Liverpool’s Latest Transfer Target Could be ‘Perfect’ for Arne Slot’s Midfield Plans | OneFootball

Merlin Rohl: Arne Slot’s Missing Piece in Midfield?

No manager has started their Liverpool tenure as brightly as Arne Slot since Bob Paisley – the most successful manager in the club’s history. But while this has been a brilliant and exhilarating start from the Reds, there are still holes to be filled in the squad.

Most notably, it feels as though Slot is missing a jigsaw piece in the middle.

Sporing director Richard Hughes wanted to bring in a no.6 last summer, but Martin Zubimendi ultimately decided to stay put at Real Sociedad which left Liverpool opting to not pursue any other targets in the market. Now though, the club are exploring alternative options and one name that has cropped up is Merlin Rohl from Freiburg, who is on Liverpool’s radar according to Christian Falk.

Who is Merlin Rohl?

Unless you are a devoted follower of the Bundesliga, the chances are you will not have heard much about the 22-year-old midfielder. Rohl only broke into the Freiburg, first team last season after arriving from second division side Ingolstadt back in 2022.

But since breaking into the side, he hasn’t looked back, and he is now a mainstay in Germany’s U21 national team and regarded as one of the most exciting midfield prospects in the league.

Rohl’s tactical flexibility

There are reasons why he is highly rated. For one, he is towers above his opponents with his tall frame standing at 1.91 metres. Yet he is technically astute on the ball and is able to carry the ball really well. A quick glance at his FBref profile will testify to that. Rohl ranks in the 91st percentile for take-ons attempted (2.61 per 90) and in the 94th percentile for progressive carries (2.74 per 90).

This ability makes him not just a suitable midfielder but someone who can also be pushed to play higher forward in the no.10 role or even out wide, with Rohl having featured as a left and right-winger for both club and country.

Photo: IMAGO

Physical Traits Which Make Him Perfect for Slot

In Slot’s system, there is a high demand on midfielders in terms of pressing the opposition and covering a lot of ground. You need to be quick and you need to be able to close down the opponents as fast as possible.

Rohl’s physical stats this season are showing that he is capable of doing exactly that. For example, according to Wyscout among midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues this season, Rohl averages the most sprints per 90 (24.36).

He also has the second highest sprinting distance (330km) per 90 among midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues. Not to mention he is incredibly fast with a top-speed of 35.8km/h, which makes him the 7th fastest midfielder in Europe’s top five leagues this season.

All of that would suggest he would be very well suited to the physically demanding Slot ball that is being played at Liverpool right now. Therefore, his age profile, his versatility and his physicality already makes him an intriguing prospect.

It’s not really a surprise that Liverpool are keeping him on the club’s radar.

Could Passing be his Downfall?

Where Rohl’s numbers are perhaps not as glittering or leave question marks to be answered is in his distribution. This is again an imperative aspect of Slot’s philosophy. The two deeper lying midfielders need to be especially good at progressing the ball and bringing it into dangerous areas.

Rohl doesn’t really have the experience of the track record of doing that. He averages just 24.73 passes and just 2.75 passes into the final third per 90 according to Wyscout.

In comparison, someone like Mac Allister is averaging 8.9 per 90 for Liverpool in the last calendar year. Now, it’s important to take context into account. Rohl plays for Freiburg, who are below average both at their passing numbers and their overall possession in the Bundesliga.

Freiburg ranked 12th overall for passes completed last season and for possession averaging just 46.6% per game. Naturally, with less time on the ball, Rohl will have less opportunities to enhance his passing numbers and showcase his quality.

Injury Concerns?

Currently, the German U21 international is out with an injury, having suffered a ligament tear in Freiburg’s last Bundesliga game. Last season, he missed 84 days due to a muscle injury for Freiburg, and the season prior he was ruled out for three games due to back problems.

Naturally, his body is still growing and with his height, it will take a while for him to properly grow into it. But in the meantime, as he builds muscles, he will remain vulnerable to injuries and that’s a risk factor that needs to be taken into account.

Where Does he Fit into Slot’s Team?

Overall, Rohl could be the perfect Dominik Szoboszlai alternative in the squad. He has all the physical attributes to play the role the Hungarian has been playing at the tip of the Reds’ midfield and given right now Liverpool have no one else of Szoboszlai’s ilk, having a back-up option to take the load off the Reds’ no.8 would make sense.

With Gravenberch having made the no.6 role his own, bringing in another defensive midfielder, especially while Wataru Endo is still at the club is less of a priority. But Rohl could provide further ammunition to the midfield and solve an area where Slot perhaps doesn’t have as much depth.