Liverpool have proven time and again in recent years that they know how to be creative in the transfer market.
Fan opinion over this can be split. Some see the fact the club have a lower net spend than the likes of Brighton, Fulham and Wolves over the past five years as evidence that Fenway Sports Group demonstrate a lack of ambition.
Others would view the fact that they have been able to build a team capable of becoming champions of everything on a relatively slender transfer budget proof that they have played the market beautifully.
Wherever you happen to stand, it seems obvious that Michael Edwards will need to be particularly efficient with his transfer business this summer.
Liverpool recently announced losses of £46m for the year ending May 31, 2020, and the financial picture for the current season will be far bleaker when those results are revealed in 12 months’ time.
One way in which the club may be able to get slightly more for their money would be to look at players who will be out of contract and available on a free transfer.
After all, if Lionel Messi can end up on Transfermarkt’s list of Bosman-eligible players, then there may be all manner of talented stars there who Edwards should perhaps consider acquiring for the Reds.
Here’s three players of interest who could be snapped up for free this summer.
Memphis Depay
The former Manchester United man has been linked to Liverpool countless times over the years, and rumours of him moving to Anfield have already resurfaced this year too.
As the 27-year-old is having one of the best seasons of his career, it might be time for the Reds to finally make their move.
Depay has scored 19 goals and is joint-second in the Ligue 1 goal scorer standings for 2020/21 – joint-eighth if penalties are discounted – he has a share of top spot in the assist charts too.
He leads the expected assist rankings and is sixth for non-penalty expected goals (per FBRef), so his impressive returns are no fluke.
The Dutch international is also in France’s top six players for through balls, passes and carries into the penalty area and players dribbled past, so he ticks a lot of key attacking boxes.
Hakan Calhanoglu
AC Milan’s attacking midfielder has been drawing admiring glances from across Europe if stories are to be believed, and it has also been reported that he may yet sign a contract extension and stay put.
But if he does decide to leave Milan then Liverpool should at least investigate the possibility of acquiring the 27-year-old Turkish international. When a player’s top 10 matches on FBRef include Bruno Fernandes and Jack Grealish, they are certainly worthy of closer inspection.
Calhanoglu has created more chances than any other player in Serie A this season and has been in the top 10 in Italy for each of the last four campaigns.
Across the last 365 days he has also been in the leading three percent of attacking midfielders in Europe’s big five leagues for assists, expected assists and shot-creating actions. Whichever way you slice it, the Milan man is a creative dynamo.
Florian Thauvin
It may seem strange to suggest a player who flopped at Newcastle, failing to score or assist a league goal during 13 appearances in 2015/16.
But Thauvin has come a long way since then, most notably when he scored 22 goals and set up a further 11 in Ligue one two seasons later.
His numbers have cooled since then, and he missed virtually all of 2019/20 through injury, but there is still plenty to admire in his profile.
The 28-year-old is versatile, a quality which greatly appeals to Jurgen Klopp. Depending on whether you favour Transfermarkt or WhoScored for reference, Thauvin has started in five to seven different positions this season. And wherever he has played, he has carried a similar style of threat to Depay.
The Marseille man is among France’s top players this season for carrying the ball both into the final third and then the penalty area, and for passing it into the box too. It’s clear that there is ample attacking talent available on the free market this summer, and the Reds shouldn't rule out signing anyone.
