Written by David Tully for Live4Liverpool.com: Sergio Aguero , Eden Hazard, Alexis Sanchez , Juan Mata and Yann M’Vila are just some of the names that Liverpool have been linked with in recent months. For any Reds fan, such names sound exciting but I feel we have to be realistic about the sort of players that will arrive at Anfield in the summer.
Due to the fact that Liverpool will not be in the Champions League or possibly Europe at all next season, it means our sights have to be lowered somewhat. In the case of somebody like Kun Aguero who is expected to leave Atletico Madrid in the summer, the Argentine’s price tag alone of £40m+ will be enough to put off the Reds. On others such as Eden Hazard, Alexis Sanchez and Juan Mata, price would not be an issue but it will necessarily come down to the specific aims and desires of the players themselves.
For Eden Hazard for example, he has stated recently that he doesn’t want to move to Real Madrid because he fears he wouldn’t get a first team place at the Bernabeu. A potential opportunity for the Reds to exploit then, but Hazard then goes on to explain that Inter or Arsenal would be his preferred destination. Places where he can get first team football but also, crucially, play in the Champions League like he can with Lille next season.
A similar problem would most probably arise when trying to purchase Juan Mata. The Spanish playmaker is a player I have long admired, but if the reports are true that Manchester City are indeed interested, the Reds may have little chance of acquiring the Valencia midfielder. City can offer more money and Champions League football next season, while we would have to hope that our history and stature alone could attract the player. The same could be said of another winger Alexis Sanchez who is also attracting interest from Eastlands.
At the end of the day, Director of Football Damien Comolli has been tasked with the responsibility of bringing players in who are good value for money. The task will be to find players, near to Hazard, Mata and Sanchez’s abilities, but who are valued at less money and are more likely to come. For that reason, the Reds have also been linked with the likes of Ashley Young , Stewart Downing, Charlie Adam, Marko Marin, Eljero Elia, Iker Muniain and Blaise Matuidi in recent months. Players not necessarily less sought after but more likely to move to Liverpool due to their own contract situations or the circumstances at their own clubs. Young and Downing’s Aston Villa are currently 13th, Adam’s Blackpool are 18th, Marin’s Werder Bremen finished 13th, Elia’s Hamburg finished 8th, Muniain’s Bilbao are in 6th with Matuidi’s St Etienne lying 8th in Ligue One.
Pepe Reina mentioned yesterday that he had spoken to Damien Comolli:
“Recently I have talked with Comolli, asking about the future, and I believe in the club and this project. I am happy here. We know how much work there is to be done, but I believe we are in the right place and we are going in the right direction. Next season will be more positive. The quicker we improve, the better for the club, but we cannot change overnight. The owners are preparing a big summer and hopefully the players that come in will improve the squad.”
It is clear he wanted to be reassured about the targets the club were pursuing before committing his future. It would be interesting to know what Comolli and Dalglish have in store for the summer but my instincts tell me that the list more like resembles the ones I have listed second, rather the first list at the top of the article. What do you think?
ThisisFutbol.com are seeking new writers to join the team! If you’re passionate about football, drop us a line at “thisisfutbol.com@snack-media.com” to learn more.
To have a peak at the top SEVEN available FREE TRANSFERS this summer, click here.
Obviously, you just wtite what comes to your head, without any facts!. Have you noticed how much NSG spent on the Red Sox?.
Sorry (FSG), before you correct me.
all the money in the world wont buy u players who want champions league football ,and liverpool are a couple of years away from that level of consistency yet, so i agree with this artical
What about brazilian players like Ganso (Santos), or Diego, Denilson,or others like Coutinho, Metersaker, Krooz ? Or even a Sidnei as a CB……
Or even why not go after Neymar? Maybe too expensive…LFC will need to spend to attract great players and be in a position to be competitive in the Champions league (not only get there, but possibly win it)…
We probably have to cast our eyes on players who are not obsess with the Champions League.
Without the distraction of European football. I believe we will do well in the league.
We need at least 5 players – left & right wingers, a centre half, left back and may be another creative mid-fielder.
YNWA
Lads lets look at what Liverpool needs, do they need or could they accomadate a big name striker? Well after forking out nearly £60 million in January the obvious answer is no, they need an impact player as a 4th striker someone young and/or relatively cheap so you can rule out Sergio Aguero. Whilst Liverpool need width the lack of CL football means Sanchez at 22 and already a world star is unlikely. Hazard and Mata may well prove a different matter however as whilst they have shown huge potential they are not yet in the same superstar bracket as Sanchez, Hazard has just turned 20 is yet to perform in an elite league yet and fits in well with the needs of Liverpool right now and the aims of the owners who want a younger squad. Although Mata at 23 is the oldest of the 3 he is also perhaps the one who has yet to prove he is the real deal. By that I mean Sanchez at Udinese and Hazard have been the leading lights at their clubs for a couple of years whereas until this season Mata was behind both Villa and Silva in terms of the media spotlight. He will almost certainly move on soon due to his club’s huge debts and Liverpool do stand a chance if the owners show their intent. What I can’t see is Liverpool signing more than one of these players and I feel Hazard is the most likely but they will face a fight if Arsenal come in. I will finish by making one prediction Liverpool will spend big this summer and will lure one big name signing at least ahead of a CL club.
Liverpool could attract Mvila and Hazard and Mata but do they want to come?
The other question is if they did and the club threw bucket loads at them would they just be here to soak up the cash nothing else?
Andy, I agree with your comments, just hope some of these lads would see that it might take them a season to be fully integrated, up & running in a new club. Since they are so young we could be the best potential for them so by the time we get back into CL we/they would be ready to hopefully win it.
I sincerely hope manure get stuffed & are taught how to play football by Barca, the sad thought is that they may land these players & not us.
YNWA
Yes Mike “All the money in the world” wouldn’t buy us players who want CL football while we’re not in it would it? I mean it’s NOT like TOTTENHAM AND CITY BOTH BOUGHT SUCH PLAYERS AND BETTER FOR HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS WHILST NOT IN EUROPE AT ALL IS IT?!!!!
Prat.
And as to us being “years away from that type of consistency”? What with the CORE of a squad that qualified EIGHT times in the last 10 years for the stupid comp’, WON the whole jamboree once AND finished 2nd in it also STILL here? With all that we STILL don’t have a chance of the right consistency even IF they are reinforced back to 2008-09 levels? Again, DO your research before humiliating yourself so – Both the author AND you Mike – Or do you ENJOY being embarrassed so easily?
Idiots………………