Here’s an intriguing transfer rumour. According to MercaFutbol (via CaughtOffside) are close to wrapping up the signing of £6.4m rated Ivory Coast forward Lacina Traore – because Traore’s have always produced such good showings in the Premier League. The kicker? He’s 6 ft 8 in tall.
And we thought Andy Carroll was a tall!
There’s a figure that constantly gets kicked around regarding Liverpool last season: they scored just 47 goals. That’s the justification every publication gives for linking the club to yet another striker (I get the feeling that these sites have a checklist that they go through one-by-one).
Whilst Carroll seems to be undergoing a critical reappraisal, there’s no guarantee that he’ll continue to progress next season. Luis Suarez is a fantastic player, but he’s not the most clinical striker in the world. Liverpool are crying out for goals.
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Yes Liverpool need a striker, but they also need quality. With that in mind, could Traore be the right man for the job?
Lacina currently plays for Russian Premier League side Kuban Krasnodar. He’s scored 18 goals for them in 38 games – a healthy return for a lad so gangly. He’s just 22-years-old, extremely athletic, confident with the ball at his feet and – of course – he’s strong in the air.
But the Reds don’t need aerial dominance. Their £35m man can provide that. They need somebody who knows where the back of the net is. Traore’s goal return in the Russian League is fairly good, but should it be the basis for a £6+m move? I’m not so sure.
I can’t help but feel that he needs to be tested on a bigger stage before a club with aspirations as large as Liverpool move in for him. I hope this doesn’t come across as snobbish, but it would be an extremely big step up for the lad (although yes – he’s got a pretty huge gait) and I’d prefer Anfield wasn’t his testing ground.
If Brendan Rodger’s interest is true, I hope it’s not the only forward signing he makes this summer. Even if it means splashing the cash, I’m sure there are better options out there. By the time this article gets published, the Reds will probably have been linked to 2-3 different strikers and all of them are likely to be better options.
What’s your take? Could the new Traore on the block be a good signing for the Reds?
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This is a bit late Anzhi have already claimed his signature
Omg, I have no idea what brendan’s working on here but it better be good. Our targets are being snapped up by managerless spurs and a team that was relegated couple years ago. GOD HELP LIVERPOOL 🙁
Yes we are finally being humiliated in the transfer market now. Nobody of ANY standing is apparently interested in coming to Anfield anymore. FSG always said that they didn’t buy us to pay big wages and it seems we are reaping the “rewards” of their standing. Our heavy appears to be British mediocre players as shown by this rumoured interest in yet another Championship “talent” from Bolton ( that well known world class team! ). The reason BR was given the job was because he works with low transfer amounts and let’s not forget that since Henry took over his ACTUAL amount of spending on transfers has been £32M only! This year he hopes to better that by making it about £12M I think.
I agree with kopkid, many of our targets are being taken from under our noses. 30 plus goal scorer in LUUK DE JONG almost a newcastle player and we go for a lanky striker that scored 18 goals in a league that no one knows of :s YNWA
let accept him 4 d 4st tym he may improve gud traore ivory coast player are gud
Listen most of these so called targets are rumours and guess work by the media nothing concrete that where missing out on. Gylfi is probably the only one we have missed out on because of the fee and wage demands most likely but all the other players linked is all hear say…
KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON…LFC
IN BRENDAN RODGERS WE TRUST!!!
Could just be that he wanted London life, its more than just wage demands and fee’s.
Ha ha! Hilarious. A tall order! ‘cos he’s tall! Genius! A career at The S*n beckons. Seriously though, ‘6 ft 8 in tall’? Also, our manager’s surname is Rodgers, not Rodger, not Rodger’s. ‘And we thought Andy Carroll was a tall!’ A tall what? Is english really your first language Harry?
These Football ignorant Yanks got LFC at very cheap, due to the RBS ultimatum to the previous jokers. Thinking of English Leagues revenue potential & LFC’s global image, they purchased LFC without much due diligence.
Last year, for Torres sale, those jokers couldn’t feel the heat, though KD blew most of that 50mn. This year, the Yanks are not finding it not so easy; appointed a cheap Manager. Though the likes of LVG, AVB or Cappelo were available, they went for Martinez, Rogers etc., Managers who are ready to try qualify top 4 position with Lacina Traroe, Daives, Moses etc.
Also, there is a great similarity between the current & previous Yanks regarding Stadium. I ‘ll not be surprised, if those Yanks sell out LFC with some profit.
Its a nightmare being a Kop fan;I do have hope though that things someday shall be okay-for I know I will never walk alone!
This is ridiculous even talking about this player coming to Liverpool, he’s signed for Anzhi in Russia about two days ago!!!!! If you followed the clubs targets properly you would know this
Liverpool will be great again, that is all i know. Up liverpool
To be frank, i dont like the manager. I need a manager that will bring big names to liverpool not victor moses.
Listen get with the times and open your bleeding eyes, we are no longer a big attraction, still a big club but big names require big salaries and CL football which we cannot provide, you thick piece of turd.
IN BRENDAN RODGERS WE TRUST