After Alexis Mac Allister, Liverpool has succeeded in acquiring a young and talented midfielder. The player’s name is Dominik Szoboszlai. Last season he had an impressive season with RB Leipzig, scoring 10 goals and 13 assists in 46 games.
Liverpool, who invoked his release clause, added the Hungarian midfielder to their team by spending €70m, and the player chose the number “8,” which was also worn by Steven Gerrard in the past.
When asked why in his first interview with the club, the Hungarian captain said frankly that it is a great number but that there is no clear reason, but admitted that Steven Gerrard is a factor.
“Not a special reason but of course it’s a great number, a lot of great players had this number. And also I have a tattoo from Steven Gerrard, what he said – I don’t even remember when but before. It was also a reason why.”
Liverpoolfc.com
Until last season, the number was worn by Guinean midfielder Naby Keita, but the diminutive midfielder, who moved to Werder Bremen, was unable to get results at Anfield, partly due to repeated injuries.
The former RB Salzburg midfielder is expected to regain the brilliance of his Gerrard-era number, but he confesses that he was not keen to follow Gerrard or Liverpool since childhood.
However, he does mention that he watched the former England midfielder as one of the big players, and that he watched the Champions League and other games.
“When I was a child, to be honest I didn’t watch that much football but of course when it was Champions League or a big game, I was watching Liverpool, the big teams and also the big players – and he was one of the biggest.”
Liverpoolfc.com
Will he be able to show the success that will turn the number he has inherited from Paul Stuart, Stan Collymore, Oyvind Leonardsen, Emile Heskey, Steven Gerrard, and Navy Keita into something even greater…?
We will be watching for the awakening of the 22-year-old midfielder.