Liverpool plotting move for left-back as they eye long-term replacement for Andy Robertson - Reports
Liverpool full-back Andy Robertson has been key to the club's success in recent years, playing 298 games since he joined in the summer of 2017. However, the Scotland captain has now turned 30, and the Reds are reportedly working on signing his long-term replacement.
A report from Football Insider (via Empire of the Kop) has claimed that the Merseyside giants have set their sights on Rennes full-back Adrien Truffert. Finding a successor for Andy Robertson has been made a priority at Anfield, and Truffert is at the top of their list.
Last season, the 22-year-old was one of Rennes' important players, appearing in 43 games across all competitions. He also managed four assists in just five Coupe de France games, while scoring once in the Europa League.
Currently, Liverpool have a deputy left-back in Kostas Tsimikas. However, he is not considered a long-term successor for Robertson, with the Reds looking elsewhere for options. In the meantime, though, the Scotland international remains a key player at Anfield, and he is unlikely to need an urgent replacement this summer.
Arne Slot discusses tactical differences between his style and former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp
If Truffert does make the switch from Rennes to Liverpool, it will be under new manager Arne Slot, who took over the reins this summer. The Reds saw their long-time manager Jurgen Klopp leave after an impressive nine years at the helm, as he led them to the Premier League and Champions League.
Having spent a considerable time at the club, Klopp's style of play and coaching was cemented as a philosophy at Anfield. This could raise teething concerns, especially with a new head coach in Arne Slot.
However, the Reds have won their first game of the season against Ipswich Town, and Slot does not think there will be many problems moving forward. He compared his style with that of Jurgen Klopp on Sky Sports, explaining (via GOAL):
"I believe the one reason why the players buy in [to my work] is that the differences are not that big. There are only small differences between Jurgen and me and the general idea of how we want to play football is quite similar."
While he has gotten his first win as Liverpool manager, he will lead the Reds in his first league game at Anfield against Brentford on Sunday (August 25).