Liverpool fans should be concerned if Reds sign Kevin Schade in January

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Liverpool signing Kevin Schade would only make sense if they were overburdened with right-sided wingers.That’s not to discredit TEAMtalk‘s sources; we suspect the Reds are, at the very least, admirers of the Germany international.But the notion that the Merseyside giants are “strong favourites” to sign the 24-year-old should (hopefully) be considered absolute nonsense.Liverpool do not need (or want) Kevin Schade(Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)Again, just to be clear, Liverpool can be both admirers of Schade and need a specific, opposing positional profile. And this is ultimately the issue with pursuing a player like the Brentford star.Yes, he’s an exciting footballer, yes, the age profile is ideal… but he’s a left-sided, right-footed winger. Hello? Liverpool already have four of those between Cody Gakpo, Bradley Barcola, Victor Munoz and Rio Ngumoha. They don’t need another.In fact, Liverpool should make it a matter of absolute priority to bring more left-footed stars into the side given the pre-existing imbalance there across the squad.But, but, but, he has 45 appearances on the right flank (between Freiburg and Brentford)! But nothing… he’s a naturally left-sided, right-footed winger. We really can’t emphasise enough that Liverpool have plenty of those.In fact, it would make more sense to go for Schade’s Brentford teammate, Dango Ouattara, on that basis. Though we’re not so sure that the Burkina Faso international would be a perfect match for the facilitator profile Liverpool are clearly looking for. Albeit, he did register the fifth-highest number of big chances created in the Premier League last term, ahead of Mo Salah, Minteh and Cody Gakpo.Even if Schade was a right-sided winger…Kevin Schade likes to be the one putting the ball in the back of the net. Last term he posted the second-highest shots per 90 (1.9) at Brentford. Not a million miles away from top-scorer Igor Thiago’s 2.3 per 90.Kevin Schade’s stats per 90 in 2025/26Percentiles0.37 non-penalty xG93rd0.07 xA17th0.91 chances created22nd0.23 big chances created50th* Kevin Schade’s stats for Brentford in the 2025/26 Premier League season (FotMob)If you glance at his stats last term, we’re clearly not looking at a facilitator-type winger. The 24-year-old is a winger of a different era for Liverpool – and certainly not one in which we’re looking to platform the central striker in either Alexander Isak or Hugo Ekitike.Who Liverpool should be targeting on the right flank(Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images)It’s common knowledge that Liverpool were prepared to go big on Yan Diomande before the Ivorian was initially distracted by PSG interest and then eventually agreed a transfer to Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid project.Beyond that point, Michael Olise would have been the absolute dream signing, but there was simply no chance Bayern Munich would sanction a sale in the summer just gone. More to the point, Liverpool clearly didn’t have the budget available to test the waters.So, expectations shifted, and the recruitment team, then under Richard Hughes’ watch, set its sights on left-footed, right-sided Brighton winger Yankuba Minteh.While it’s obviously a bit of a drop-off from Diomande and Olise, we’re big fans of what the Gambian offers and believe Liverpool could seriously unlock his potential in the game. However, yet again, we were thwarted late in the market, with the Seagulls standing firm on their £80m valuation for the injured attacker.It remains to be seen whether Liverpool would look to test Brighton’s resolve once more in January, but signing a right-sided winger and a midfielder who likes to sit behind the ball would do a great deal of work in one season to rebalance this lopsided Liverpool team.So, for goodness sake, Liverpool – please don’t sign another left winger.The post Liverpool fans should be concerned if Reds sign Kevin Schade in January appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.