IN the very few weeks that have passed since the arrival of Rodgers as the new Liverpool manager we’ve been linked with multiple players and a number of names have come up that will be familiar to all of us.
There have been a handful of players though, that have had their names crop up more often than others: Zaha, Kalou, Garcia, Krasic, Sigurdsson, Tello and Caulker – one or two of these names ring true with Liverpool’s fans and bring some optimism for the new season.
However, names such as Kalou, Garcia, Krasic are hardly players that will have us all sitting at home salivating in waiting for the new season to begin. Given that Kalou has never been anything more than a bench-warmer at Chelsea and has just been released for free and that both Garcia and Krasic have barely played for their first-teams all season (Garcia was actually on-loan at Osasuna) makes me wonder whether we’re simply shopping in the ‘cast-offs’ market this summer, and that concerns me a great deal, if I’m honest with you.
Don’t get me wrong, I know that there are bargains to be had. You need only take a look at Bellamy last season for a superb example. But spending upwards of £7 million for a player such as Krasic that could barely get near Juventus’ team or pretty much the same for a player that is no longer in his clubs’ plans in Garcia seems to be a little worrying.
Over at Old Trafford and United have just snapped up probably one of the most exciting midfield prospects in Europe, Shinji Kagawa, for around £12 million. The guy has won back-to-back league titles with Borussia Dortmund and yet that lot have managed to negotiate a bargain, whilst given reports on Saturday morning, it looks likely that we’re going to now sign Sigurdsson from under Swansea’s noses, only the price has now gone above £8 million. Whilst Barcelona are supposedly holding out for somewhere around that same amount for Cristian Tello – a talented young man, to be sure, but he’s hardly been a mainstay in even their ‘B’ team, never mind the first and while I’d be more excited to see his name than many of the others, I’d still begrudge forking out almost £10 million for a ‘prospect’. We were burned too badly last season in that way to take the same risk again.
Similarly, we’ve found ourselves heavily linked with Spurs’ Steven Caulker. A very talented and promising young English centre-back, who spent the season on-loan with Rodgers himself at Swansea but, again, the fee would be around £8 million. As I mentioned recently in an article about where I feel we need to strengthen in the summer, I really see no point in spending what would be a large chunk of our limited transfer funds on a player that would probably only be our 4th or 5th choice centre-back, and more likely 6th if you include Martin Kelly.
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But while many of the supposed targets have got me a bit concerned, another worrying aspect about this all is how long the rumours have been dragging on. Without wanting to hark on too much about United, I would again cite how they named their main target, negotiated quickly and got a total bargain before anybody else even knew the player was available. All we’ve done so far is allow ourselves to be linked with all and sundry and, in procrastinating so long, let the prices of these targets rocket simply by being linked with us which is exactly what has just happened in the case of Sigurdsson – a player that I’m very interested in seeing at Liverpool but not if his price is going to go any further above his original price.
I should point out that I’m not trying to be utterly negative and I’m aware that our new man in charge has not been at the club very long and is still getting to grips with things. Sadly though, it seems as if the old transfer market procrastinating is still very much in evidence from Rafa Benitez’s time at the club. My main concern is that we’re going to end up making a late charge and just go out and panic-buy average players and allow ourselves to be totally ripped off in the process. I can only hope that I’ll be wrong and that many of the rumours are only that, rumours and that Brendan Rodgers is as shrewd and forward a man as we’ve been led to believe and goes out and works some magic in the market this summer.
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the reason the sigurdsson price has gone up is because the 6.8 mil was agreed with swansea before his loan spell and we have no such agreement with hoffenheim
i may be wrong but i have a good feeling about BR and trust him to bring in the right players to fit his system!
I agree that it would be great to have kagawa but we didn’t have our structure in place to buy him- or try to anyhow. There’s plenty of creative players out there but we have to try to attract them to lfc. We are in the Europa league, which doesn’t help so are living off past glories again. Our reputation has take a hit so we have to search cheaper players that have ability . I.e sigurdson. I’d rather take this type of chance, than pay £20 m for Henderson, who is lumbered with the pressure of the transfer fee. I think lfc fans would be really excited to see players like iker muniain/ Adam Johnson on the flanks. Dzagoev or jovetic behind someone like llorente, but I doubt we can pull that off? I think Suarez is better on the left wing- his skill, agility and dribbling from all areas of the pitch, but especially from the left can be breathtaking most times- nutmegs etc. so if Carroll can continue his improved form and fit into the new system, then we would need a good back up striker or competition for him. Right Wing- Adam Johnson would be good. He would play every game, surely for us. I don’t see much if a future in lfc for some players especially off the back of last season- but we have a new manager. Fresh ideas .so they may do better? Anyhow I’ve had my semi- rant! Fingers crossed……..
Agree Agree Agree….its so sad tat 4 some reasons v r limited to all the cheap “rejects”. I kno v r no top 4 team but at least v can draw some quality players wth a bit of budget. 20~30M is simply not enough nowadys. (After Newcastle’s success, French players becomes super expensive)Pray tat Rodger get it right tis time…Tello n Afellay r both “safer” gamble though.
We’re not in the champions league and can’t attract the same as top4 – maybe some of our targets have more attractive options at the moment or we’re still deciding. Value buys dont always mean paying loads – Van Persie was signed for 3mil and as a left winger!
We are a team of tradition and traditionally ( over the last 2 seasons ) we have been ripped -off so expect to be ripped-off again! United got Kagawa and in so doing have probably upped their market take in japan by about £10M over the next season! and you expect our lot to compete with them? Out of your tree – we don’t have the business talent to do that!
If you want to talk about history I have one for you. I remember the days when “news” would actually be sourced and not doom and gloom rumour and inuendo like this article. How about finding some sources for your dire predictions instead of just riling up the hand-wringing masses of Liverpool supporters with your gloomy predictions of demise.
I for one think we will do quite well in the market. We have just acquired the heart of Man City’s scouting ops and BR has a history (short admitted) of making great deals with less budget. The meme that we can’t attract good players without CL is a MYTH. Most pros would love to play at Anfield.
I say-Buck up people. If you support Liverpool why are you all such naysayers?
I think it is time for all of us Liverpool fans to give our new manager a chance. we all want instant success these days. We Were once the greatest team in the land, but not now. Hold on calm down, I think we can again but we need to re build and take time. Lets get real, we are not going to win the league next year. we can and should be right up there but we will not win. As much as it pains me to say it. I think that Brendan Rogers is a great choice. Young with fresh ideas but built around the same principals that is Liverpool football club. Were we sit at this moment, it will be hard for us to pull in the really big names for the simple fact we are not in the champions league and that’s the cold hard truth. So we do have to go out and pluck talent that people don’t see and players that become great players after they arrive. So lets all take a deep breath, don’t believe every article on players linked with us and take it ads golden. Remember we are Liverpool and we do things our way and we will overcome.
Had to give up reading this rubbish when you said, ‘makes me wonder whether we’re simply shopping in the ‘cast-offs’ market this summer, and that concerns me a great deal, if I’m honest with you.’ You’re making judgments on pure media gossip. We haven’t a clue who Liverpool are talking to. Cop on!!
What a fool!
Liverpool have secured bigger shirt sponsorship and kit deal than all of the other English clubs and this is without champions league football, they also have the sales rights to the non playing merchandise, which isn’t what any of the other top clubs have got, so they get more money on top…
Shocking at business….
That was aimed at chunky
First point: these are all rumors, second point: Surely BR needs to get his feet under the desk before making any signings, jumping straight in before properly assessing what he needs would surely be an even bigger mistake than the ones you have identified in your pointless rant. END
Paper talk fella… Calm down! I’m pleased that Rogers is keeping calm and taking his time to assess the situation at LFC. I’m confident that he’ll be an astute business man, and he’ll bring players to the club that warrant their price tag.
man utd, chelsea, newcastle, arsenal all had their coaches wit them last season, so they know their squad well and they know where to improve. BR needs to asses d squad, identify d weakness and buy players to strengten d squad not just buy square pegs to fit into round holes.