Dominik Szoboszlai is in trouble with RB Leipzig after publicly admitting he’d love to play under Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.
The controversy stems from an interview Szoboszlai did with Hungarian outlet Index earlier this week. During that exchange, the 22-year-old expressed a desire to work with Klopp.
“It would certainly be a special experience to work under Klopp,” he said. “As it would be under [Pep] Guardiola or Jose Mourinho. I don’t know what they would be able to get out of me. Proportionately, however, relatively few footballers are given all this [opportunity]. Only the best. I believe I can reach that level, and it would be great to work with any of them one day.”
As journalist Christian Falk reports for CaughtOffside, Leipzig weren’t best pleased with Szoboszlai’s comments. With a cup final to play against Eintracht Frankfurt tonight, they reportedly summoned the player to explain himself.
“Dominik Szoboszlai’s intentions to leave Leipzig cause unrest at RB shortly before the cup final,” Falk writes. “The offensive-player had to report to sports director Max Eberl and coach Marco Rose, because he gave an interview. In the interview he said that he dreams of working under Jurgen Klopp or Pep Guardiola. He thinks these coaches would make him even better.
“Background: The midfielder has a release clause of €70m [£60m] in his contract. Liverpool and Manchester City could pay that amount. With Christoph Baumgartner from Hoffenheim, Leipzig already has a replacement for Szoboszlai on the list.”
Szoboszlai makes himelf available
Whether Liverpool can pay Szoboszlai’s release clause and whether they want to may be two different things this summer.
Theoretically, the £60m fee would not be out of their reach. Having already decided not to pursue a move for Jude Bellingham, that seems to be more-or-less the price range the Reds are shopping in.
As a result of that, and their obvious, burning need to bring in midfielders, it’s easy to see why they’ve reportedly been scouting Szoboszlai.
The Hungary international has had another good campaign with Leipzig. Having joined from RB Salzburg in 2021, he’s bagged identical figures in his two full Bundesliga campaigns so far: 6 goals, 8 assists.
With these numbers in mind, Szoboszlai’s attraction to Liverpool is obvious. In Klopp’s current squad, they don’t possess a midfielder capable of hitting anything like those numbers.
The imminent arrival of Alexis Mac Allister should hopefully remedy that, but still, you can never have enough goals.
Szoboszlai himself would clearly jump at the chance of an Anfield move, and the presence of a release clause does make things easier. So, if Liverpool fail to land any of the player’s who seem to be at the top of their list this summer, it may be wise to grant Szoboszlai his wish.
