English teams Liverpool are reportedly considering a move for Schalke’s wonderkid, Assan Ouedraogo, a midfielder who costs just £12 million.
When Liverpool was mentioned as a potential bidder for Ouedraogo in October, along with Bayern Munich, AC Milan, Brighton, and Everton, the player was first connected to a move to Anfield.
The 18-year-old’s representatives were reportedly in contact with other teams, including the Reds, shortly after reports of negotiations with his camp surfaced in Germany.
After eight months, according to Florian Plettenberg of Sky Germany, Liverpool, Manchester United, Aston Villa, and Newcastle have all gotten in touch to see whether they would be interested in moving to the Premier League.
On Saturday, Plettenberg asserted that Ouedraogo was “awaiting a call from Bayern” to find out if his desired transfer to Munich would happen.
However, the writer later claimed that Bayern had “officially informed” the young player that they would not be pursuing a deal with Schalke.
This has made a transfer to Liverpool more likely, since they would be able to cash in on Ouedraogo’s £12 million contract release clause.
Plettenberg asserts that the clause, which is exclusive to Premier League clubs, “must be activated by mid-June,” giving interested parties a specific timeframe.
In July, Ouedraogo made his first appearance for Schalke’s first team. He scored in a 5-3 loss to Hamburg, making history as the club’s youngest player and goalscorer.
Although he has played a number of positions in his brief career, he is currently settling into his role as a midfielder; Xabi Alonso has even been compared to him.
With his eye for goal and sharp passing range, the Schalke midfielder is more of a natural No. 8 than a No. 6, and he has the ability to be a difference-maker in games, according to GOAL’s James Westwood, who profiled Ouedraogo in April.
Despite his impressive stature of 6’3,” the youth is, according to Westwood, “quite agile for such a tall player, and a skilled ball handler who has little trouble operating in confined spaces.”
He went on in his report:
“In the early part of the season, Schalke started depending on Ouedraogo to break through the lines. With his explosive pace and close ball control, he’s incredibly difficult to stop once in full flow.
He also plays with a very direct style and a mature head on his shoulders that belies his young age. He also wreaks havoc when receiving the ball on the half-turn.
As was already indicated, he poses a serious risk when approaching from a corner and has demonstrated that, when in shooting range, he can be lethal with either foot.
“If Ouedraogo keeps going in the same direction, he has a great chance to develop into a fantastic goalscorer and a superb all-around midfielder. It won’t be long before he earns his first cap for Germany.”
Naturally, it is still to be seen if Liverpool’s purported interest in Ouedraogo would materialise into a real action.
However, time is of the essence, so we might find out sooner rather than later.
A possible summer transfer for Morten Frendrup is being watched by Liverpool, and the Genoa midfielder has already expressed his thoughts about joining Anfield.