Since his £60 million summer transfer from RB Leipzig, Szoboszlai has already won the hearts of the crowd.
Jurgen Klopp claims that watching video clips of the Hungary captain helped persuade him to sign Dominik Szoboszlai as the Liverpool manager praised the versatile nature of the in-form midfielder.
Less than a week before the player’s £60 million release clause at RB Leipzig was activated on its final day of existence on June 30, the Reds sped up negotiations to close a deal during the summer.
Szoboszlai’s all-action performances have helped him swiftly establish himself as a fan favourite on Merseyside. He has scored twice for his new team thus far, including a thunderous goal in Wednesday’s 3-1 Carabao Cup victory over Leicester City.
Klopp acknowledged that he did not follow Leipzig closely in the Bundesliga last year, but he added that video analysis meetings convinced him that Hungary captain Szoboszlai was the perfect fit to his new midfield.
“Did the signing slip by unnoticed? To be honest, I don’t recall hearing many stories about Macca (Alexis Mac Allister) before we signed him. We were fairly clear about the guys we desired, Klopp stated. “The departures of Henderson and Fabinho were unexpected at the time, but it does not imply we did not search for these positions. Hendo and Fab departing had nothing to do with him.
“He is quite talented. At Leipzig, I don’t believe he played the position he does for us today. It will be fascinating to see how quickly he adjusts and matures given that he has experience playing as a double six, a No. 10, a No. 8, and on the wing. That is excellent. There are still things we need to learn.
“That he has a fantastic shooting technique is now clear, but it wasn’t before I watched every Bundesliga game, including every Leipzig game, and I saw highlights that we used when he was at Salzburg.
“But it’s not like you’re looking too hard; it’s just obvious that we were looking for a No. 8 and his name came up. Watching the films, I have to admit, it was quite remarkable, really impressive.
“There, he had a different role to fulfil. They have a very offensive line-up of 4-2-2-2, so we start to pick things up. He may not have seen himself in such deep, build-up situations, but we try it since he is fantastic with the ball. He is a natural at football and can still play both wings on the wing. This is fantastic for us.
“He connects extremely well with the others, which is good. Now that he has scored two goals and is playing the way he is, I can completely understand why he draws attention, but in the locker room, he is a true team player. Without a question, he has the ability to shine, but he also values his time with the group”.