Liverpool Tracking Italian Midfield Ace with Passing Stats to Rival Zubimendi | OneFootball

Nicolò Rovella Emerges as a Midfield Option for Liverpool

As Liverpool’s transfer radar begins to focus ahead of a defining summer, one new name has quietly entered the conversation: Nicolò Rovella. Mentioned on the Daily Red podcast hosted by Dave Davis for Anfield Index, the Juventus midfielder, currently on loan at Lazio, is now being linked to a potential move to Anfield.

Davis didn’t spend long on Rovella, but what he did say was enough to raise eyebrows — especially when he bracketed him with none other than Martín Zubimendi, the Real Sociedad midfielder Liverpool pursued last summer.

Defensive Metrics Make the Difference

“This kid has been compared directly to two players that Liverpool have looked at in recent times — Lazar Samardžić… and also Martín Zubimendi,” Davis said.

The numbers back that comparison. According to Davis, Rovella’s stats this season with Lazio are solid across multiple key areas, particularly from a defensive standpoint:

“92nd percentile for interceptions — that’s pretty hot, by the way. 86 for tackles.”

That level of activity in breaking up play is precisely what Liverpool’s midfield has often lacked in the absence of a peak Fabinho. And with Wataru Endō not seen as a long-term solution, options like Rovella now carry weight.

Not Just a Ball-Winner

Davis was quick to point out that Rovella isn’t just a disruptor. His distribution from the middle of the park is just as tidy:

“91st percentile for passes — that’s brilliant. Pass completion rate as well, 89.3% in the middle.”

The comparisons to Zubimendi aren’t just theoretical. Zubimendi’s passing control, composure in tight spaces and ability to control tempo are all mirrored — if not equalled — in Rovella’s numbers, based on what Davis presented.

“That’s why we looked at Zubimendi, isn’t it? That pass completion rate.”

An Under-the-Radar Option?

In typical Liverpool fashion, Rovella would represent a quieter signing. There’s no public courting, no agent pushing leaks to the media. Just a player with the right mix of age, numbers and style — and a price that won’t likely hit Zubimendi levels.

“This is one where you could say, ‘another midfielder and all this’, but this kid…” Davis paused before outlining why Rovella fits the profile.

At 23, with experience in both Serie A and European competition, Rovella may not be a headline name, but he’s the sort of midfielder that Liverpool have often targeted: functional, adaptable, and just under the elite radar.

One to Watch

While there’s no suggestion a deal is imminent, Rovella’s name now joins the wider conversation about Liverpool’s midfield rebuild. And as Davis summed up:

“You could absolutely see why Liverpool would like this guy.”

In a summer that will likely involve both outgoings and calculated incomings, Nicolò Rovella may yet prove to be one of the most realistic and clever links of the window — if Liverpool choose to move.