Since arriving in the summer of 2009 from Portsmouth, Glen Johnson has steadily improved in a Liverpool shirt and remains one of the best right backs in the Premier League.
However, he is 30 in August and will not be able to maintain his high level forever. Furthermore, with Martin Kelly still struggling for form because of his fitness and Andre Wisdom and Jon Flanagan not really representing the long-term world class solution, the search for a new right back needs to begin this summer.
Johnson may still stay next season and continue to show form that would put Liverpool off buying a potential replacement, but it is still an issue that will eventually have to be sorted out by Brendan Rodgers and Liverpool.
Therefore, the five right backs shown below all have the quality to potentially become Johnson’s successor once he finally falls from his peak.
1. Mattia De Sciglio
At just 21, De Sciglio is already being mooted as AC Milan’s next legendary player; following in the footsteps of the Italian club’s other famous defenders such as Cafu and Paolo Maldini. Other clubs have been previously linked to the Italian, such as Chelsea, Arsenal and Newcastle, but with AC Milan’s current plight, a move may be on the cards.
He can play right-back or left-back (like Johnson) and his best is certainly yet to come. However, with a contract until 2016 and the rumoured interest from rival teams, De Sciglio wouldn’t come cheap. A fee of £15m upwards would be likely if he was to depart Milan for Anfield.
2. Martin Montoya
For the last few months, Montoya has been heavily linked with a move to Liverpool, with Ian Ayre reportedly having flown to Catalunya for talks over the Spanish right back. With his contract up in the summer, Montoya could be brought in on a free transfer. However, he is not needed in January with the likes of Johnson and Kelly at right back, so there is no need to pay any fee for him, even if it is reduced.
Bringing Montoya in for nothing would allow the player to settle in with a full pre-season without any rushed January move and he can then challenge Johnson for the right back slot over the season. If he fails, he can be replaced with no loss having been brought in as a Bosman. If he succeeds, then it could be one of Rodgers’ best buys – having already bought the likes of Daniel Sturridge and Coutinho.
However, there may well be complications if Arsenal stamp up their interest. Persuading the player to come to Anfield could also be problematic in making the deal come to fruition.
3. Adam Matthews
The man from Celtic has undoubted ability, but question marks remain over the extent. It hasn’t stopped some Premier League clubs expressing interest, such as Everton, while Arsenal and Manchester United were apparently looking at the player when he was at Cardiff prior to his move to Scotland. The 22 year old has cemented his place in the Celtic starting XI under Neil Lennon and would a represent a home-grown solution due to his Welsh nationality.
However, having so far only played in the Scottish League and with a price tag of probably £10m+, Matthews would represent a sizeable risk. But he offers pace, strength and versatility, again being another who can play at left back as well as right. Furthermore, he has played in the Champions League, and if he can play at that level week in, week out , then he would be a risk worth taking.
4. Micah Richards
The man who was set to take the world by storm and become one of the best right backs in the world has stalled somewhat, with injuries and Pablo Zabaleta keeping the England international out of the Manchester City side. At 25, he is now fit and should be in his prime, but may need first team football at another top club to finally realise his full potential.
Also able to play at centre-back, Chelsea and Arsenal are keen on Richards, and Manchester City may well sell the player if he is not content as back up to Zabaleta. However, if he went to fellow rival it would be a fee closer to £15m rather than the £8m approx. that a foreign club would play.
Nevertheless, if Johnson does experience a decline quicker than previously thought, Richards may represent the quick fix as he could come in straight away, home-grown and experienced in Premier League football. However, he is less of a long term solution compared to the trio above and would probably be over-priced.
5. Nathaniel Clyne
Clyne is just one of the many that have fallen off the Southampton youth production line, having been brought in from Crystal Palace to join other emerging talents such as Adam Lallana and Luke Shaw – who could all follow in the footsteps of the likes of Theo Walcott and Gareth Bale.
Again another who can play at left-back, Clyne has impressed for the Saints in the Premier League, albeit not to the same extent as Shaw or Lallana. Nevertheless, he is constantly improving, and there was a rumour of a £12m bid from Arsenal.
At 22, he is undoubtedly someone who could fill Johnson’s shoes in a Liverpool shirt if he carries on rising to higher levels at this rate. Again though, Liverpool will have to be serious over the target they have chosen to succeed Johnson at right back, as, like the five above, they are unlikely to come cheap.
Martin Kelly .End of.
micah richards
Are you for real ? Liverpool has excellent right backs coming out of our ears.
Kelly , Flanagan , Wisdom , McLaughlin. It’s the one place we dont need to spend money.
FFS. What else is the youth system for if we won’t use it ?
Well said kav. Signing a right back would be a waste of money. Trust your youngsters or you might as well not bother developing players
And I was at barnsley yesterday and mclaughlin played well
Apparently suppressing talent as in the case of Texiera it is criminal the way he has been overlooked.
Johnson is and always has been a pony. No doubt about it.
Montoya ‘ll not come from Camp Nu, while Sciglio ‘ll be damn expensive & might not leave San Siro. Rest are British, so must be ordinary, over priced & over paid. I don’t want any of them as had they not been Brit, hardly would had been noticed.
Personally, I would have paid 15mn for Sciglio & would have sealed that spot for a decade. Wonderful prospect, reminds me of those wonderful Italian full backs over the year.
We have two better right backs than Johnson already Kelly and Mcloughlan, we have a better midfielder than Aspas and Alberto – Texiera, no need to buy just promote.
Toure is no good as the last line of defence (no pace), Mingolet has been awful, no worse than that, Cissoko is being made a scapegoat he is the best attacking left back we have had for at least 15 years, infinitely superior to Risse, Dossena, better at present than Enrique and Flannagan. he is always available, never hides not afraid to take men on, it is those who should be covering for him when he goes forward when he can (as is his job), Hypia spent most of his time doing this for Risse. Toure is not up to it.
How in the name of sanity can.16 year old Rossiter, Morgan, Smith, Bannigan Flannagan, Robindon make the first team or bench ahead of Joao Texiera – it defies belief. forget positions it is a question of class ability and talent he has more than them all put together.
Rossiter seems to be a big talent. Bit young to make the bench for an epl game against chelsea though. Fowler thinks he might be the next gerrard
B Rodgers Priority this transfer window should be Midfield: Centre and wings: And spend Priority : 2 Defensive Enforcers and 2 Goal Scoring wide men:
2 Defensive Enforcers for combined total of 16m:
M’Vila(23) Of Rubin Kazan not N De Jong(29) Of AC Milan, Not Badu Of Juventus. M’Vila(23) should be brought to club for 10-12M
And also Fernando Reges(26) Of Porto has his contract up in the summer, So B Rodgers should offer porto 1-4M for him now and bring him to our club in next few days.
With these two players at our club, J Allen(24), P Coutinho(21),S Gerrard(33) and J Henderson(23) can solely work on their pressing game when they do not have the ball and their main aim when they are on the ball will be to attack create and score.
With M’Vila(23) and Fernando(26) as a centre midfield pairing, the back 4 will have good protection and the full backs will have the license to bomb forward at will and Allen(24), Coutinho(21), Gerrard(33) and Henderson(23) hopefully will bring more creativity and goals to side from open play from centre of park with these two players dominating centre midfield behind either of them in a midfield trio.
M’Vila(23) Of Rubin Kazan and Fernando Reges(26) Of Porto, would cost club 16M
4.6M less than what Chelsea just spent on N Matic(25) DM
And 2.6M cheaper and less than what the club paid for J Mascherano in Febuary 2008 after his successful year loan spell at club.
M’VILA(23) AND Fernando(26) should be the clubs main priority in next three days.
And then Two Goal scoring wingers should be brought to club in following 3-4 days:
M Salah(21) Of Basel should be brought for 7-12M RW / RWF / LW / LWF
D Capel(25) Of Sporting Clube De Portugal/ Lisbon should be brought to club for 5-7M LW/ LWF / RW / RWF
These 4 class quality players will compensate for the loss of Lucas Leiva: The two DM :They will bring more mobility physical presence power steel to Centre of park, so that our creative players can be given more license to attack. ( Allen, Coutinho, Gerrard and Henderson)
And two Goal scoring wide men who can play well on either wing and inter change comfortably, would bring more class, consistency, creativity, goals ,pace, speed, trickery and width to side.