Liverpool made one of the bargain signings of the summer when they signed Brighton midfielder Alexis Mac Allister for just 35 million pounds due to a release clause, bringing in a much-needed player who was among the best in the league at any position last season.
And now, the Reds have added another top-class midfielder who was one of the best players in his league last season, taking further advantage of a release clause.
Though this time, Liverpool will have to pony up a bit more. They have decided to meet the 70 million euro release clause for RB Leipzig star Dominik Szoboszlai, paying a steep price for a 22-year-old player who is already one of the best in the world at impacting the final score of a game.
So here are some things Liverpool fans should know about this talented young attacker. He is indeed a player whom fans should be excited to see next season at the Kop. There aren’t many better No. 10 profiles in the modern game than the Hungarian international, particularly after the strides he made in his fantastic 2022/23 season.
World-class technique
Dominik Szoboszlai is perhaps most well-known for his highlight-reel longshots from distance. The Hungarian international has scored 12 goals over the past two Bundesliga seasons, with many of those goals being ingenious, smashing strikes from well beyond range.
That gives the U23 standout an ability to change a game out of nothing, giving his team points in the table even when they are against the run of play in a tough match. It also forces defenses to be honest with him; they need to shut down any possible shooting option. That frees up passing options for Szoboszlai, and with 16 assists over the past two seasons as well, he can capitalize on the space that opens up for his teammates.
Szoboszlai tends to go for shooting techniques that favor power and an “opposite” swerve, often striking across the ball. This is important for two reasons.
Firstly, it means he can shoot from central areas and not have to aim too far away from the keeper, as the ball only needs a slight swerve. Better yet, the pace on the ball often beats the keeper. Even if they can get a glove to it, it is unlikely they have the strength to parry it, particularly because his shots are fast and gain velocity.
Secondly, it also means he can shoot from the right side of the pitch despite being a right-footed player. Most players are right-footed, so space in the left half-space is at a premium. Yet because Szoboszlai can score from the right side, that’s why he could play as an inverted playmaking right winger for Leipzig and still score more than a handful of goals.
More of a playmaker than CM
With more than two key passes per game, Dominik Szoboszlai was one of the best chance creators in the Bundesliga last season, using those same technical gifts that stand out on highlight clips with his shooting from range to change games for Leipzig in the attacking third as a provider.
Szoboszlai spent most of the 2022/23 season starting as a center attacking midfielder for Leipzig, though he did also start a significant number of matches as a right-sided attacker. He started a couple of matches on the left but was only infrequently used as a true center midfielder in the starting lineup.
Therefore, Szoboszlai isn’t someone who seems like a solution as a midfielder in a traditional 4-3-3 with wide midfielders and a single pivot. He would be utilized as a center attacking midfielder with a double-pivot behind him OR in an unbalanced formation where one midfielder pulls wide and/or stays back and then he would start in a more central attacking area.
Jürgen Klopp can go in a number of directions, but Szoboszlai is yet another attacking-minded midfielder like Cody Gakpo, though he would be more adept at starting on the right side of a formation than the Dutch forward. As for comparing him to Mac Allister, the ex-Brighton star is a better all-around ball-winner and progressor, so Szoboszlai is even more or a CAM-type than the Argentinian, who is already a playmaker.
An encouraging leap
The most impressive thing about Szoboszlai’s 2022/23 season in the Bundesliga was how much he advanced his game physically. Szoboszlai actually had the same number of goals and assists as in his first season with the club, but he improved significantly as a creator and especially in one-on-ones.
Szoboszlai is physically stronger, faster, and more agile. He is clearly taking his strength training and conditioning seriously to become a more robust athlete, which will, in turn, help him fulfill different functions for a team like Liverpool. Already for Leipzig, he looked better on the wings than in his first season, and he bumped his dribbles completed per game average from a subpar 0.6 to an excellent 1.7.
On top of all that, Szoboszlai considerably improved his defensive contributions to 1.5 tackles per game, adding 0.5 interceptions per match. So while he is a playmaker and not a true center midfielder, his willingness to press and his increased effectiveness in this area of the game have enabled him to fit as a playmaker in the modern game. Most 10s have died out in football today because of how much that role hurts a team’s defensive structure, but Szoboszlai has managed to improve quickly at the age of 22 in order to suit the times.
Since Ralf Rangnick set the groundwork for Leipzig, this club has always been about pressing and counter-pressing in that fabled modern German footballing style. That has not changed at all under Marco Rose. With Klopp set to be his next manager, Szoboszlai has the tools to be a star in the Liverpool setup. Of course, he is always improving and working on his game physically and mentally, which bodes well for his future in the Premier League.
