Liverpool ramp up £21m deal to REPLACE Andy Robertson

Liverpool are ramping up their efforts to make a £21m deal to replace Andy Robertson.

One of the main objectives for Richard Hughe and his recruitment team in the upcoming two windows is to find a replacement for the Scotsman.

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Robertson has been a little inconsistent over the last 12 months and there are fears he could be entering the twilight years of his career.

In an effort to ensure Liverpool have adequate options in the future, the club is exploring potential solutions in the market in order to find the 30-year-old's successor.

And according to one report, Liverpool are making a move to sign one potential option who could be perfect for that role.

Why Liverpool have identified El Hadji Malick Diouf as Andy Robertson's replacement

According to D Sports in Senegal, Liverpool are working on a deal to make El Hajdi Malick Diouf Andy Robertson's replacement.

The report claims Liverpool have contacted Diouf's agent and see him as the ideal profile to bring into the team. It alleges that the Reds are huge admirers of Diouf's talent, who is currently catching the eye for Slavia Prague.

But it won't be cheap to acquire the 20-year-old full-back. According to the report, Slavia Prague want €25m which is roughly £21m for their prized asset.

That is certainly a lot of money to pay for a talent who hasn't played in any of Europe's top five leagues yet. However, Diouf is regarded as a top talent and has caught the eye most notably in the Europa League this season.

Coming up against the likes of Ajax, Athletic Bilbao and Eintracht Frankfurt, the youngster has caught the eye with his explosive speed and intelligent playmaking qualities.

What kind of player is El Hadji Malick Diouf?

First and foremost, Diouf is a brilliant dribbler and he can take players on with ease from full-back using his speed. He only recently turne 20 years old and already has nine goal contributions in 18 league appearances for Slavia Prague this season.

As per FBref he ranks in the 89th percentile for take-ons attempted (3.5 per 90) and for successful take-ons (1.75 per 90). Meanwhile, he also ranks in the 79th percentile for progressive carries (3.11 per 90).

This is already impressive considering he plays in a team that have won just one of their first six matches in the competition.

But what really catches the eye are his creative numbers. Diouf ranks in the 95th percentile for shot-creating-actions (4.86 per 90) which is mightily impressive.

As per Wyscout, no one has made more passes into the penalty area (6.92 per 90) than Diouf in the Europa League this season.

And he ranks in the 92nd percentile for expected-assisted goals (0.21 per 90).

These are extremely impressive numbers and based on this short sample size it's easy to see why Liverpool see Diouf as an ideal replacement for Robertson.

Diouf is still a good defender as well who averages the second most possession adjusted interceptions (7.04 per 90) in the Europa League and wins an impressive 68% of his 4.97 defensive duels per 90.

Is he related to El Hadji Diouf?

The name stands out for Liverpool fans because there has been another Diouf and another Senegalese international at Anfield. That Diouf didn't quite catch the eye.

It's fair to say the 'other' Diouf's career was shrouded in infamy and he definitely did not set the world alight in Liverpool despite arriving with a lot of promise on the back of his performances at the 2002 World Cup.

Back then, El Hajdi Malick Diouf had not even been born. He was born in 2004 and has no relation to the former Liverpool player.

Young Malick will be hoping to be much better than his namesake if he does move to Anfield.

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