Why Victor Wanyama Is the Southampton Player Liverpool Would Love to Sign
Quite how Brendan Rodgers plundered Southampton for four players in his three years as Liverpool manager and only once signed the right target is one of many conundrums that dogged his reign on Merseyside.
But as the Saints visit Anfield for his successor's home Premier League debut, one more of Ronald Koeman's troops stands out as a key target for the future: Victor Wanyama.
As Jurgen Klopp takes in his first home outing in the English top flight, he will be wary of the threat that Koeman's side present, with the Dutchman developing Southampton into a highly competitive top-level outfit since his arrival in 2014.
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Wanyama is one of many much-coveted stars within Koeman's squad, alongside the likes of Fraser Forster, Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Bertrand, Jordy Clasie, James Ward-Prowse, Sadio Mane and Jay Rodriguez.
But under Klopp, Wanyama would be an ideal target for the Reds.
Victor Wanyama
Southampton pulled off a coup by convincing Wanyama to remain on the south coast this summer, with other major departures spelling another miserable exodus for the Saints.
Nathaniel Clyne left for Liverpool, while Morgan Schneiderlin joined Manchester United in a deal worth £25 million, leaving Koeman with the unenviable task of replacing some of Southampton's key players for the second summer running.
Eljero Elia and Filip Djuricic—useful backup options in 2014/15—also saw their loan deals expire, while Toby Alderweireld opted to join Tottenham Hotspur.
But with Southampton receiving close to £40 million for the combined sales of Clyne and Schneiderlin, Koeman issued a statement, via Sky Sports, declaring Wanyama not for sale:
"Listen, there is no bid for any player. Not for Wanyama, not for Sadio, not anyone.
[...]
There is no contact and no bid for nobody and we don't sell any more players. That is very clear in my opinion. I don't like [these rumours] because maybe players are thinking and they are not then focused on what they have to do.
"
Koeman's vehement refusal underlined just how important Wanyama is to the club, as the Kenyan's staunch displays at the base of the midfield alongside Schneiderlin saw Southampton concede just 33 goals in the Premier League last season—the second-fewest of any side.
With Schneiderlin offering more of a progressive, creative, box-to-box presence in midfield, Wanyama supplied the steel and defensive finesse, and this has continued so far this season.
The 24-year-old has averaged 3.1 interceptions per 90 minutes in the league, with only four regular defensive midfielders making more—Valon Behrami (3.3), Idrissa Gueye (3.4), Jack Cork (3.7) and Yohan Cabaye (4.0)—highlighting his ability to read the game and break up play with intelligence and strength.
As captain of the Kenyan national team, Wanyama is an authoritative midfield presence, and at just 24, he has considerable scope for development.
Crucially, this would see him fit into Klopp's demanding system at Liverpool.
Jurgen Klopp and the Defensive Midfielder
Though much of Klopp's success at Borussia Dortmund was founded on his side's overwhelming, pace-based attacking system, the Bundesliga side balanced this with a remarkable defensive stability—particularly in their triumphant three-season stretch between 2010/11 and 2012/13.
Typically fielding a 4-2-3-1 formation at Dortmund, Klopp would deploy his midfield with one creative, box-to-box talent—with Ilkay Gundogan the prime example—and one solid, defensive midfielder.
For much of his time at the club, Klopp relied on two options: Sven Bender and Sebastian Kehl.
Discussing their roles under Klopp in 2013, Bleacher Report's Clark Whitney emphasised the different attributes offered by Bender and Kehl, with the ultimate goal being rigidity in midfield:
"So intense is his style of play that Bender was nicknamed the "vacuum cleaner" in his early years, a reference to his ability to suck up any free space as it appeared.
Bender is more than just a sprinting madman, however. He plays a tactical role as well. Schmelzer and especially Piszczek often attack up the flanks, and when they do, Bender is often the man who provides defensive cover if the ball is misplaced.
[...]
The 33-year-old Kehl is not quite as industrious as Bender, but is very experienced and captains the team when he plays.
Kehl is taller than Bender, and better at defending against aerial threats. He also has more skill on the ball and good leadership qualities. Against teams that press, like Barcelona, Real Madrid or Bayern, Bender is the man to choose. Against teams that play a little less aggressively, especially if the stakes are high, Kehl often is used instead.
"
Rotating the energetic Bender and the more understated, composed Kehl depending on the challenge at hand provided Klopp with a useful tactical nuance—one that proved pivotal to Dortmund's success.
Immediately switching Liverpool's formation to a 4-3-2-1/4-2-3-1 hybrid on his arrival, Klopp has continued to stress the importance of the defensive midfielder.
His current option is Lucas Leiva; a player who has spent much of the past three seasons on the periphery at Anfield.
The Endurance of Lucas Leiva
"I think the last couple of years, every transfer window my name is [linked with a move],” Lucas told the Liverpool Echo's James Pearce at the beginning of September.
"Of course there are times when you think you might have to move on and I was very close to moving but one thing I will always have is commitment to this club. I've been here so long and I always said if I had the choice to be here and be happy, I would always choose Liverpool."
Lucas was close to joining Turkish giants Besiktas on a season-long loan deal at the end of the summer transfer window, but a starring performance in the Reds' 0-0 draw with Arsenal saw the deal collapse.
This was a familiar situation, with Lucas regularly linked with moves to Serie A sides during Rodgers' tenure before being deemed too valuable an asset to move on.
However, this summer finally seemed like an appropriate juncture for the Brazilian to finally part ways with the club, with Rodgers adverse to fielding a specialist defensive midfielder—preferring to utilise a hard-working, dynamic midfield group.
Klopp's arrival may have changed Lucas' fortune, with two impressive performances against Spurs and Rubin Kazan underlining his importance to the current first-team squad at Liverpool.
But whether he is a key player for Klopp in the long term remains to be seen; and this is where Wanyama comes in.
Comparing Wanyama and Lucas with Bender and Kehl provides Klopp with a pair of similarly talented midfield options.
Wanyama's vitality could see him adopt the Bender role to counter a pressing opposition—with Southampton, Spurs, Everton and Chelsea key examples in the Premier League—while Lucas' experience and composure would allow him to thrive in big-game situations against the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City.
Signing another option at the base of midfield should be a priority for Klopp in the near future, and Wanyama is one of the standout targets in European football at present.
Liverpool supporters would welcome the addition of another aggressive, defensive midfielder emphatically.
While signing another Southampton player may irk some sections of the Anfield faithful, Wanyama would be cherished by most.
Statistics via WhoScored.com.
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