Domenico Berardi has been linked with a move to Liverpool just two years after he declared his love for the Merseyside club – he’s now ready for the switch.
Last week, we covered a report from La Repubblica. They claim that Liverpool are ready to bid for Lorenzo Pellegrini, who has a €30m release clause in his contract.
Liverpool’s need for a new forward is well publicised – both on this site and by others.
Roberto Firmino is a fantastic player but he simply doesn’t contribute enough in terms of goals and assists and with Sadio Mane’s struggles this season, Mohamed Salah was forced to carry the attacking responsibilities on his own.
What did Berardi say in 2019?
Before I sold Rousing the Kop, I covered quotes from the Italian forward in 2019 when he said that moving to Anfield would be his first choice.
REGGIO NELL’EMILIA, ITALY – JANUARY 18: Domenico Berardi of US Sassuolo celebrates after scoring his team second goal during the Serie A match between US Sassuolo and Torino FC at Mapei Stadium – Città del Tricolore on January 18, 2020 in Reggio nell’Emilia, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
Berardi told Gazzetta dello Sport, via the Daily Mail: “Being able to choose, I would play in Liverpool. Changing remains difficult for me, but it no longer frightens me, I would do it.”
Back then, I noted that the Italian wasn’t at the level required by Liverpool as he notched just 8 league goals that season but now, two years on, he is coming off a campaign where he scored 17 goals and assisted 8 more.
His performances were so great this season that he earned a place in Italy’s starting XI for the EUROs and with the Italians dominating Group A, we’ll be able to get a good look at the Sassuolo forward this summer.
Liverpool could bid for Berardi
According to the print edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport, the financial repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic mean that Italian clubs cannot afford to sign Berardi and so his Premier League suitors are the favourites to land him.
PARMA, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 25: Domenico Berardi of US Sassuolo looks on during the Serie A match between Parma Calcio and US Sassuolo at Stadio Ennio Tardini on September 25, 2019 in Parma, Italy. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)
They claim that Leicester City, Tottenham and Liverpool are keeping an eye on the winger with Sassuolo valuing the 26-year-old at €50million – a price that is reportedly out of the realms of possibility for Serie A teams.
The Reds are yet to bid for the winger but are ready to do so if the opportunity presents itself.
Two years on from his comments to Gazetta dello Sport, the same paper now suggests he could be on his way to Anfield and given his affinity for the Reds, it would be great to see him get his dream move.
What would Berardi add to Jurgen Klopp’s team?
He’s got a wand of a left foot but is equally capable on his so-called weaker right foot and reminds me a lot of Diogo Jota in the way that he can breeze past players before finishing on either side.
BRIGHTON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 28: Diogo Jota of Liverpool scores their team’s first goal during the Premier League match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Liverpool at American Express Community Stadium on November 28, 2020 in Brighton, England. (Photo by Kirsty Wigglesworth – Pool/Getty Images)
He’s naturally a right-winger but like any good attacker of interest to Klopp, he’s able to play in a number of attacking roles as well as an attacking midfielder.
He can play centrally in a 4-3-3 as well which means that he’d be able to provide cover for both Roberto Firmino and wouldn’t look out of place starting for Liverpool.
€50m (£42.9m) for a player like Berardi would be simply fantastic and is the kind of move that Michael Edwards is known for. His age, ability, versatility, style of play tick all the boxes the sporting director would be looking at.
Plus he’s openly admitted his love for Liverpool Football Club.
No brainer.
