With the Daily Telegraph reporting that Liverpool’s interest in Newcastle full back Jose Enrique has cooled, and also the fact that another possible target Alvaro Pereira of Porto has a £17.5million buyout clause inserted into his contract, it maybe safe to assume Liverpool are struggling to find a left back target before the start of the new season.
Especially with both manager Kenny Dalglish and Director of Football Damien Comolli confirming that they will to sell fringe players before they buy anymore players, it seems as if the Reds, for the time being at least, will have to rely on the current left back options at the club. So who will be called upon to play if a left back is not brought in before the Sunderland game on the 13th August?
Fabio Aurelio – The Brazilian has his well known injury problems and could play provided he is fit. He hasn’t featured though in the three friendly matches so far against Guangdong, the Malaysian XI and Hull City, suggesting he may struggle to be fit for the first match of the season.
Glen Johnson – Probably the most likely candidate to fill at left back will be the England international. With Martin Kelly more than capable of playing solidly at right back, Kenny will be forced to switch Glen over to the left where he maybe uncomfortable, but can do a good job for the team. The 26 year old doesn’t get as forward as much on the left because he is not on his natural side, but it helps his defensive game tremendously as he stays in position more often than not.
Emiliano Insua – An alternative to Johnson if Kenny prefers to go with a natural left footer, the Argentine continues to impress offensively but there are still big question marks defensively. With speculation over his future too, it is not by all means certain that he will be at the club beyond August.
insua
I hope we don’t have to rely on Insua..!
He is a woeful excuse for left-back.
I think you have the wrong Pereira in this article. I thought Alvaro from Porto was being linked, not Maxi from Benfica. Alvaro is the LB and LM and Maxi is RB.
Maxi?
Wow. Extremely hardworking journalism here. This guy must be a true die-hard Red…
kk just get somone that can hold his ground on the left bake befor the season start jonhson should play at his propar possision as for you to know and balance the defence
Insua is crap, Aurelio is always injured. Looks like Kelly and Johnson again for me – we Johnson on the left.
I cannot believe that we have to sell before we can buy already. Perhaps the price you pay for overspending on average players.