Despite boasting a flurry of exciting new signings over the summer, one man Liverpool missed out on is Jamal Lewis. The former Norwich man has attracted a lot of attention over the past year, and as a result was eventually snapped up by Newcastle.
The Reds certainly did try for the 22-year-old, but the Canaries looked to be playing games. Hoping to lure the Premier League champions into an increased bid, they knocked back their offer of £10million for the left-back.
The Magpies eventually paid £15million for Lewis, which isn’t far off the £11.7million fee Liverpool paid for Kostas Tsimikas. A crucial buy for the summer was to provide Andy Robertson with backup, but after just one appearance for his new club, the Greece international is out with an injury.
Should Liverpool have signed Jamal Lewis?
Whilst Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold play beautifully together and have magnificent camaraderie, there’s always the burning question of ‘what if…?’
After transforming the Scotsman into a £67.5million-valued world beater, Jurgen Klopp undoubtedly has one of the best left-backs in the world on his team. But could he be tempted to jump ship if a mega money offer came in for him? It’s unlikely, but when you climb as high as Liverpool, you must be prepared to feel the impact of a hefty fall.
Bringing Lewis to Anfield could have created an interesting partnership between him and Alexander-Arnold and indeed, competition for the starting role. The two are pacy full-backs who will compliment each other in areas of weakness. For example, the Newcastle ace isn’t confident in his long balls, which Alexander-Arnold excels at. Having TAA pinging in crosses and long passes could allow him to stay further back whilst Lewis meanders further up the field.
Lewis is a little more conservative though with his attacking contributions. On the flip side, this is turn could help TAA get forward without the extra risk of exposure from two attacking full-backs. According to Sofascore, his performance against Everton saw him complete three tackles, three interceptions and 4/9 of his attempted duels.
He is very much a work in progress but the foundations are there for him to become a solid defender. Lewis’ former manager Daniel Farke lauded his performances and branded him as having a “magic” left foot. Klopp would certainly get the best out of him and he could link up with Alexander-Arnold nicely whilst waiting for his chance to challenge Robertson.
In other news, Jurgen Klopp midfield switch could pave the way for Curtis Jones…
