Summary Liverpool is reportedly interested in signing a new left-back. They're a perfect heir to Andy Robertson's throne at Anfield. They rank highly across Europe for a number of important metrics.
Liverpool's summer transfer window has not quite gone off without a hitch, with a mass midfield exodus now compounded by murmurings of Saudi Arabian interest in the treasured Mohamed Salah.
Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Wataru Endo have been signed to restructure and revive the centre, but Jurgen Klopp's side still feels a little short in several departments.
While bolstering the left-back position might not be Liverpool's most pressing concern, it's certainly not out of the question for a bid to be lodged, with Juventus' rising star Andrea Cambiaso reportedly on the Reds' radar.
Are Liverpool signing Andrea Cambiaso?
That's according to Calciomercato, who claim that Liverpool – alongside Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur – are interested in signing the 23-year-old defender before the transfer window closes next Friday on September 1st.
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Intriguingly, Cambiaso can play both defensively and higher up the pitch, with his dynamism aligning with Klopp's affinity for flexible, multi-functional players.
The player is valued at £14m, as per Football Transfers.
How good is Andrea Cambiaso?
While Klopp's players are usually rigid in their role on the pitch, he leans towards these more 'dynamic' individuals to mould them to his own creation.
This can be said of Gini Wijnaldum, Roberto Firmino, James Milner; the list goes on, and Cambiaso, with his crisp passing, creativity and tenacity, might prove to be an astute purchase for the Anfield side.
Robertson remains the No. 1 in the left-back role, but the Scotland captain has not provided the usual air of imperiousness of late, and the Reds bosses appear to have one eye on securing an heir.
The 29-year-old has unquestionably been a bona fide revelation for the Merseyside outfit since signing from Hull City for £10m in 2017, making 269 appearances, posting 63 assists and playing a central role in the illustrious success of recent years.
The 61-cap international, however, has been described as "poor" by writer James Nalton for his uncharacteristically subpar showings towards the back end of last season.
The £30k-per-week Cambiaso, while by no means the finished article, could prove to be the ultimate heir to a stalwart and beloved figure at Anfield, with the Italy U21 international impressing on loan at Bologna last year, making 32 league displays, providing three assists and being heralded as "on fire" by talent scout Jacek Kulig for his superlative showings.
He opened his seasonal account with aplomb this term, earning a Sofascore rating of 7.8 as the Old Lady dispatched Udinese 3-0 in Serie A, providing a sumptuous looping assist for Adrien Rabiot's goal, making two key passes, completing a remarkable 97% of his passes and winning two tackles.
Journalist Josh Bunting remarked on the "impressive" performance, and with such a rounded skill set, Cambiaso could well thrive as a first-rate full-back for years to come, ranking among the top 17% of positional peers across Europe for assists, the top 10% for pass completion, the top 23% for successful take-ons and the top 20% for tackles per 90, as per FBref.
His natural penchant for eye-catching ball-playing and dynamism in his craft tantalises a successful career for the rising Italian star, and while Robertson is unlikely to be going anywhere just yet, Cambiaso is possibly the perfect solution to replace the distinguished Scotsman, when that time does come.