Despite having left the Premier League this summer, Rafa Benitez just can’t seem to stop popping up. The former Liverpool and Chelsea man seems to be obsessed with Premier League talent, and is using his current perch at Napoli to try and tempt players across to Serie A.
He’s already snapped up Pepe Reina from Liverpool, prompting the the Spaniard to write a thoughtful, honest ‘open letter’ to the fans. Whilst his career with the Reds was clearly winding down, some may well feel that it was brought to an end too soon.
And now it looks as though Rafa is about to strike again. According to The Mirror, Napoli are close to signing Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel on loan. It’s also suggested that Liverpool are attempting to tack on a clause that could make the deal permanent, if the Slovakian remains fit throughout the next season.
This, if true, is absolute madness. Have we forgot how good Skrtel is when he’s playing at full fitness? Surely the deal should be the other way round? If Skrtel manages to stay fit, Napoli will be unable to sign him on a permanent deal.
Despite his short-comings last season, he was clearly ready to stay and duke it out at Anfield. Whilst his form has been all over the place, this is largely down to the fact that he hasn’t had a consistent centre-back partner and has been plagued with a variety of injury problems.
But we all know what Skrtel can offer. Though he lacks pace, he’s strong, he’s powerful and he positions himself well. He’s imperious in the air and tough in the tackle. He’s played against some of the best attackers in the world and has a wealth of experience to offer.
Brendan Rodgers is slap-bang in the middle of giving his Liverpool squad a face-lift, but cutting ties with Skrtel, especially in the manner suggested above, won’t help.
Do the Reds really want to spend the rest of the summer on the hunt for another defender? It’s not like Liverpool are particularly flush in this area. At this stage, shouldn’t Brendan Rodgers be trying to get the most out of the players he has? Shouldn’t he be attempting to install confidence in the likes of Martin Skrtel for the season ahead?
The answers to all these questions all seem self-evident. I hope this one gets nipped in the bud quickly.
What’s your take? What does the future hold for Martin Skrtel?
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