Liverpool triggered the release clause in the contract of RB Leipzig midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai before he completed his medical. Dominik Szoboszlai’s talent for making the apparent unavoidable is what makes him so amazing. When it comes to Dominik Szoboszlai, Jordan Pickford won’t need to consult any bottle carrying specific information regarding penalty preferences when Liverpool hosts the first Merseyside derby of the new season on October 21. Goalkeeper’s bottom right and left were hit hard and low, but 15 of his past 16 tries at penalty kicks were successful, showing that this player has a great deal of faith in his ability to carry out his thoughts correctly.
Liverpool is searching for good value and variety in their hires in a summer that has seen Jude Bellingham possibly become the most expensive British footballer of all time when Declan Rice seeks a fee north of £100m and Mason Mount is worth upwards of £55m. Alexis Mac Allister, who previously won the World Cup at age 24, suits the type of player Jurgen Klopp is searching for. Set-piece expert Szoboszlai, who can play both in midfield and out wide, fits a similar profile: he has the potential to become well-known but is still in demand from other teams should he find it difficult to adjust. The Hungary captain, who is still only 22, has room to grow.
Szoboszlai, pronounced “Sob-oss-lie,” has 32 caps for his nation and is revered as a messiah at home since he has been around for a while. He was signed by Leipzig’s sister club Red Bull Salzburg at the age of 16, and he thrived there with Erling Haaland before transferring to Borussia Dortmund. Szoboszlai became his team’s lynchpin after Haaland left the scene, winning him the Austrian Bundesliga Player of the Year title in 2020. He was prepared to demonstrate his talent on a larger stage after placing eighth in the famous Golden Boy award for Europe’s greatest prospect that year, which was decided by European journalists.
He missed Euro 2020 two summers ago due to a groyne injury after scoring the vital late goal against Iceland to guarantee qualifying. For many who had been deprived of recent success and yearned for a return to the glories of the “Magic Magyars” era under the leadership of Ferenc Puskas, even then, at the age of 20, Szoboszlai was regarded as Hungary’s finest player in decades. For a country that hasn’t participated in a World Cup since 1986 but had just qualified for their second straight European Championships, it was a heartbreaking defeat.
“He’s not in great shape. He isn’t even fit enough to serve as a replacement for a short period of time. Being unable to play him is really hard for me,” Hungary head coach Marco Rossi said about him at the time.
Szoboszlai is departing Saxony for Klopp’s reconstruction, which is gaining steam. Fans of Liverpool will be enthused by his ability to control space, select a pass, and stand in the right place for a penalty or set piece. Szoboszlai spent 621 of his 681 Champions League playing minutes last year working on the right side of midfield. For Liverpool, he may play a similar position, offering the breadth to let Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah play more centrally.
He played on the right in all competitions 24 times last season, contributing five assists and eight goals while doing so. At Leipzig, when Marco Rose used him more centrally, he scored five goals and assisted three others. While Kevin De Bruyne shares his eye-catching flare for free kicks, long-range goals, and defense-splitting assists, his feather-like feet, despite his height, are comparable to Zinedine Zidane’s gliding airs.
Szoboszlai’s superiority stood out during a recent outing against Montenegro in a European Qualifier, which was mainly forgettable and ended goalless. He merely needed to scan the playing surface for a warning sign. Stevan Jovetic, now 33 and 10 years removed from an equally spectacular, high-profile transfer to Manchester City, was playing for the opposition. Jovetic, or Szoboszlai as he is today, was one of the most sought-after players in European football, but after moving from Fiorentina, his three-year stint at City didn’t live up to the expectations.
Szoboszlai’s career is still in its infancy, yet he felt at ease on that matchbox-sized surface in Podgorica. He will not be intimidated by his new destination. Newcastle had been keeping a close eye on Dominik Szoboszlai because of Eddie Howe’s admiration, but as soon as Liverpool showed an interest, they took the lead. Szoboszlai was always going to play in the Premier League, regardless of the interest from teams all across Europe. He may have been lured by a big pay rise after earning about £ 80,000 per week in Leipzig.
The Merseysiders enjoy solid ties with the Bundesliga team since they have previously acquired Naby Keita and Ibrahima Konate from them, while Fabio Carvalho last week switched sides on a season-long loan. In spite of attention from Real Madrid and AC Milan, Szoboszlai joined Leipzig in 2021 after beginning his professional career at Liefering. In 2018, he signed for Red Bull Salzburg. He won the Austrian title four times and the Austrian Cup three times when he was a member of Salzburg.
He has twice won the DFB-Pokal since moving to Leipzig, and his current goal is to take his new team back to the Champions League. Without Szoboszlai, Hungary will ultimately not advance from the group stages at Euro 2020, but his reputation has only grown. Liverpool had developed a worn-out appearance over the 2022–23 season, but the addition of new blood has improved their appearance. The addition of Dominik Szoboszlai to Liverpool is now ready to grace the Premier League as the next superstar to come off the renowned Red Bull talent conveyor belt.
“The squad has been competitive with Man City for the previous five years despite Klopp’s limited financial resources in several transfer windows. However, this is the first time since 2018 that he has spent more than £100 million in a single window,” Mark McAdam said. “This differs from [owners] FSG’s strategy. They’ve always been extremely cautious with their spending, but this transfer window, they’re investing money and engaging in a new kind of transfer activity because Klopp is being supported.”
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