What Can New Boy Kostas Tsimikas Bring to Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool Side?

Liverpool finally got their hands on the Premier League trophy last season but they are already deep into preparation mode for the next campaign and have recently announced the club’s first summer signing.

Greek left-back Kostas Tsimikas will be joining the Merseyside Reds on a long-term deal and in this post, I share an account of how the transfer went through and what can Kostas Tsimikas bring to Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool Side.

Let’s start off with a brief overview of the qualities that the newest squad member has in his locker.

Kostas Tsimikas Playing Style and Achievements

The 24-year-old hails from Greece and last played for Olympiakos in his native country.

2020 has been a real breakthrough year for the young left-back as he racked up 46 appearances for the side as they once again clinched the Greek league title.

Tsimikas is an energetic and tenacious defender who likes to bomb forward from the left and has excellent dribbling and crossing skills.

These particular qualities resulted in him delivering no less than nine assists last season and his ability to beat a man and find his teammates in the box is certainly one of the main aspects which drove Jurgen Klopp to secure his services.

Despite his young age, the player also has ample experience on the big stage with 12 Champions League appearances and several involvements with the Greek national team.

All these attributes make him look like an absolute steal for the price of 11 millions pounds but can the Greek left-back make it big in the Premier League?

I share my opinion on this in the next section.

How Will Kostas Tsimikas Fit In at Liverpool?

Everyone who has followed the Reds during this offseason will know that Kostas Tsimikas wasn’t exactly Klopp’s first choice for an Andy Robertson understudy.

The German manager was quite keen on Norwich’s Jamal Lewis but sadly for both the player and the club, the deal fell through.

However, bringing in Tsimikas was by no means a bolt out of the blue.

Yes, he would probably still be an Olympiakos player if the Reds were able to snap up Lewis but it’s also true that Liverpool has been closely following the Greek left-back for three years now.

They first started scouting him when he plied his trade for Dutch side Willem II in a season which saw him bag 6 goals and as many assists in 37 appearances.

It’s evident that this boy has the qualities to succeed and what is more important, he has the right attitude and mentality.

In Greece, he is lauded for his professionalism and a lot of his more experienced teammates have stated that Tsimikas is mature well beyond his years.

This is the sort of thing Jurgen Klopp really likes and can definitely work with, so I’m expecting to see the 24-year-old to feature regularly in his plans next season.

There is basically no qualified left-back other than Andy Robertson at the club and getting him an understudy who is talented, grounded, and willing to learn was exactly the move the club needed.

He hasn’t got the same experience in the Premier League as Jamal Lewis does but I believe he will fit into Klopp’s dressing room perfectly.

I’m not expecting any miracles next season, however, having watched the boy play on numerous occasions in the past, I’m certain he won’t be fazed by the big challenge ahead and we will be seeing the same bold forward runs and no-nonsense defending from him at Anfield next season.

Liverpool fans will be waiting for at least one marquee signing this summer but I believe bringing in Kostas Tsimikas in such a cut-price deal was a very shrewd move and one that will pay many dividends in the future.

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