Data Scout Report: Dominik Szoboszlai

Liverpool have activated the £60.1m release clause in Dominik Szoboslai’s contract, and fans should expect the Hungarian attacking midfielder to be officially announced very shortly. Let’s delve into why he is a perfect fit for Klopp’s Liverpool side.

Who is Dominik Szoboszlai?

Dominik Szoboszlai is a talented attacking midfielder currently playing for RB Leipzig in the German Bundesliga. Prior to joining Leipzig, he established himself as a key player for RB Salzburg, where he contributed to the team’s remarkable achievements, winning three Austrian Bundesliga titles and two Austrian Cups.

His transfer to RB Leipzig from RB Salzburg in January 2021 established him as the most expensive Hungarian footballer of all time, with a fee of €20 million (which will now increase dramatically). Since his move, he has been a key player in helping his team secure two DFB-Pokal cups. Despite being only 22 years old, he possesses a winning mentality, having already claimed 7 trophies since 2018.

He is a versatile player, having featured in several different positions. At RB Leipzig he predominantly featured as an attacking midfielder or a right winger, but he has shown his tactical flexibility in other areas of the pitch.

Position Played	Appearances
Attacking Midfield	26
Right Winger	24
Right Midfield	12
Left Winger	9
Central Midfield	9
Left Midfield	7
Centre Forward	1

Data: transfermarkt.co.uk

Analysis

This analysis only looks at attacking midfielders/wingers who have played a minimum of 1000 minutes in the German Bundesliga from the 2022/23 season, with data sourced from Fbref.com.

Goal Scoring: Good

During the previous Bundesliga season, Szoboszlai managed to find the back of the net on 5 occasions, excluding penalty kicks, whilte having an non-penalty expected goal value of 4.7. Although his goal tally aligns closely with his expected figures, they appear relatively modest for an attacking midfielder.

He has not been finding himself in many high-value scoring positions, but it is important to note that his primary role is not to score goals but rather to create scoring opportunities for his teammates. Nevertheless, whenever a chance to score does present itself, he consistently demonstrates his ability to capitalize on it.

**Goals per 90 x Expected Goals per 90**. Rarely finds himself in high xG positions, but when he does he tends to score.

**Touches in Penalty Box per 90 x Shots per 90.** Frequently had less touches in the opposing penalty area than the league’s average, which likely led to lesser xG shots.

Chance Creation: Excellent

Szoboszlai topped the Bundesliga charts for Shot-Creating Actions per 90, with 5.52. Additionally, he ranked fifth in Goal-Creating Actions, with a total of 17. These numbers highlight his exceptional ability to generate scoring opportunities for his teammates.

Demonstrating his skills as a playmaker, Szoboszlai also recorded 2.57 key passes per 90, with an expected assists value of 0.31 per 90. He also made 5.55 progressive passes per 90. Overall, his contributions as a playmaker have been valuable for RB Leipzig.

**Key Passes per 90 x Expected Assists per 90.** A good playmaker.

Dribbling: Very Good

Szoboszlai is very comfortable on the ball, and how he distributes it will be vital for Liverpool like it has been for Leipzig. His goal-creating stats for last season showed he had been a key player for the side.

When it comes to progressing the ball, he excels in both passing and carrying. He successfully completes an average of 5.55 progressive passes per 90 minutes, showcasing his excellent distribution skills.

Additionally, he shows great proficiency in carrying the ball, with an average of 2.76 progressive carries per 90 minutes. He proves to be a formidable opponent when taking on defenders, successfully completing an average of 1.94 take-ons per 90 minutes.

His ability to contribute to ball progression through passing and carrying, as well as his skill in dribbling past opponents, makes him a difficult opponent.

**Progressive Carries per 90 x Successful Dribbles per 90.** Good on the ball.

Defensive Contribution: Very Good

Dominik Szoboszlai possesses the ideal skill set that would seamlessly integrate him into Klopp’s Liverpool squad. Liverpool’s high-octane style of play demands players who can excel in both attacking and defensive responsibilities.

Szoboszlai’s time at Leipzig showcased his ability to win tackles (0.625 per 90 minutes) and intercept passes (0.625 per 90 minutes), making him a reliable and versatile pressing asset on the pitch.

His adaptability enables him to contribute effectively in various positions, perfectly aligning with Klopp’s tactical vision for Liverpool.

**Tackles Won % x Interceptions.** One of the top performers here.

Report Conclusion

Dominik Szoboszlai’s statistics are promising and highlight perfectly how he should fit Klopp’s system at Liverpool. His versatility means he can slot into the wings when needed but I suspect his primary position for Liverpool will be more central.

His playmaking abilities may bring out the best in forwards like Darwin Nunez by setting up high xG chances, and his movement on and off the ball will ensure he is a difficult player for opponents to defend against.

His attacking ability will be complemented in the Liverpool midfield, as will his defending duties. His ball-winning ability will suit the Liverpool pressing game, something which didn’t look as strong as it did last season in the Premier League. Perhaps this signing will bring back the frightening press that Pep Guardiola fears.

I have no doubt that he will excel from the start, but at the age of 22, there is time to become even better. Liverpool have a quality asset joining their ranks.