Liverpool continued their impressive run of form with a recent 2-0 victory over Sheffield United and Jurgen Klopp has put the disappointment of last term behind him as he looks to win a second Premier League title.
Heading into the festive season, the Reds will face ties against Manchester United and Arsenal, sandwiched by a clash against West Ham United in the EFL Cup.
If Klopp can win all three games, the Anfield side will be in a very healthy position heading into 2024, especially as they have also sealed Europa League qualification with a match to spare.
Despite their excellent form of late, Klopp may use the January transfer window to bring in a couple of fresh faces in order to improve his squad depth.
Joel Matip is ruled out for the rest of the season after suffering a serious knee injury playing against Fulham and this may tempt him into moving for another defender.
The defence may not be the only area that the German is looking to bolster, as the club have been linked with a move for a striker shining in the Bundesliga this term…
Liverpool transfer news – Maximilian Beier
According to reports in Germany, the Reds are showing a keen interest in Hoffenheim forward Maximilian Beier ahead of the January transfer window.
Any potential move could be a shrewd piece of business by Klopp, as the 21-year-old has a release clause of just €30m (£26m) inserted into his current contract and this will make him an attractive prospect.
Merseyside rivals Everton are another team who are chasing a move for the player, but if it comes to a showdown between the two sides, it is likely that the Reds will be the ones to come out on top.
Although Liverpool appear to be stocked with talent across their frontline, Klopp is clearly not resting on his laurels and a move for Beier makes perfect sense.
It will not be the first time the Anfield side have raided Hoffenheim for a talented centre-forward, as Roberto Firmino was acquired from the Bundesliga side eight years ago.
If Beier is half as good as the Brazilian, the club will be onto a winner for sure.
Roberto Firmino’s Liverpool statistics
Following a dismal 2014/15 campaign in which the Reds finished in sixth place, missing out on Champions League qualification, Brendan Rodgers looked to improve his squad.
Firmino arrived that summer from the Bundesliga outfit for a fee of £21.3m – similar to what Beier would cost now – and while he was promising, not many would have believed how good he was about to become.
11 goals across all competitions during his maiden campaign did not exactly signal a pure number nine, yet the Brazilian offered so much more than just a goal threat.
This was evident over the next two seasons under Klopp. Firmino scored 12 and registered 11 assists during 2016/17 before emerging as one of the finest centre-forwards in England during the 2017/18 season.
Liverpool reached the Champions League final that term, and although they lost to Real Madrid in Kyiv, Firmino played a starring role throughout the competition, scoring ten goals and grabbing eight assists in total.
Not only that, but he added 15 goals and seven assists in the Premier League too, in what was a stunning season, and it laid the bedrock for the success that was coming their way over the next few seasons.
The former Hoffenheim gem not only won the Champions League in 2019, but he helped the side win their first title in 30 years just a year later, while adding a couple of domestic trophies to his haul before departing in the summer.
The 32-year-old whiz will go down as a cult icon and, while Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo have operated in a centre-forward role this term, Beier could be the ideal heir to Firmino.
Maximilian Beier’s season in numbers
The youngster made his debut for the German side during the 2019/20 season before joining Hannover 96 for a two-season loan spell between 2021 and 2023, scoring 15 goals in total, and this earned him a recall to the Hoffenheim senior side.
The move has been a wise one, as Beier has managed to find the back of the net on six occasions in the top flight along with chipping in with four assists and the club currently occupy sixth spot in the table and are in the hunt for a Champions League berth.
Six
Four
Two
Four
Five
Zero
1.2
1.3
0.5
Two
14
Two
1.1
0.3
0.9
This form has led to plenty of praise and none more so than from Alexander Rosen, the sporting director of the club, who discussed his star player in SportBILD (via Sport Witness).
He said: “Maxi Beier is a super guy and an extremely talented striker. He is incredibly fast, goal-threatening and can kick really well. For me, Maxi is one of the absolute shooting stars of this Bundesliga season.”
With Euro 2024 nearing, his form may just catch the eye of national coach Julian Nagelsmann, especially with the lack of top-class German forwards.
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The 22-year-old currently ranks first among the squad for goals in the German top-flight (six), while also topping the pile for shots on target per game (1.2), scoring frequency (a goal every 152 minutes), and successful dribbles per game (1.1), certainly showcasing his talents at the highest level.
Klopp is seemingly on the lookout for young talents in order to bolster his first-team squad and signing Beier could prove to be a solid acquisition.
He may wish to lure him to Merseyside sooner rather than later, especially with his current release clause. If Beier goes on to shine for Germany at Euro 2024 next summer, he may get a lot more attention than just the Reds.
Firmino proved to be a hugely successful signing from Hoffenheim in 2015, becoming one-third of the wonderful triumvirate that also consisted of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané, which devastated defences across England and the continent.
Klopp could, therefore, repeat Liverpool's Firmino blinder by luring the talented whiz to the Premier League, and January would be the ideal time to make his move.