Liverpool scouts have reportedly been quite impressed by what they’ve seen from one talented prospect at Barcelona.
The Reds had turned to LaLiga over the summer in their pursuit of a defensive midfielder, having sought to prise Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad, but his preference was to remain in San Sebastian.
The Anfield recruitment team have now turned their attention towards a positional peer from elsewhere in the division.
Liverpool scouts impressed by Barcelona youngster
According to CaughtOffside, Marc Casado has caught the eye of scouts from Liverpool, with the Barcelona youngster believed to have elicited positive feedback for his ‘vision on the ball and ability to control a game from midfield’.
The report claims that the Reds view the 21-year-old as a player who, if brought to Anfield, could be given the opportunity to immediately become a crucial figure in Arne Slot’s team, rather than being bedded in gently with a view to the long-term.
Casado is raw but looks a real talent
It’s a strong show of faith from Liverpool that they reportedly view Casado as someone who could make an instant impact on Merseyside, considering that he’s only made 18 senior appearances for Barcelona, 13 of which have come since the start of this season (Transfermarkt).
However, his creative abilities from the number 6 role are quite distinguished, with five assists already this term, and he places among the top 1% of midfielders for that metric among Europe’s five main leagues over the past year (FBref).
In addition, he ranks highly for pass completion (89.4%), progressive passes per game (6.7) and tackles per match (2.62, via FBref), boasting a well-rounded skill set for a player who’s still quite inexperienced at first-team level.
Other aspects of Casado’s game have scope for improvement – for example, his match averages for interceptions and blocks are low for a defensive midfielder (FBref) – but with the right coaching at Liverpool, those are qualities that he could hone over time.
Whether the initial positive feedback from scouts will lead to any contact with Barcelona over a possible transfer approach remains to be seen, but this latest example off the world-renowned La Masia production line is worth keeping an eye on in the months ahead.
