Liverpool have undergone quite the transformation since Anfield welcomed Jurgen Klopp to the dugout, with the esteemed German manager's influence welcoming a cascade of silver-laden success.
Before, Liverpool had languished for some time, and despite the unexpected title charge of 2013/14 – a season etched eternally into the club's lore despite coming up short – positivity was few and far between.
Brendan Rodgers' dismissal after an abject start to the 2015/16 season led to Klopp's appointment, and the rest is history, with Liverpool now soaring to heights that have secured Premier League, Champions League, and FA Cup titles.
Now over eight years into Klopp's rule, Liverpool seems to have entered a new phase, with last season's decline serving as something of a watershed moment, comprehensively recrafting a midfield that was in dire need of renovation.
There remain many of the most important members of the first wave of triumph – namely, Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah, Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and more – but there is undeniably a different feel to the current team.
One former star who was among the first to depart following the prosperity in the Premier League and Champions League is Georginio Wijnaldum, who has not had the smoothest of rides since leaving Merseyside for the final time.
Georginio Wijnaldum was a machine at Liverpool
Signing from relegated Newcastle United for around £25m in 2016, there was cautious optimism that Wijnaldum would contribute effectively to the touted revival under Klopp's leadership.
The now-32-year-old ace had just completed an impressive campaign on an individual level, posting 11 goals and five assists during his sole Premier League season with the Magpies, though the Liverpool manager recognised that his talent might be best utilised deeper in the midfield.
Over 257 appearances for the Anfield side, Wijnaldum only scored 22 times, though he was hailed for his "irreplaceable" role in the middle by Richard Jolly and proved to be indispensable with his superlative distribution.
Never dropping below an 87% pass success rate at league level, Klopp's midfield machine proved to be instrumental in the illustrious feats, now heralded in the club's history books for his efforts.
The 90-cap Netherlands star ended his Anfield affiliation in 2021, joining French giants Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer, though he failed to make his mark in Ligue 1 and forged just 38 matches – clinching three goals and assists apiece.
He then joined Roma on loan and fractured his tibia in the early phase of the 2022/23 term, only returning in February in what proved to be a heavily disrupted stint in Italy.
At present, the veteran midfielder has signed for Saudi Arabian side Al-Ettifaq, where he has so far scored five goals from seven outings across all competitions from central midfield, a tally that actually means he is currently outscoring each of Liverpool's current options.
Not known for his rate of striking while under Klopp's wing, he now has free rein to wreak havoc from the middle, and it is a testament to his ability and resilience that he has rebounded to produce such stellar numbers so far this term, actually outperforming Liverpool gem Dominik Szoboszlai, who has been a revelation on English shores so far.
Dominik Szoboszlai has taken "centre stage"
Liverpool had started the midfield rebuild with great promise this summer after signing Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton & Hove Albion, but the capture of Szoboszlai for £60m from RB Leipzig confirmed that Klopp was targetting a return to the forefront and was pulling no punches in achieving this.
Deployed in the centre, the £120k-per-week machine has scored twice from 13 appearances for Liverpool so far, earning praise for the thunderous rocket against Leicester City in the Carabao Cup.
Wijnaldum deserves praise for the free-scoring touch he has unleashed on the Saudi Pro League, with his ever-impressive work rate and performances now replaced by a new form of star in Szoboszlai, who may not be matching his output but is unquestionably at the heart of the Liverpool renaissance.
The calibre and constancy in his performances has provided Klopp with the tools to restore the club's verve, with The Athletic's James Pearce remarking that the Hungarian has taken "centre stage", bringing energy and technical quality in abundance.
As per FBref, Szoboszlai ranks among the top 9% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 1% for shot-creating actions, the top 12% for progressive carries, the top 7% for successful take-ons and the top 5% for blocks per 90, underscoring his value across the pitch.
Player
Club
Teun Koopmeiners
Atalanta
Joe Willock
Newcastle United
Jude Bellingham
Real Madrid
Martin Odegaard
Arsenal
Marcos Llorente
Atletico Madrid
Once hailed as a "generational talent" by journalist Marcel Moeller, Szoboszlai registered 42 direct goal contributions from 91 appearances for RB Leipzig and played an instrumental role in winning successive DFB Pokals before his departure.
Wijnaldum might be outscoring Szoboszlai at present, but the impression that the current Reds star has left on the pitch so far into his Liverpool career transcends something as black and white as direct goal contributions.
Indeed, the same could be said for the Dutchman, who was instead utilised for his industriousness and intelligence in the centre of the park, proving to be the metronomic presence to facilitate the prolific exploits of forward-placed teammates such as Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.
So too has Szoboszlai set to work with his unrelenting approach to his craft, having completed 88% of his passes in the Premier League this season, also averaging 2.3 key passes and 7.1 ball recoveries per game, as per Sofascore.
Szoboszlai seemingly has the skills in the locker to cement his stature as one of Europe's leading midfielders, and indeed the expectation at Anfield after his blistering start bespeaks of his staggering potential.
To say that the Hungary captain has been a belated upgrade on Wijnaldum would be like claiming that one's boots are of finer quality than another's gloves; it is not quite a practical comparison.
But Szoboszlai could certainly play a role every bit as important over the coming years, and the fact that Wijnaldum is outscoring him at present does not negate the effect that Klopp's new hero has made on Merseyside.
