JANUARY is never the best time to be in the market for new players, or so the conventional wisdom goes. Clubs are generally unwilling to part with their prized assets halfway through the season, so they’ll either demand extortionate sums of money (£35m for a centre forward from Newcastle United being the most common example) or they’ll refuse to do business altogether.
However, with every hasty Andy Carroll deal there’s also a Luis Suarez, a Nikica Jelavic or a Nemanja Vidic – all players signed during January transfer windows over the years.
The impact that the signing of Papiss Cisse had on the second half of Newcastle’s season last year was immediate and almost single-handedly drove the club to a fifth place finish.
The fact is that, whether you think buying in the January sales is ideal or not, every Liverpool fan knows that the team needs to strengthen and fast, which means players need to be brought in to add to the squad as soon as possible after the window opens. And however much we’d all have liked the right business to have been done in the summer, it wasn’t, and whoever you blame for that, it’s irrelevant – we have to understand where we are at now, and for Liverpool that means bringing in players, and more specifically it means bringing in reinforcements up front.
Without Luis Suarez’s goals and creativity up front, Liverpool would be in a far worse position, which not only puts pressure on Suarez himself, it also causes huge anxiety and worry about him being injured or suspended for any period of time. Remember, there are still ten matches to go before the transfer window even opens.
So, the need for new strikers is absolutely clear, and here we assess four candidates that are currently the most commonly touted by the media as targets for Liverpool in the January window. I’ve tried to stick to those players that Liverpool might realistically be in the market for, rather than assuming that we should automatically be signing Messi, Ronaldo and Falcao in a triple swoop as some website commenters seem to believe. The four in the frame are:
Theo Walcott: shares an agent with Brendan Rodgers, was apparently a Liverpool fan when growing up and still nowhere near signing a new contract at Arsenal. If his situation stays the same on 1 January, there will be more clubs than just Liverpool looking at testing Arsenal’s willingness to let him go for free in the summer.
Walcott would be a great fit in Rodgers’ formation, probably on the right hand side of a front three, bringing pace, penetration and experience to the attacking options. In return he would get first team football every week, alongside the support and confidence of the fans and the manager. Whether that’s enough, if Manchester City or Chelsea are in the bidding, we’ll have to wait and see.
Darren Bent: a link that has only just appeared in the last few weeks, this rumour is gathering momentum as Bent finds himself frozen out by Paul Lambert at Aston Villa. Bent has a prolific goalscoring record, scoring over 100 Premier League goals at a rate of better than one in every three games.
He is a natural finisher, has the clinical edge that Liverpool need and could combine well with Suarez, but the big question would be whether Rodgers and Liverpool would want to spend significant cash on a player that’s currently not judged to be good enough or hungry enough (depending on who you believe) to even force his way into a struggling Aston Villa team. A big gamble, but not one without its merits given his record.
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Klaas-Jan Huntelaar: a starlet from Ajax now currently setting the Champions League alight with Schalke, Huntelaar has admirers all over Europe, and has spent time at both AC Milan and Real Madrid during his short career. His career statistics are impressive, with more than 250 goals in less than 400 career games, and most recently his record for Schalke last season was 48 goals in 47 games.
When he’s happy and settled, he scores goals for fun, and the rumour mill believes he could be available for less than £10m in January. Again though his reputation means that he has many other admirers, with both Arsenal and Spurs both apparently keen on bringing him in during the upcoming window.
He would be a tremendous capture for Rodgers, but getting a deal in place and persuading him that he has no need to look elsewhere will not be easy.
Daniel Sturridge: reports have claimed that Liverpool made a number of serious enquiries to Chelsea during the summer about Sturridge, which means that those links have inevitably resurfaced with the transfer window just around the corner.
Sturridge was apparently not keen on a loan move to Anfield in August, and Liverpool lacked the funds or the appetite for a permanent deal. Sturridge is talented, has pace and would fit in to Rodgers’ system, especially given that the manager has worked with him before in his time at Chelsea.
There are probably other options here with more pedigree and more promise, but Sturridge would certainly bring depth and other options to the forward line if he could be secured for a sensible fee.
The priority for Liverpool is additional firepower, and it is needed more urgently than ever. There is no other option other than to back the manager in the January window and bring in the players he needs to build his side. The team is creating chances, it is improving defensively and it is starting to come to terms with the style of play that Rodgers wants to adopt. All of that progress would be undone if Luis Suarez were to be injured or suspended for any period of time, and the manager would be back to square one.
As fans, we have to hope that the reinforcements come in quickly and hit the ground running – I’d far rather sign another Luis Suarez in January than the alternatives that have provided much poorer value for money.
The players and the options are there, and targets will already have been earmarked by the manager. It’s time for FSG to back the man they invested so much faith and warm words in back in June, otherwise we’ll all be feeling the cold of a long winter.
Find me on twitter @rossco1981
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Please the 1st 3 is ok and superb but sturridge? OMG! SMH! Not good enough n greedy too. Redmond,ince are even better than him. Bent w’d be loan b4 we buy.
I think the best option would be Wilfred Bony. He’s having a brilliant run in the dutch league. i know it’s whole different place compared to the EPL, but Suarez came from the same league as well and there wasn’t really any drop in quality. he has already scored 15 in 13 mathces this season, that is mind blowing figures whatever league you playing in.
I did watch him play against ajax, where he got 2 goals and he was simply brilliant. strong, quick and a top finisher, he would be a much better option than all of the rejects mentioned above
huntelaar – yes but FSG wont pay for a player of his age
bent – no no no rubbish
walcott – big yes , but he wont come
sturridge – big no
also ive seen reports of shane long , gomis of st ettienne , and gary hooper – all 2nd rate not good enough
lets raise our standards
Long would be great. Cardozo would be my choice though
Bent? Really? Brendan needs to stop with his mediocre habits. Huntelaar impresses me the most. FSG need to deliver or face a backclash from the anfield faithful. YNWA
Rodgers left Chelsea in November 2008, Sturridge joined Chelsea in summer 2009.
You’re absolutely right, thanks for spotting the error
If Rodgers chooses – it will be a waste . Look at all the money he has alredy thrown away
Instead of Gomis we should go for 1 of these players:
Nolito/Walcott/Aubameyang/Adrian
Order of priority
1. Aubameyang 15m
2. Adrian 15m
3. Walcott 10m
4. Nolito 10m
I think all of these players would be just as crucial as each other if they joined lfc because they all bring something different. Realistically we can only get one player from this list and Aubameyang fits the bill.
Young, skillful, goal scorer with blistering pace and plays in all 3 positions up front. He isnt well known so we could get him for less than 15m which we should before he becomes well known.
all 4 are good, better than what has been linked with us . but … come on , we all know FSG will try to find cheaper options
Question: if Darren Bent can’t make the lineup at Aston Villa, who are terrible, why would Liverpool want him?
cos Rogers signs terrible players only
liverpoolfc should go for welcott,nani,ba if dey wnt to make big four
pls need liverpool coach contact or the club e-mail
We wont get any good players with BR in charge . No player will want to come to a mediocre side with sh!t manager
If we get any of those mentioned here , then shame on FSG for not buying real quality
You all are forgetting the position liverpool is now,no first class striker will come to a club like lfc,these four players are the type of players we can make do with for now.I think walcott and sturrige are just the right choices out of those list because they are both young and have potentials.
Only Huntelaar is good , the rest meh !
The owners should back B Rodgers heavily with £70M to bring in five class, quality attacking players and 1 defensive player:
1: Defensive player: B Matuidi (25) Of PSG should be brought for £10-£15M to compete and Cover LUCAS. DM
2 and 3: Are two Brazilians from Shakhtar Donesk: L Adriano(25)FD and Willian (24)RWF should both be brought to club for combined total of £40M. L Adriano £14-£17M and Willian £21-£23M.
4: I Munian(19)AM Of A Bilbao should be brought to club for £14-£17M to compete with Gerrard and Shelvey.
5: G Rossi(25) Of Villareal should be brought for £5-£8M as he is out currently injured but when back fully fit and injury free he is an out and out finisher.
6: B Arfa (25) Of Newcastle should be brought to club in swap deal with A Carroll and £10M.
I hope B Rodgers does not do a kenny Dalglish and overspend on Average British isle Players: Long, Sturridge and Walcott are all good players but they are not in same calibre as Suarez and Gerrard.
And for club to get back amongst the elite, attacking players of Gerrard and Suarez’s Calibre are needed.
Those 6 players mentioned would bring healthy competition to squad and more class, quality to side.
There would be 4 strikers competing for place: L Adriano, F Borini, G Rossi and L Suarez instead of Just Suarez currently at club.
There would be healthy competition and Cover for LUCAS in B Matuidi (DM)
There would be two quality wingers that the likes of Assaidi and Sterling could learn from in B Arfa and Willian.
And lastly an Attacking midfielder with skill pace youth and quality to compete with Gerrard and Shelvey for the AM role at Club in I Munian.
Those 6 players would cost £70M, cheaper than what K Dalglish spent on Adams, Carroll, Henderson and Downing a season and a half ago.
Owners spent £115M season and half ago, but club brought in £80M + on player sales over season and half(Torres,Babel,Bennayoun,Meireles, Poulsen, Koncheskey and Ngog) So they need to back this manager well and get our club back amongst the elite fighting in champions league again year in year out and contesting for the league again
ok dude . u have my vote ! You can run the club from now on
…… only 1 problem – FSG
FSG are tight hungry yanks here to make money , not give it to a bunch of scousers playing with a round ball
Nice ideas but FSG wont spend it , and Rodgers isnt as smart as u
None of the above please. Don’t want money grabbing English players who can’t even get into their current teams or sign new contracts.
I would like to think none of these 4 are anywhere close to being on our shopping list.
what a waste of time story! rehashing stories that are 2 months old! please go away!
why is everyone on here so anti Rogers? he’s got us playing good football, the best we’ve seen in a while. OK Borini hasn’t proved himself but I think Allen has been a very shrewd signing, plus he isn’t afraid of giving the youngsters a chance. So called supporters who think Liverpool should be signing the best players in the world and spending chelsea/city type cash need a serious reality check. Give Rogers a chance to build.
Is it me or are people over hyping Brendon’s so called system…king kenny said you cannot reinvent the game of football!!! We are at present in the bottom half of the premiership trying to get in the top six to try to qualify for Europa cup….seems to me that had king kenny been given another season that his plan might have come together..however we are 11 in the league, no striker for next game and looking at 2nd rate strikers to buy in January? Due to not signing anybody of significance in the summer having been lucky enough to be gazumped by spurs twice. Please somebody get a grip of our transfer policy and have a look at a quality striker for January! Huntelaar seems best of bunch but because of his age he doesn’t fit into our policy…RVP is the same age n old red nose paid £20m for him and hasn’t looked back since…please wake up and do the right thing FSG?????
Because Rodgers is a total clown . And good football you say ? you want to try watching the games pal .
Boring , boring , boring negative possesion football , and dont get me started on Allen – the biggest wsste of 15 m ever . never ever good enough for pool
cos Rodgers is a flippin idiot who couldn’t manage a big issue stand
out
carroll 18
reina 12
enrique 8
joe cole 4
downing 10
henderson 15
shelvey 5
pacheco 3
skrtel 12
total 87
in
andre ter stegen 12
ogbona 10
amorebieta 15
sahin 8
eriksen 30
muniain 25
dries mertens 15
wanyama 15
bony 15
total 145
——–andre ter stegen———
—ogbona—amorebieta—agger—
————-lucas—————
-muniain–allen–gerrard–mertens-
————-eriksen————–
——————-suarez——–
This must be the fantasy football page , bunch of dreamers !
FSG wont pay for anybody decent
Sack bull$hit barney 1st ,then let new manager spend dosh