Liverpool target Dominik Szoboszlai silenced Neymar, pulled pints for fans behind bar and now could stop friend Erling Haaland’s title bid

Dominik Szoboszlai has already achieved a lot in his early career, but his time in Germany with RB Leipzig is approaching an end.

talkSPORT understands Liverpool are locked in advanced talks for the Hungarian international, with the player having a £60million release clause in his contract.

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Newcastle were also linked with a move for the attacking midfielder but have dropped out of the race, leaving the Reds with a clear run at signing a top talent.

Given just how special he is, it’s going to be scary to see what Jurgen Klopp can do with Szoboszlai.

Last season, Szoboszlai made 46 appearances in all competitions, scoring ten goals and providing 13 assists all across the midfield.

The 22-year-old is known for his ability to create, take set pieces and score ridiculous long-range goals.

The Hungarian’s father, Zsolt, was also a footballer, although he never reached great heights.

Still, his time as a professional ensured that Szoboszlai was thrown straight into football.

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Zsolt worked with his son as a child at the youth club Videoton before forming a club with two other fathers.

It was while at Foenix-Gold FC that Szoboszlai started his development before he joined MTK Budapest Youth.

The attack-minded midfielder then moved to Austria to sign for RB Salzburg’s Under-18s before a transfer to FC Liefering changed everything.

In one-and-a-half years, Szoboszlai scored 16 goals and grabbed ten assists and met his current manager Marco Rose.

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And the Hungarian credits Rose with inspiring him to push on.

Speaking to the Bundesliga’s website in 2021 about Rose, he said: “At 16, I thought that he didn’t like me and didn’t want me to play, but I learnt that he didn’t actually have a problem with me, he just knew that I could do so much more.

“That’s why I’m grateful to him, because had he not done that, I would have believed I was doing enough.”

After shining for Rose at Liefering, RB Salzburg brought him back to the senior team, and he met Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland. The two struck up an instant bond and became close friends.

Speaking about his relationship with Haaland, he said: “We’re still friends, we still keep in touch. 

“When Erling joined, he was the only new player that summer and everybody else knew each other.

“We went out together, even though he doesn’t do that much, and we also went for food and so on.

“We became good friends and I helped him get to know the team while he helped me with my English, so we both helped each other.”

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The duo only played 19 games together before Borussia Dortmund signed Haaland in January 2020, and a year later, Szoboszlai joined him in the Bundesliga, signing for RB Leipzig.

Since joining Leipzig, the 22-year-old has won two German Cups and played in the Champions League.

And while playing in UEFA’s premier competition, he proved his elite mentality in an encounter with Neymar.

Leipzig were trailing 2-1 to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021 when they were awarded a late penalty.

Szoboszlai stepped up to take before Neymar confronted him and asked him if he was ‘going to score?’

The Leipzig star calmly responded with ‘yes’ before confidently adding that he never misses.

Szoboszlai preceded to slam his penalty beyond Gianluigi Donarumma to silence Neymar and earn his side a point.

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Hungary’s captain clearly has that big-game mentality to go far.

But he isn’t just a top player, he is clearly a grounded and respectful individual, as he showed last year after Hungary’s 2-0 defeat to Italy.

Immediately after the game, he was seen in a Budapest bar serving beers to the fans.

Szoboszlai is still very young and has his best years ahead of him, but he is a natural leader and a grafter.

Klopp needs players in his squad who are good characters and Szoboszlai fits that bill.

He will be a quality addition, and should this deal go through, Szoboszlai will be out to stop his friend Haaland from winning yet another Premier League title.