Candidate Five – Nolito
Apps: 32 (4) Goals: 13 Assists: 13 Shots per game: 2.9 Key passes per game: 2.7 Dribbles per game: 2.1 Acc. Crosses per game: 1 Passes per game: 34 WS rating: 7.47
This 28-year-old Spaniard currently plays for Celta Vigo – and however impressive the rest of his CV is that fact will be enough to put off a lot of Liverpool fans, who still have nightmares about Iago Aspas. The former Benfica and Barcelona man, who won his one and only cap for Spain last year, has scored 27 times in just 71 league games for Celta, a record which suggests that we arguably got the wrong man two years ago.
Candidate Six – Diego Perotti
Apps: 27 Goals: 4 Assists: 5 Shots per game: 1.5 Key passes per game: 2 Dribbles per game: 3.6 Acc. Crosses per game: 1.9 Passes per game: 38.6 WS rating: 7.48
The former Sevilla man joined Genoa last summer and has had a decent first year in Italy. The Argentine predominately plays on the left-hand side, a position where we have regularly found ourselves short, but with his goal and assist numbers short of those Sterling has produced, his addition would be unlikely to inspire much in the way of confidence. He’s also struggled with injuries, playing just 58 times between 2011 and 2014.
