Part of Manchester United’s problem last season was that they lacked any serious threat down the flanks. It was like The Red Devils’ wingers were competing with each other to see who could disappoint the fans the most.
Ashley Young has been on a downward spiral for quite some time now. Shinji Kagawa doesn’t seem to know his best position. Nani looks like he’s completely lost. Then there’s Antonio Valencia who spent most of last season blowing hot and cold.
In fact, it’s been two years now since Antonio Valencia has been at his best. Back in 2011/12, he played 38 games and found the back of the net 6 times. The following year, he wasn’t quite as effective, but he was still part of a title-winning side.
Last year, however, his form waxed and waned in a pretty spectacular fashion. Whilst he managed to chip in with 4 goals, he also went missing in a lot of games. With Manchester United often struggling to break down defenses they needed him to perform on a regular basis. Unfortunately, he wasn’t up to the challenge.
Still, at 28-years-old, there’s no doubting that he’s still a quality option. If he finds his feet again, he could help fire his team back up the Premier League. Or, he could try to expedite his route back to form by making a move back to another club.
This brings me to The Mirror‘s claim that Liverpool are in the market for Antonio Valencia. It’s not often that The Reds get linked to Manchester United players. When it happens, it’s worth sitting up and taking note.
The source notes that Manchester United spent £16m on Valencia back in 2009 and suggests that he could be available for just half that fee. Given that he’s got a huge amount of Premier League and Champions League experience, I can’t help but feel that Valencia could be a real bargain for Liverpool.
Brendan Rodgers brought in Victor Moses on loan from Chelsea last season in order to add more cut and thrust down the flanks. Unfortunately this just didn’t do the trick. Antonio Valencia certainly looks like a better fit for The Reds. Let’s see if Rodgers is ready to take the gamble.
What’s your take? Should Liverpool be interested in Antonio Valencia?
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