Real Madrid have been told to forget about trying to sign Liverpool star Dominik Szoboszlai – brilliant as he is.
That’s the verdict of European football expert Andy Brassell, who believes the Hungarian doesn’t solve either of Los Blancos’ two glaring problems.
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Szoboszlai, whose current Liverpool contract expires in 2028, was is considered one of the best players in the world this season.
The 25-year-old was one of the few standout players in the Reds’ difficult season, despite playing several games at right-back.
Ironically, he has been linked with following in the footsteps of his close friend and former teammate Trent Alexander-Arnold, who held the position last season by moving to Madrid.
Hungary coach Marco Rossi said the LaLiga giants had always been his captain’s “dream”, while Vinícius Júnior recently gifted Szoboszlai a personalized pair of his signature Nike boots.
Szoboszlai to Real Madrid
A move to the Bernabeu would call into question the future of Arda Güler, who had an embarrassing falling out with the Liverpool midfielder last year.
Brassell, who described the 21-year-old as the most important player of the Xabi Alonso era, once again emphasized how valuable the Turkish star is.
“I think Real Madrid probably need Arda Guler even more than in the first half of the season,” he told The Pitch Prospect.com exclusively.
“Without neglecting the full recency aspect, I look at the last few games in which they barely gave Celta the win with a hugely deflected goal from Federico Valverde in the fourth minute of stoppage time. Before that, they lost at home to Getafe at the Bernabeu.”
“The last few games have really shown how much they have to rely on Arda Güler. Who else in midfield will open the door?”
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“When you look at the quality of their players, when you look at the range of options they spend on salaries and the amount they spend on buying players, it is truly remarkable.”
“There’s this guy who’s still young, still developing, and if they want someone to start another team, it has to be him.”
“If they’re looking for a player for a really clever final pass or a mini dribble, then it’s him. Who else is it besides Arda Güler?”
Guler vs. Szoboszlai
Guler has scored three goals and provided 13 assists in all competitions this season, two fewer than Szoboszlai’s tally of 10 goals and eight assists, with the latter also frequently deployed at right-back.
“Funnily enough, I suspect there are two strands to the Szoboszlai argument,” Brassell continued to The Pitch Prospect.com.
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“Firstly, you probably think, okay, he makes you very dangerous from set pieces, he can shoot from distance, he brings real dynamism to the team.”
“But he wouldn’t be the first player I thought of, because if you think of someone who could enrich the Real Madrid team in terms of craftsmanship, then he already has a lot of power in midfield.”
“Of course, Szoboszlai adds that little bit extra with his long-range shot.
“But if I were Real Madrid’s football director, he wouldn’t be the first player on my list.”
“I think someone who can regulate the flow of the game through their passing, rather than someone who jokes around like they play in the Premier League every day of the week and twice on Sundays, makes more sense for Real Madrid.”
“Look, clubs don’t always go after what they really need in the transfer market, especially Real Madrid-style.”
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“They buy the players with the most bench advantages and then figure out a solution from there.”
“But if we look at the problems Real Madrid have, the two biggest problems are defense, which was also a problem for them last season.”
“They’ve kind of gotten into the buy-in role where they’re suffering from poor defensive recruiting, and that’s something that’s really letting them down on the field at an elite level.”
“And that bit of skill in midfield. Dominik Szoboszlai doesn’t go into either. Brilliant player as he is.”