Liverpool considering bid for defensive duel monster with ‘huge potential’ | OneFootball

Liverpool are reportedly keeping an eye on a number of defensive targets ahead of the opening of the summer transfer window.

The latest name to be discussed around the Reds’ upcoming plans is that of Brest’s Bradley Locko.

Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider now claims that the Reds could potentially compete for the 22-year-old’s signature alongside Aston Villa and West Ham.

Supporters may be waiting a while to see the fullback with ‘huge potential’ in the famous red shirt, however, with the end of the 2023/24 season just under two weeks away.

Fans could pass the time ahead of the start of pre-season with the help of some of the best betting sites in Ireland. It’s worth getting the best overview of the landscape certainly ahead of the European Championship this summer!

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Do Liverpool need a new left-back?

Andy Robertson has missed a handful of games owing to his shoulder injury – (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Liverpool currently have Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas available in the squad as our senior left-back options.

The former of the two, admittedly, recently entered his 30s and so it’s entirely understandable why we might be taking a closer look at some long-term options in the role.

That’s of course not to suggest we’d be willing to consign the Scotland skipper to the dustbin of football history! If his last two games for the Reds is any indication of his ongoing value to the cause, we’d be foolish to try and filter him out of senior action any time soon.

With a fresh pair of eyes coming into the team to replace Jurgen Klopp, however, a revamp of the squad does seem somewhat inevitable.

The arrival of a new face like Locko, for instance, would likely raise bigger questions for the future of Kostas Tsimikas (27).

The Greek international hasn’t exactly lit up the footballing world with his performances this year. He’s actually seen his place taken by versatile fellow defender Joe Gomez on more than one occasion during Robertson’s injury-enforced absence. Albeit, a serious injury of his own (broken collarbone) hardly helped matters in that regard.

Is it enough to see him swapped out of the squad for a younger, hungrier fullback? Only time will tell.

What do the stats say about Locko?

Locko in action for Brest – (Photo by LOIC VENANCE/AFP via Getty Images)

It’s worth pointing out that Locko hasn’t managed to better either Tsimikas (four) or Robertson’s (five) tally of goal contributions this term. This is despite featuring in every Ligue 1 game for Brest this term.

That said, the Frenchman’s game doesn’t appear to revolve around chance creation to the same degree as a Liverpool fullback.

Regardless, the 22-year-old is more than adept at carrying possession and threatening the opposition, registering in the 94th percentile for successful take-ons, according to FBref. Only Trent Alexander-Arnold comes closest with his 88th percentile ranking.

What Locko lacks in xG and xAG threat he makes up for in defensive contributions, with him having tackled 60% of dribblers faced on average in his last four seasons in French top-flight football. It’s a comparable percentage to the averages of Robertson (52.6%), Tsimikas (66%) and our No.66 (49.1%).

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