Newcastle United and Liverpool could be set to battle it out for Dominik Szoboszlai.
The Magpies look set to turn to the Hungarian after James Maddison joined Tottenham, in a move that makes a lot more sense. Szoboszlai is younger, will demand a smaller wage package and will cost a similar amount. It’s a no brainer.
But the issue Newcastle now have is that Liverpool are also keen. It was reported on Wednesday by the Athletic that the Reds have held talks with Szoboszlai’s agent over a move to Anfield.
That could make it even trickier to sign the 22-year-old, especially with the Magpies looking to drive the price down. This could have the opposite effect and drive the price up!
Newcastle do have the pull of Champions League football and may feel like that gives them an advantage over Liverpool. But Jurgen Klopp has his own ace up his sleeve.
What Dominik Szoboszlai recently said about Jurgen Klopp
Szoboszlai has spoke a lot about his future in recent months. He admitted that he would like to play in the Champions League next season, and has refused to commit himself to RB Leipzig.
Of course, Liverpool are unable to offer Champions League football right now, but they can offer Szoboszlai the chance to play under Klopp, which we already know is very appealing to the attacking midfielder.
In a recent interview with Hungarian website Index, he was asked about joining a club that is not going to be in next season’s UCL.
“I have a feeling what this question is about since we just mentioned Klopp and next year Liverpool will only be in the Europa League,” he said.
“But believe me, I don’t know anything about Liverpool scouts at our matches, and if they were there, I have no idea who was being watched.
“It would certainly be a special experience to work under Klopp, as it would be under Guardiola or Mourinho. I don’t know what they could get out of me.”
The Klopp factor
He may have rattled Toon cages this past year, but there is no denying that Klopp is one of the biggest names in football. Therefore, it is no surprise that Szoboszlai could be tempted by the prospect of growing and developing under his watchful eye.
That could give Liverpool an advantage even without Champions League football. It would be a long-term decision by Szoboszlai, as the Reds are more likely to consistently qualify for the competition in the coming years. In contrast, it will be very tough for Newcastle to repeat the achievement of last season.
But the Magpies have their own elite manager, even if Howe’s reputation isn’t as great as Klopp’s. The Toon boss has a proven track record of improving players, and it has been the blueprint of his success on Tyneside.
Receive a digest of our best Newcastle content each week direct to your mailbox
