibility.
Liverpool depend heavily on their two full-backs to create chances in the final-third of the pitch. So, they needed someone adventurous to fill in for Andy Robertson, when needed.
And Kostas Tsimikas, who bagged seven assists in 46 games across all competitions for Olympiacos in the 2019-20 campaign, seems to be the right man for the job.
The Greece international can also play as a left wing-back or a left-midfielder, which can be an interesting avenue for Jurgen Klopp to explore.
Up until the purchase of Kostas Tsimikas, Liverpool concentrated on departures, worked to decrease their wage load.
Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren, Nathaniel Clyne, and Andy Lonergan have all departed from the club, which gave Liverpool the financial backing to go after the Greek.
As per reports, Liverpool were primarily more interested in getting Jamal Lewis from Norwich City. However, after seeing their £10m offer shot down, Klopp decided to go after the tad more experienced Olympiacos man.
Liverpool’s first acquisition for the 2020-21 campaign hasn’t made many headlines, hasn’t turned heads. It’s a humble, low-key buy for a team that already possesses one of the best teams in the world.
However, given the quality of players Jurgen Klopp already has, Kostas Tsimikas’ “low-key” acquisition seems like a well thought out move.
The player has the quality to slide in for Andy Robertson when needed, is eager to make a mark, and knows exactly what his role in the team is.
Yes, Kostas Tsimkas is neither a household name nor a superstar, but he has the potential to emerge as an important piece of the puzzle, next season.
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