COMMENT: After a stellar run which saw them reach the Champions League final in the recently concluded season, Liverpool succumbed to a 3-1 defeat against serial winners, Real Madrid who's ability to handle pressure arguably led them to a debatable victory – debatable because had it not been for Loris Karius' errors and Mohamed Salah's injury, it could have been a very different tie.
The aftermath of Salah's injury showed just how reliant Liverpool are on him. To consistently win trophies a team needs multiple players capable of creating something out of nothing in the tough games, like Gareth Bale did for Los Blancos.
Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino are exceptional players but they appear to work better as part of a three-man system than as individuals who can turn on the style when the going gets tough. And that's why Liverpool must acquire Nabil Fekir…
The highly-rated Frenchman enjoyed a stellar season at Olympique Lyon scoring 18 goals in 28 appearances whilst also registering 8 assists.
His superb performances for Lyon have earned him a chance to represent France at the 2018 World Cup which will, in turn, present him with a golden opportunity to raise his footballing value and improve his reputation ahead of the summer transfer window, with Lyon also looking to rake in as much as possible from his transfer fee.
Liverpool view him as the perfect replacement for Philippe Coutinho who now plies his trade at the Nou Camp. The Frenchman is markedly similar to Coutinho, but his consistency in front of goal as well as his physicality sets him apart from the Brazilian and could potentially improve the potency of Liverpool's already prolific front line.
Coutinho may be famous for his long-range strikes and finesse shots but he doesn't find the back of the net often. Fekir, on the other hand, combines prolificacy in front of goal with creativity on the ball thus making himself a force to be reckoned with on the pitch.
Sadio Mane's belief that Fekir would bring "fire" to Anfield should Liverpool manage to sign him is a testament to his ability.
His arrival will introduce a new creative presence to Liverpool's forward line and the result will be increased productivity and even more beautiful displays of attacking football. The Frenchman has tremendous ability in link-up play, passing and dribbling.
His close control and strength allow him to make sharp turns and win 1 v 1s in a Messi-esque manner. That sort of dribbling ability is often the difference in games against teams that park the bus and it's no secret that Liverpool have lacked that sort of skill since Coutinho's departure.
Fekir averaged 3.36 successful take-ons per 90 minutes in the recently concluded Ligue 1 season. While, Coutinho averaged 2.61 successful take-ons per 90 minutes spanning across his 13 La Liga games.
The 24-year-old boasts a better pass completion rate (84%) than Roberto Firmino (73%) who features as a false 9 in Liverpool's front three, a role which requires him to hover behind Mane and Salah like a CAM whilst trying to maintain some of the attacking threat a striker brings to a team.
Fekir's arrival would free Firmino of the creative burden that was placed on him by Coutinho's exit, allowing him to play as an out-and-out striker which could allow him to raise his goal tally by a fair amount.
A number 8 role would be waiting for Fekir in Klopp's 4-3-3 should he sign for the Reds, and whilst it might be a somewhat unfamiliar role considering the Frenchman naturally plays as an attacking midfielder or a second striker, he has the skillset to play as an exceptional No. 8.
Jurgen Klopp is likely to deploy him with the freedom to roam across the pitch, though, in a bid to maximise his goalscoring ability.
Following the fresh arrival of highly-rated Brazillian defensive-midfielder, Fabinho, signing Fekir would bring Jurgen Klopp one step closer to winning some major silverware next season.