Inter’s waiting game is costing Roy valuable time

A few popular websites including ESPN and Yahoo! Eurosport have reported in the last few days that Liverpool attacker Dirk Kuyt’s agent has confirmed Inter’s interest in his client. Rafa Benitez has apparently now decided that he wants Kuyt rather than Mascherano. Obviously, It doesn’t mean that he will go but even though Liverpool is insisting that he is not for sale, it is still a very interesting scenario. I think this potential predicament could not have happened at a worse possible time with the transfer window to be closed in just a week’s time. The fact that Torres and Gerrard have committed their future to Liverpool was the greatest news of a positive nature to all concerned with the club but this new transfer talk involving Kuyt must be like a shock to the LFC fan base. In my mind, the hard-working Kuyt, along with Gerrard and Torres, completes the very versatile three prong attack at the Anfield club. Therefore, if he were to leave I really would lose much of my faith in our ability to score enough goals to do the required damage this season. This essentially means that Kuyt’s average of ten goals per season over the last two seasons will need to be replaced urgently if he decides to follow his former boss.

Waiting game?

The fact that the Nerazzurri completed the Balotelli sale almost two weeks ago would have naturally suggested that a concrete offer for Masch would be on the cards immediately, but no. Somehow this seems like Rafa and Moratti – the club owner and President, must be intent on being as cunning as possible by playing the waiting game without regard for the Liverpool rebuilding effort. Then to add insult to injury, showing interest in Kuyt at this late stage, if I may use a boxing term here, is like a fully disguised uppercut to the chin of a long-time rival. I am honestly not surprised but I am still disappointed. Furthermore, Roy Hodgson had revealed that he wants to sign another attacking goal-scorer so this potentially means that without Kuyt he would need to bring in at least two more players to fit that plot. There are enough problems to fill the 25 man roster for this season with a strong enough squad including the 8 ‘home-grown’ players to make a legitimate challenge for the league title so this latest development is not a welcomed one. As a result, my last transfer advise for now would be to sort out the left-back position with Konschesky or Salcido and add the best two or three of  Toivonen, Van der Vaart, Ruiz and Georginio Wijnaldum – whether Kuyt stays or not. Whatever happens, we have to pick up the pace now although I have a good feeling about this new gaffer. The next few days will certainly be an interesting spell as the last minute wheeling and dealing comes to a grinding halt on August 31.

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