Could Thomas Lemar be a fitting replacement for Coutinho at Liverpool?

The Liverpool Echo have reported that The Reds have made Monaco winger Thomas Lemar their number one target in a bid to replace Barcelona-bound Philippe Coutinho.

The young France international has been subject of Premier League interest for some time now, with Arsenal thought to be close to a deal for the 22-year-old in the summer, and it seems Liverpool are hoping to jump to the front of the queue.

With the funds from Coutinho’s impending departure the club will certainly be equipped to act fast to find a successor, but is Lemar the right man?

The youngster certainly hasn’t quite hit the same heights as last season just yet, when he registered the second most assists in Ligue 1, with ten, and chipped in nine goals himself.

Those numbers weren’t too dissimilar to those of the Brazilian at Anfield last season, who instead scored 13 goals but registered just seven assists by comparison. Therein lies one of the key differences between the players, with Lemar less inclined to fire at will on goal, preferring to stay a little wider and deliver telling balls into the box.

The Frenchman’s numbers this season, however, can’t stack up to the scintillating form of Coutinho, who has been clearly keen to impress a certain club this campaign.

Coutinho has averaged more than twice the number of shots in the league (3.9) as the Monaco man (1.9), who has scored just twice to the Brazil star’s seven and registered two fewer assists to boot in the current season (4 to 6).

However, at three years younger and with excellent numbers for his tender years, Liverpool’s interest in Lemar is certainly not ill-founded.

His statistical strengths from WhoScored.com highlight the fact that the 22-year-old is a highly accomplished playmaker, deemed very strong at taking set-pieces and strong when it comes to key passes, crossing, holding onto the ball and passing.

Lemar, then, is by no means a like-for-like swap for Coutinho but would offer Klopp a more traditional threat from wide areas and one with significant scope for development.