English right-backNathaniel Clyne, 24, has moved fromSouthampton toLiverpool.Filling an area of need,Clyne is awelcome addition toLiverpool's squad, so let's analyse his transfer, what he brings to the Reds and how he fits in.Clyne Transfer DetailsLiverpool have signed Clyne fromSouthampton for 17.6 million/12.5 million, per BBC Sport.It's an increased bid from Liverpool after Southampton rejected a 14.1 million/10 million offer, per Chris Bascombe at the Telegraph.Judging the transfer fees of previous right-backs,Liverpool have invested heavily inClyne.Glen Johnson |PortsmouthLiverpool:20.2 million/17.5 million (2009; 24 years old).Nathaniel Clyne | SouthamptonLiverpool: 17.6 million/12.5 million (2015; 24 years old).Steve Finnan |Fulham Liverpool:5 million/3.5 million (2003; 27 years old).Vegard Heggem |RosenborgLiverpool:5.4 million/3.5 million (1999; 22 years old).Alvaro Arbeloa | Deportivo La CorunaLiverpool:3.9 million/2.6 million (2007; 24 years old).Transfer feesadjusted for inflation, perOanda.Liverpool persisted withJohnson even after his drastic dip in form, so it is likely thatClyne will be given leeway to fail, unlikeJavier Manquillo, who has anundeterminedfuture. The Spaniard's playing rights are owned byAtletico Madrid.Liverpoolare backingClyne, who signed a five-year contract,which is why his transfer fee is in the ballpark of Johnson's.Here is whyLiverpool have got themselves a smart deal:Johnson's salary:168,617/120,000-a-week, perAndy Hunter at the Guardian.Clyne's salary:126,570/90,000-a-week, perPaul Joyce at the Daily Express.Johnsonis deteriorating whereasClyne is in career-best form.Clyne is younger, has a higher upside and is cheaper in transfer fee and wages.This is an example of outstanding negotiating fromLiverpool.Speaking of deals,Southampton are winning in the transfer market.During the2013/14Premier League season,CalumChambers andClyne shared the right-back spot in the Premier League.Having sold Chambers to Arsenal for 20.2 million/16 million last year, Clyne became the undisputed starting right-back, allowing him to further raise his transfer stock.CueLiverpool's transfer bid.Clyne is replaced at Southampton by Cedric Soares, who signed from Sporting Lisbon for 6.5 million/4.7 million.Southampton have gained37.8 million/28.5 million from the sales ofChambers andClyne.The signing ofClyne reinforces a recent trend ofLiverpool boosting the bank balance ofSouthampton.Adam Lallana |SouthamptonLiverpool:31.2 million/25 million (2014; 26 years old).Dejan Lovren|SouthamptonLiverpool:25.3 million/20 million (2014; 25 years old).Nathaniel Clyne|SouthamptonLiverpool:17.6 million/12.5 million(2015; 24 years old).Rickie Lambert|SouthamptonLiverpool:4.9 million/4 million (2014; 32 years old).Transfer feesadjusted for inflation, perOanda.The other notedSouthampton transfer toLiverpool wasPeter Crouch's10.1 million/7 millionsigning in 2005.After that, it was Southampton bolstering their squad list with Liverpool loanees: Adam Hammill (2007), Danny Guthrie (2007) and Darren Potter (2006).Now Liverpool have paidSouthampton79 million/61.5 million forLallana,Lovren,Clyne andLambert.Talk about areversal of fortunes inLiverpool's relationship withSouthampton.The silver lining to overspending onLallanais he was pivotal in Clyne's decision to chooseLiverpool."Adam and I spoke a lot. He said he wanted me to sign and I said if the deal moves along and gets done, I'd be with him as a teammate once again," Clyne said, per James Pearce at the Liverpool Echo. "I can join in with the lads [from Southampton] and I reckon I'll settle down [in Liverpool] easily."ClyneTendenciesSouthampton manager Ronald Koeman utilised a four-man defence in 92.1 per cent of games in the Premier League last season, often interchanging from variations of a 4-2-3-1 to a 4-3-3.Clyne is in his element as a right-back.Though,Koeman started with a 3-4-1-2 in a 1-0 defeat toWest Bromwich Albion.Clyne experimented at right wing-back for 24 minutes beforeKoeman reverted to a 4-2-3-1, which later shifted into a 4-2-1-3."Normally, my favourite system is the 4-3-3," Koeman said, as reported by Tom Biggs on Southampton's website. "But sometimes I like to change [formations]."The tactical adjustments underKoeman will prepareClyne forLiverpool manager Brendan Rodgers' formation and position tinkering.A bonus of signingClyne is he's English.Out of English right-backs who started 20 Premier League games or more last season, Clyne is on another level when compared to Andre Wisdom, Carl Jenkinson and Kieran Trippier.The defensive metric tackles per foul combines prolific ball-winning with proficiency.To explain tackles per foul with an example: Lee Cattermole totalled 76 tackles in 28 Premier League games forSunderland last season.But his tackles per foul (1.4) is inefficient, which partly explains his 14 yellow cards.There is a substantial gap inClyne's tackles per foul (6.3) and the next best (Trippier; 4.3).Averaging 0.6 fouls per 90 minutes and incurring four yellow cards in 35 games,Clyne is consistent, reliable and safe when tackling.FormerCrystal Palace managerNeilWarnock was convinced byClyne from the get-go, saying he had a "bright future in the game" in 2008, per theCroydon Advertiser.Seven years later,Clyne has vindicatedWarnock, who remains a big supporter of his former player."I said [Clyne] was the best right-back [from a defensive point of view] in the country ... and nothing has changed," Warnock said, per Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast (h/t Alex Varney at talkSPORT). "He has still got flaws, but he is learning all the time."What Clyne needs to work on is producing an end product in the attacking half to transition into a modern-day right-back. 244 players in the Premier League achieved somethingClyne failed to do last seasonregister an assist."[Rodgers] has shown a lot of interest in me and this is a place where I can improve as a player, I think. It's definitely a good opportunity to come here and try and fulfil my potential," Clyne said, per James Carroll at Liverpool's website. "I'm happy ... very happy!"Liverpool will be "very happy" ifClyne replicates his performances forSouthampton atAnfieldhe could become one of the best right-backs in the world.+allanjiang.When not specified, statistics via WhoScored.com.
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