Marcos Senesi to Liverpool? Why his numbers look more midfielder than centre back

When I look at Marcos Senesi as a possible Liverpool target, the first phrase that matters is market opportunity. He is 28, he is a left footed centre back, he has been doing very well for Bournemouth, and he will be available on a free transfer this summer. Those opportunities do not come around too often, especially when the player has Premier League minutes, international experience with Argentina, and a profile that answers one of Liverpool’s recurring issues this season, progression from the back.

I understand why people watch Senesi and wonder whether he is really a centre back. He plays there by description and by trade, usually on the left of a two in a back four, but a lot of what stands out in his game looks more like a midfielder’s work. He intercepts, he clears, he gets on the ball, and he punches passes through the left channel, as the below passing plot indicates.