If Liverpool sign £100,000-a-week baller, this is how Jurgen Klopp could use him to devastating effect

Liverpool are interested in signing Leicester City midfielder James Maddison, according to reports.

The Englishman has been highly rated for several years, attracting plenty of attention in the Championship before switching to the Premier League.

With Norwich City, Maddison scored 15 goals and got 11 assists in the 2017/18 season.

Last season, he enjoyed his best season to date, scoring and assisting a combined total of 30 goals.

As I recently discussed, the 26-year-old would add attacking quality to Liverpool's midfield as Jurgen Klopp's current midfielders have scored a combined total of five goals this season.

That's simply not good enough for a team with ambitions of winning every trophy available. The Reds came agonisingly close to completing the quadruple last season but ultimately fell short at the final hurdle in both the Champions League and the Premier League.

Maddison wouldn't immediately turn Liverpool into world beaters again but he would give Klopp an option to tweak his tactics that he doesn't have right now.

With the exception of Harvey Elliott, the Reds don't have a player that is able to wriggle through tight areas in midfield to create goalscoring chances for the likes of Mohamed Salah.

Recent links to Maddison and Mason Mount, however, suggests that Klopp not only wants to overhaul his midfield after the disastrous nature of this season, but he also wants to add more technical attacking quality to his central options.

Liverpool have been in direct contact with Mount and his representatives since the start of January as the foundations are put in place to sign the Chelsea midfielder.

It's unclear whether or not Liverpool will actually follow through and sign either Maddison or Mount but if they did, it would make for a very interesting starting XI.

Where would James Maddison start for Liverpool?

In midfield.

To be more specific, I expect him to either be moulded into a balanced no.8 the way Georginio Wijnaldum was after his move from Newcastle United in 2016 or to take up a role similar to the one that Philippe Coutinho occupied before his move to Barcelona in 2018.

Maddison already has the attacking numbers to come into this side and hit the ground running.

His traits and attributes are also very ideal for Klopp's preferred type of midfielder.

The playmaker is blessed with close dribbling, accurate and creative passing, brilliant finishing for a midfielder and the ability to play further forward if need be.

He could play a similar role to Wijnaldum on the left side of midfield but I do have my doubts over whether or not his defensive game is strong enough to protect the Liverpool defence.

This is why he would be more likely to take up a role similar to Coutinho. Being tasked with creation and goalscoring while counter-pressing in transition would make the most of Maddison's strengths.

How does James Maddison fit into Liverpool's transfer plans?

Assuming Jude Bellingham joins in the summer, a midfield of Fabinho, Maddison and Bellingham could be devastating.

In Fabinho and Bellingham, Klopp would have two players more than capable of winning the midfield battle while Maddison (and Bellingham) could take control of play in the final third.

Signing Maddison will reportedly cost between £60m and £70m and having signed a new contract in 2020, his current £100,000-a-week deal is set to expire in June 2024.

His contract will have one year remaining when the season ends and so I'm sure Liverpool could negotiate a lower fee.

Leicester City will be very concerned about losing him for free and as their most valuable player, selling him this summer even at a discounted price would be wise.

Maddison certainly strikes me as the sort of player Klopp would sign but they may still pivot and sign someone else like Mason Mount.