Can this out-of-favour German star’s career be rescued at Liverpool by Jurgen Klopp?

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Let’s go back to 2011 when Mario Götze; Borussia Dortmund’s crown jewel and Germany’s young prodigy, was awarded the title of Europe’s Golden Boy, an accolade given out by sports journalists to Europe’s most impressive young player in the calendar year. No doubt did the 19-year-old securing a momentous Bundesliga title for Dortmund in the 2010/11 season go some way to earning the plaudits of the watching press. Götze went on to win yet another league title the following year, before enjoying the most prolific season in his career to date in 2012/13: 44 games played, 16 goals and 20 assists registered in all competitions. Under Klopp, it seemed like he could do it all yet again in the following campaign. However, Dortmund conceded the league title; as well as the Champions League in a heartbreaking loss in the finals, to rivals Bayern Munich. Sensing a decline in the fortunes of Dortmund and the restoration of German titan Bayern at the helm of German and European football, Götze decided to leave for Dortmund’s nemesis in a move that stirred up its fair share of controversy.

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Fast forward to two-and-a-half years later, and it would seem that little has changed. Götze netted the winning goal for Germany in the finals of the World Cup with an outstanding finish in extra-time. He has also won consecutive Bundesliga titles in the two years he has been with the club. But look closer, and it’s easy to see that Götze’s career has very much come to a disappointing halt. The 23-year-old German international has only featured in eight league games this season, in part due to a horrific hamstring injury which kept him out for four months since October. Even considering this however, Götze has only played in one of Bayern’s six games since returning from injury in February, and news of him being unsettled in Bavaria is constantly surfacing. His disappointing club situation has also taken its toll on his international opportunities, as he unsurprisingly started on the bench for Germany’s latest friendly against England. Everything seems to point to a transfer in the upcoming summer window: team-mate Thomas Muller has recently hinted at Götze’s discontentment with his current role in the team, and the fact that Bayern have offered contract extensions to a slew of key players in recent months while there has been no suggestion of one for Götze also seems to be a very strong message that the Bavarians are willing to listen to offers.

So, where will he go? Of course, the football romantics are absolutely buzzing with the prospects of a fairytale reunification of Gotze and current Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, a transfer which Liverpool are currently interested in according to the Express. Realistically though, do Liverpool have a chance of purchasing a player of such pedigree as Gotze? Even so, would this move actually be desirable? While the hype is understandable, the transfer is ultimately unlikely in my opinion, given that it does not seem to fit Klopp’s transfer policy or Liverpool’s current financial capacity.

First off, Liverpool could possibly be the perfect place for Götze to rebuild his career. The problems he has had since moving to Bayern have not just been due to injury, although there has been plenty of that. In both the 2013/14 and 2014/15 seasons, Götze played in more games in all competitions than he did in the 2012/13 season with Dortmund (45 and 48 respectively), and yet registered fewer goals (15 in both) and a significantly decreasing number of assists (13 and then 7). This points to a tactical incompatibility between Götze and Pep. Guardiola’s revolutionary tactics involve heavy possession and fluid interplay. Götze is undoubtedly an intelligent player no doubt, but the statistics clearly show he was far more creative and effective when playing under Klopp’s heavy pressing and intense counter-attacking style. There, he could use his astute predatory instincts to attack the space, stretch the opposition defence and; being technically gifted, link up or finish off swift and incisive attacking forays.

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Under Pep, his position on the wing further stifled his ability to influence games; blessed as he may be with technique, Götze simply is not quick enough to play out wide. Currently, Liverpool play under a very similar, high-intensity style of pressing and counter-attacking football under Klopp, where two or three attacking midfielders are usually deployed in the starting line-up and given license to roam the final third on the break. Furthermore, Liverpool are a club under massive transition. If the Reds does fork out a huge sum for him, he might very well be the face of their resurrection; a move back into the spotlight which might just revitalise his own fading stardom.

Yet this significant outlay does not seem like the best allocation of resources for a Liverpool squad in dire need of an overhaul. Liverpool currently have three relatively accomplished attacking midfielders in their first team: Coutinho, Firmino and Lallana. They have contributed a combined total of 19 goals and 17 assists in the league this season – statistics which do not particularly flatter but present an average return for what would be considered a rather disappointing run in the league for the Reds this season. In fact, the turn of the year has seen the resurgence of Firmino who is looking more and more like a potential star for the Reds with each passing game, while both Coutinho and Lallana have also seen a significant upturn in form in recent weeks. This, coupled with a paucity of outright wingers (currently only Ibe and on-loan Markovich), suggests that Klopp might not be looking at another central attacking midfielder, but instead a pacey wide-man such as PSG’s Lucas Moura or Stuttgart’s Filip Kostic.

Furthermore, such a costly move is simply not in keeping with Klopp’s philosophy with regard to recruitment. The former Dortmund boss is known for bringing in relative unknowns (such as Grujic, whom he has already secured for next season) in deals which later prove to be absolute bargains, as he moulds a new generation of star players (think Götze, Gundogan and Lewandowski). While Reus and Mkhitaryan do represent anomalies of sorts, Klopp clearly only splashes the cash on players whom are currently at the top level of their game. This does not apply to Mario Götze right now, and Klopp has time and again shown that he is much more inclined to steal a bargain than spend big on a gamble. In fact, his recent refusal to engage in a bidding war for Alex Teixeira despite the pacey attacker’s undeniable quality illustrates that Klopp simply will not spend huge sums just to secure a marquee signing.

Contrasting Liverpool’s recent splurges on lacklustre defensive reinforcements with Klopp’s shrewd signing of top class centre-back Joel Matip on a Bosman deal highlights Klopp’s approach to transfers. If more attacking midfielders are required, I would expect Klopp to take a dip into the youth academy as he was so fond of doing in Dortmund; after all, that was exactly how Götze’s career was born. Ultimately, almost every other position except that of centre-back needs more attention and addressing in the upcoming transfer market: a new first-choice goalkeeper, full-back reinforcements, a top quality central midfielder and a consistent goal-scorer are all areas of far greater priority. In fact, if nothing else, given the injury-ravaged squad that Klopp has had to work with, it is highly unlikely that his top transfer target would be a player who has suffered 13 separate injuries since 2011.

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Ultimately, regardless of current form, Götze is still considered a young star in world football. He does not merely command a huge transfer fee, but pocket-burning wages which Liverpool will likely struggle to match. Furthermore, Merseyside will probably lack the allure of Champions League football in the upcoming season, and with teams such as Arsenal or Dortmund reportedly interested as well, the Reds would hardly stand a chance. ESPN FC’s Paul Mariner rated the chances of Gotze moving to Liverpool as 10% – honestly, I believe that to be a generous figure.

Next season, Bayern will be led by new manager Carlo Ancelotti. There is nothing to suggest that Gotze will continue being overlooked if he gets back to his very best form. Recent press statements regarding his displeasure and suggestions of a move might merely be a tactic employed by the player and his agent: posturing so as to land himself a new contract as soon as possible. However, even if he were to leave, I seriously doubt that he will be willing to downgrade to a team currently undertaking a project of significant transition. Liverpool are an underdog at the present time, and underdogs do not attract the big, flashy names. However, given his preference for a shrewd bargain, perhaps missing out on Götze will not bother Klopp quite as much as some would like to believe.

Featured Image: All rights reserved by Ekansh Gupta