There’s a lot of reasons to celebrate this weekend. Beyond the resounding victory against West Ham on Sunday, it looks like the transfer frenzy has started in earnest. Neil Moxley of The Mirror reports that Liverpool have finally done what everyone has been begging them to do for months and bought a left-back.
Andrew Robertson, the 23-year old Hull defender, only has a year remaining on his current contract with the Tigers (who were just relegated) and will likely be one of the cheaper additions Jürgen Klopp makes to the Liverpool squad this summer. Robertson has impressed many over the past few years, with excellent pace and a great presence at both ends of the field. His international debut was a perfect expression of his ability to move the game forward.
"Andy came on there and the first time he picked it up he drove about 30 yards,” Scotland’s manager Gordon Strachan said about Robertson after Scotland’s 1-0 win against Poland in 2014. "I thought: 'that's fantastic'. Absolutely no grey area, I'm going to do what I do. I loved seeing that first touch."
Klopp has struggled considerably with the left-back position since he arrived at Liverpool. Alberto Moreno, while a clear contender for best-tattoos-of-bull-terriers, is not Klopp’s first choice for the position. James Milner has had a solid run in defence this season, but at the end of the day, is a midfielder and should be utilised as such. Having a left-back who complements Klopp’s style of play, who can defend comfortably but also drive the game forward, will be a welcome relief especially if Liverpool return to the Champions League next season.
The signing is being reported as a done deal, but Robertson’s representatives are still declining to comment. We’ll see if this one is true in June when the transfer window officially opens. Until then, fingers crossed.