£36m-rated Liverpool target is in action tonight; he's a Yaya Toure regen

We reported in early February that Liverpool were interested in Denis Zakaria as a replacement for Georginio Wijnaldum and with Manchester City throwing their hat in the ring, fans will want to keep an eye on this transfer story.

According to Sky Sports' Lyall Thomas, Manchester City have been monitoring the player and after watching him firsthand when Borussia Monchengladbach faced the Blues in the Champions League, it seems as though Pep Guardiola is a huge fan.

Transfermarkt value him at £36m even though he only has one year left on his contract.

Zakaria is a box to box midfielder with brilliant technical ability. If fans were worried about losing Wijnaldum's ability to resist opposition press then they haven't seen Zakaria in action before.

Not only does he have pace and power reminiscent of Premier League legend Yaya Toure, he has the agility and dribbling that has made Manchester United's Paul Pogba a fun to watch but controversial figure in England.

While he is excellent at driving through midfield with the ball at his feet, the 1.9m star is also superb at reading the play and intervening when dangerous counter-attacks are beginning to form which makes him the perfect midfielder for Jurgen Klopp's system.

He's essentially a Yaya Toure regen with more defensive awareness.

For those that have never watched Zakaria, the above is a nine-minute video comprised of clips of the powerful midfielder showcasing his pace, strength and intelligence.

It's a must-watch but if you want a better representation of his talents, Switzerland are playing Bulgaria this evening at 5 PM UK Standard Time in their first World Cup 2022 Qualifier.