For whatever reason, Mario Götze and Pep Guardiola have gone together like water and oil. Fortunately for the World Cup winner, Guardiola is departing at the end of the season, and new boss Carlo Ancelotti might be able to work with Götze much easier. However, beware the lure of the Premier League. A quick Google search will yield plenty of results for possible destinations for Götze, and no rumor is larger than the one that he might end up with his former boss Jürgen Klopp.
Liverpool are confident they can sign the 23-year-old and well they should be. He’s featured in fewer than 15 matches this season for Bayern, and with only 12 months remaining on his contract he has been apprehensive about signing an extension. It would be a big signing for Liverpool, and for Götze, it would be a fresh start playing for the manager that gave him his first start.
Götze would become an everyday first choice player under Klopp in Liverpool. He’d certainly see his exposure increase. He’d be a marqee name for Liverpool, one that would garner a lot more attention than it does swimming in an ocean of big names in Munich. More importantly, he knows Klopp’s system and Klopp would surely make the attacking midfielder a central component to his system.
Götze has been lost in the shuffle with Bayern. Guardiola’s style of play, along with names like Müller, Thiago, Costa, Robben, Lewandowski Vidal Ribery and Coman mean playing time is limited for Götze. When he has play he’s looked like a spectator at times, and less like an active participant. This isn’t suggesting it’s his fault or that he’s been subpar this season, but rather, Guardiola hasn’t built his game plan around Götze, so much as the Spaniard has occasional asked him to fill a role he’s not comfortable with.
Ancelloti’s arrival may give Götze a chance to revive his career in Munich, but if the damage has already been done, then Liverpool are likely to swoop in. Götze becomes a superstar and likely a fan favorite on day one if he makes the move. He simply remains a cog in the Bayern machine if he stays. It depends on what he wants.
On Liverpool’s side of things, a potential transfer makes sense for a number of reasons. The main one being Götze is a good player who will make them better. Just as important, he knows Klopp’s system and would thrive in it. He’s young and athletic, meaning he can press intensely. Not only can he play Klopp’s gengenpressing style, but he’s also an incredible crosser of the ball. He provided one of the assists of the season in Bayern’s 5-1 thrashing of Dortmund, as seen below.
Liverpool at times this season have lacked quality going forward, though they have started to buy into Klopp’s system and that has helped. Götze would make them even more dangerous. Of all his qualities, the one that made him the most famous might be his ability to control the ball and quickly get a shot away. He won Germany a World Cup doing just that. He isn’t a pure finisher, but the fact that he can create chances with little time or space makes up for that.
Götze will still have competition at Liverpool. The Merseyside club still have players like Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino, who are both talented and are coming into their own under Klopp. But with Götze, Klopp will have a player he’s incredibly comfortable with. There wont be much time needed for Götze to settle in at Anfield, at least not when it comes to the team’s system. Götze makes Liverpool better and if they can manage to win the Europa League, players like Götze become invaluable in the Champions League.
As well, on a personal level, Klopp would no doubt love to steal back a player he feels was stolen from him three years ago.
