Ex-Red Insists Liverpool Need to Sign Olivier Giroud

Liverpool need to sign a centre half, central midfielder, and left back. Those are the positions Jürgen Klopp has identified as needing improvement, and the club have the money available to go big on improving two of those positions, with whatever’s left over going to the third.

If Virgil van Dijk and Naby Keïta arrive as planned, that and whichever left back does eventually arrive will mean there isn’t much room left to spend elsewhere. That, and the well known list of priorities, hasn’t stopped some fans wishing for a striker. It hasn’t stopped some ex-players, either.

“I think [Olivier] Giroud could play for Liverpool,” said former Liverpool striker Dean Saunders, on TalkSport to run the rule over the club’s activity so far and their plans for the rest of the transfer window—and landing on striker as being possibly the club’s biggest need.

“Liverpool’s current front three float around, they just play anywhere, but against the lesser teams who they struggle to break down, I think you could do with a player in the box like Giroud. When you get a bit stuck and teams park the bus against you, you end up going wide.

“Then you need a player like Giroud who gets on the end of balls. You need a striker that, when you get stuck, you just toss it in there and he turns it into a goal—Giroud does that. He’s a top, top player and I think he’d be a good signing for Liverpool.”

That player, to all appearances, is meant to be Daniel Sturridge. At least against the big sides, it’s likely to be Roberto Firmino leading the line flanked by two of Sadio Mané, Mohamed Salah, and Philippe Coutinho. But against lesser sides or if Liverpool need a goal late, Sturridge will be be the choice.

Sturridge will come on, Coutinho will drop into midfield to add to its attacking thrust, and Liverpool will push to unlock stubborn defences. It might be fair to question if Sturridge can remain fit, but with appearing a near certainty now that he will remain, Liverpool won’t be moving for a top striker.

With Klopp appearing happy to continue on with the English international, and with Liverpool likely to spend in the region of £150M improving at CB, CM, and LB, Olivier Giroud—or a striker like him—isn’t going to be arriving. Not this summer at least.