In Part1 of this article, I went about
assessing the Liverpool Squad. In this part, I will be assessing the potential
departures from the Liverpool squad and their transfer targets. This piece has turned out to be a tad long, so
please bear with me. :P
And so I begin without further ado.
POTENTIAL DEPARTURES:
Oussama Assaidi: Assaidi’s Liverpool career is as good as over. To say the winger has failed to make any impact would be an understatement. The player was brought essentially as a squad cover, but even that is not justification enough for so few appearances, 3 in the league and 11 in total, with majority of those coming as a substitute. At £2.3m Assaidi was a no risk buy. He was never expected to have any real impact on starting XI, but whenever he has been allowed to play, the winger has shown an ability to beat the man. Liverpool would cash-in, should they receive a suitable offer.
Martin Skrtel: Skrtel’s form has dropped spectacularly this season. From playing every minute of the league campaign 2 seasons ago, he has been dropped in the last 4 out of 5 games, starting the away leg tie against Zenit due to the unavailability of Agger. Question marks on his attitude have been circulating, with Brendan Rodgers openly criticizing the player. Zenit St. Petersburg seem interested in their former player at the same time. Skrtel is 29 right now, and by FSG’s calculations at present, he is at his highest sell-on value. Hence, Liverpool will definitely sell him if they get an offer in the region of £12 - 13m.
Possibility: 9/10 (I’d be surprised if this didn’t happen.)
Sebastian Coates: Coates hasn’t been able to kick on in his 2nd season in English football. He was a player brought with high expectations having impressed in the Copa America. Coates has only managed 10 appearances this season with last coming in the game against Oldham, where he was bullied off the park by a striker who was playing university football just a year ago. The defender still has potential though, whether he will realize that at Liverpool is uncertain. At his age, Coates needs to playing regularly. Juventus have been mentioned as a possible destination. Liverpool should loan him out first, with an option to sell.
Possibility: 9/10 (The player himself has expressed a desire to leave in order to gain regular first team football.)
Pepe Reina: Pepe Reina has time and again reiterated his desire to remain at Anfield and see his current contract through. But the wheels have been set in motion with his agent jetting to Anfield to discuss his future in the January transfer window. It is hard to ignore if Barcelona come calling, but just about impossible if you were their academy product. Reina is 31 years old. He shouldn’t be criticized for his desire to leave for the biggest prizes, something which Liverpool cannot offer at the moment. There aren’t many keepers out there of Reina’s ilk. In my opinion, Liverpool should try to hang on to him. If they are to sell, it would at the least take an amount of £15m+ to prize him.
Possibility: 7/10 (It all depends on the player, whether he wants to stay or leave?)
Jonjo Shelvey: Shelvey is promising player who is only 20 years old and can develop so much over the next few years. An England international at 20, he is too good for the Championship but not good enough for Liverpool right now. The player has an eye for a pass, shows good movement but certainly lacks technique in the final third. He also shows an infuriating lack of discipline, much like Rafael during his initial days with United. Despite this, I rate the player. Right now Shelvey is not good enough to challenge either Henderson or Allen for a starting spot and neither is he going to displace Coutinho or Downing. He should be loaned out next season to get games under his belt. A loan move to the likes of Norwich, Aston Villa (if they survive!), West Brom or any of the Premiership new boys would be good for him.
Possibility: 6/10 (I want this to happen, but its upto Brendan.)
Suso: As I mentioned in Part1, Suso is a great prospect and definitely not the finished article by any means. He can be one of the biggest players in club football in the coming years, but for that he needs to be playing games week-in week out. Look what a difference playing regularly at Wigan made to Cleverly. You know where I’m going with this. Suso needs to be loaned out next season (preferably to Swansea).
Possibility: 8/10 (I know Brendan rates the player, but he is behind even Shelvey in the pecking order!)
John Flannagan: When given a chance, Flannagan has shown promise despite some mistakes. A no-nonsense defender who likes to go forward, he still has to work on his positional sense. One thing the fullback is definitely shown is that he is not afraid to go into challenges and can lunge into crunching tackles as evidenced by his displays. Andre Wisdom has seized his opportunity with both hands to leave Flanno further distanced from a starting spot. Not to mention, the return of Martin Kelly would leave even Wisdom behind. A loan move to a Championship side similar to Robinson would be good. It would iron out his mistakes as well as make him physically equipped for scrappy affairs.
Possibility: 8/10
TRANSFER TARGETS:
Goalkeepers:
Asmir Begovic: If Reina leaves in the summer, Liverpool need to find a solid replacement. As I said earlier, there aren’t many keepers out there of Reina’s ilk. Begovic is not certainly in Reina’s class but he is a very solid keeper and a very good shot stopper. Furthermore, he is only 25 years old and has been playing in the Premier League for 3 seasons now. He won’t come cheap though, with Stoke having purchased Jack Butland, they are in a hard bargaing position. Stoke would demand at least £15m+ for their man. But it would be money well spent as Liverpool would be getting a goalkeeper who has plenty of PL experience with his best years ahead of him, and crucially fits into the mold of players FSG want to sign.
Possibility: 7/10 (If and only if Reina leaves!)
Ali Al-Habsi: Al-Habsi has been fantastic for Wigan for the past two seasons. He has been one of the main reasons the Lactics have survived the drop. If Wigan get relegated, he would be available for a comparatively less figure of £5-7m. Though he is 31, he would be a good investment in the short term. But there is a low chance of this transfer happening, judging by his age and no sell on value, FSG wouldn’t be very keen to sign him.
Possibility: 4/10 (You never know, if any other club out bid Liverpool for Begovic.)
Other notable mentions: Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Borussia Monchengladbach), Guillermo Ochoa (Ajaccio)
Defense:
Ashley Williams: In recent weeks, Rodgers has been linked with another one of his formers players in Ashley Williams. Williams is having a fine season, his performances in both the Pl & the League Cup would have increased his value. He is at the peak of his powers at 29. Williams is someone who would slot straight in the staring XI at Liverpool and be one of the experienced players in the squad. In addition, his leadership qualities on the field could prove invaluable. At the same time, a step up to Liverpool could be too much for him. It’s one thing doing it for Swansea but completely different doing it at Liverpool where the spotlight and pressure is immense. Also, he would not come cheap. Liverpool would be wiser from their previous experience in the Joe Allen transfer, that Swansea usually sell only if the offer meets their valuations. In this case, they might again hold out for £15m.
Possibility: 6/10 (The player is 29, he doesn’t fit the FSG criteria and Rodgers would have some convincing to do as his two former player signings haven’t exactly set the world alight.)
Stefan De Vrij: It’s time for the big fish! De Vrij has alerted several clubs across Europe after refusing to sign a new contract. De Vrij is one of the best young Centre Backs in the Netherlands and the player has already become the first choice CB for his country along with his team mate Bruno Martins Indi. The player is used to dealing with pressure as he has been Feyenoord since the age of 19 and just recently turned 21! He certainly fits FSG’s criteria, but all the other top clubs are also hovering around. It would be quite a coup to sign him! Liverpool would have to pay top dollar to sign such a talent. Rodgers’s scouting to watch the game between Feyenoord & PSV has only added fuel to the fire.
Possiblity: 5/10 (The player would command a transfer fee of atleast £12-15m!)
Bruno Martins Indi: If I were Brendan Rodgers, I would personally be scouting Bruno Martins Indi. With several clubs in pursuit of De Vrij, Indi might just go unnoticed. Indi is equally good if not better than De Vrij and both are of the same age. He is also the preferred CB partner with De Vrij for Louis Van Gaal. He can also play as Left Back. This versatility should appeal Liverpool because, if they sign him they would be getting a very talented young player and they also wouldn’t have to worry about signing a Left Back as competition for Enrique. He would also come in the same price range as De Vrij or he might come just a little cheaper.
Possibility: 6/10 (There is one more reason for none of the above two transfers happening-“EXPERIENCE”, both players are not much experienced and Rodgers is clearly targeting experience. But, you never know!)
Inigo Martinez: Not a very familiar name on the list here. Most youtube scouters would remember him as the defender who has scored 2 goals from his own half and one 30 yard backheel Own Goal, the finish a striker would be proud of. But Martinez has come on leaps and bounds and is having a fine season for Real Sociedad. La Real themselves are having a very good season with a new look team. The cultured centre half has a belter of a left foot and has very good technique. He is one of the best ball playing centre halves in the La Liga. With him in the side, Real Sociedad have the 5th best defensive record in La Liga conceding only 31 goals so far. The young defender is only 21 and he might come cheap as Real Sociedad’s financial situation is not that good.
Possibility: 7/10 (Spain is the market to find value for money.)
Other notable mentions: Modibo Diakite (Lazio)
Midfield:
Benat Extebarria: A player Liverpool should try their utmost to sign. Liverpool have a lacked a true deep lying playmaker since Xabi Alonso left. Gerrard has adjusted in that role this season, but he will not be around for much longer, as he turns 33 in the summer. Signing Benat could help free up Gerrard and could lead to him playing further up front in a classic No.10 role. Gerrard could also become the utility man at Liverpool playing in a variety of positions with success. Benat primarily plays in that deep lying playmaker role for Real Betis. He has good variety of passing and distribution of the ball. A testament to his quality is that he is one of the only few players not playing for Real & Barcelona in La Liga to have been capped by Spain. At 26, he is about the peak of his career, would be available for around £15m. Liverpool can lure the player with the promise of a starting berth, something which other top clubs won’t be able to guarantee.
Possibility: 7/10
Lucas Biglia: He is playmaker who can play anywhere across the central midfield area. He is clearly not a defensive midfielder as his wiki profile suggests. Biglia possesses a good range of passing with an eye for a pass. He is a full international for Argentina with 7 caps and at 27, he is about to enter the peak of his career. His price tag of €5-6m makes him an attractive proposition for Liverpool. The only worry is, he has played consistently well in the Belgian Super League, a league not known for its competitiveness. Liverpool would be wary of signing him, considering the failure of their last Belgian import, Milan Jovanovic.
Other notable mentions: Steven Defour (FC Porto)
Forward Line:
Tom Ince: The ex-liverpool academy player has lit up the Championship with his performances. Liverpool will most likely sign him, as the player has expressed a desire to move back and they have a 35% sell-on clause in the transfer agreement with Blackpool, which will reduce the transfer value. Tom Ince with Wilfred Zaha, has been the player of the Championship so far. His ability to score goals and to play anywhere across the front three would appeal to Brendan Rodgers.
Possibility: 8/10 (Karl Oyston is a hard bargainer! Ince might still end up with someone who pays more.)
Any Backup Striker: Liverpool should be looking to sign a decent backup striker to compete with Sturridge, Suarez and Borini. They should be looking at getting the likes of Kevin Gameiro, Jose Callejon on loan.
Possiblity: 8/10 (Be prepared for an unexpected striker on-loan signing!)
Other notable mentions: Markel Susaeta (Right Winger, Athletic Club de Bilbao), Gary Hooper (Striker, Celtic)
THE VERDICT: I reckon Liverpool would at least get a new CB, one midfielder and a striker on-loan. Martin Kelly might be groomed for the CB role. In addition, we might see some much unexpected out of the box signings. Liverpool need atleast one very good winger apart from Stewart Downing. Will they get one? I don’t think so.
And so I begin without further ado.
POTENTIAL DEPARTURES:
Oussama Assaidi: Assaidi’s Liverpool career is as good as over. To say the winger has failed to make any impact would be an understatement. The player was brought essentially as a squad cover, but even that is not justification enough for so few appearances, 3 in the league and 11 in total, with majority of those coming as a substitute. At £2.3m Assaidi was a no risk buy. He was never expected to have any real impact on starting XI, but whenever he has been allowed to play, the winger has shown an ability to beat the man. Liverpool would cash-in, should they receive a suitable offer.
Martin Skrtel: Skrtel’s form has dropped spectacularly this season. From playing every minute of the league campaign 2 seasons ago, he has been dropped in the last 4 out of 5 games, starting the away leg tie against Zenit due to the unavailability of Agger. Question marks on his attitude have been circulating, with Brendan Rodgers openly criticizing the player. Zenit St. Petersburg seem interested in their former player at the same time. Skrtel is 29 right now, and by FSG’s calculations at present, he is at his highest sell-on value. Hence, Liverpool will definitely sell him if they get an offer in the region of £12 - 13m.
Possibility: 9/10 (I’d be surprised if this didn’t happen.)
Sebastian Coates: Coates hasn’t been able to kick on in his 2nd season in English football. He was a player brought with high expectations having impressed in the Copa America. Coates has only managed 10 appearances this season with last coming in the game against Oldham, where he was bullied off the park by a striker who was playing university football just a year ago. The defender still has potential though, whether he will realize that at Liverpool is uncertain. At his age, Coates needs to playing regularly. Juventus have been mentioned as a possible destination. Liverpool should loan him out first, with an option to sell.
Possibility: 9/10 (The player himself has expressed a desire to leave in order to gain regular first team football.)
Pepe Reina: Pepe Reina has time and again reiterated his desire to remain at Anfield and see his current contract through. But the wheels have been set in motion with his agent jetting to Anfield to discuss his future in the January transfer window. It is hard to ignore if Barcelona come calling, but just about impossible if you were their academy product. Reina is 31 years old. He shouldn’t be criticized for his desire to leave for the biggest prizes, something which Liverpool cannot offer at the moment. There aren’t many keepers out there of Reina’s ilk. In my opinion, Liverpool should try to hang on to him. If they are to sell, it would at the least take an amount of £15m+ to prize him.
Possibility: 7/10 (It all depends on the player, whether he wants to stay or leave?)
Jonjo Shelvey: Shelvey is promising player who is only 20 years old and can develop so much over the next few years. An England international at 20, he is too good for the Championship but not good enough for Liverpool right now. The player has an eye for a pass, shows good movement but certainly lacks technique in the final third. He also shows an infuriating lack of discipline, much like Rafael during his initial days with United. Despite this, I rate the player. Right now Shelvey is not good enough to challenge either Henderson or Allen for a starting spot and neither is he going to displace Coutinho or Downing. He should be loaned out next season to get games under his belt. A loan move to the likes of Norwich, Aston Villa (if they survive!), West Brom or any of the Premiership new boys would be good for him.
Possibility: 6/10 (I want this to happen, but its upto Brendan.)
Suso: As I mentioned in Part1, Suso is a great prospect and definitely not the finished article by any means. He can be one of the biggest players in club football in the coming years, but for that he needs to be playing games week-in week out. Look what a difference playing regularly at Wigan made to Cleverly. You know where I’m going with this. Suso needs to be loaned out next season (preferably to Swansea).
Possibility: 8/10 (I know Brendan rates the player, but he is behind even Shelvey in the pecking order!)
John Flannagan: When given a chance, Flannagan has shown promise despite some mistakes. A no-nonsense defender who likes to go forward, he still has to work on his positional sense. One thing the fullback is definitely shown is that he is not afraid to go into challenges and can lunge into crunching tackles as evidenced by his displays. Andre Wisdom has seized his opportunity with both hands to leave Flanno further distanced from a starting spot. Not to mention, the return of Martin Kelly would leave even Wisdom behind. A loan move to a Championship side similar to Robinson would be good. It would iron out his mistakes as well as make him physically equipped for scrappy affairs.
Possibility: 8/10
TRANSFER TARGETS:
Goalkeepers:
Asmir Begovic: If Reina leaves in the summer, Liverpool need to find a solid replacement. As I said earlier, there aren’t many keepers out there of Reina’s ilk. Begovic is not certainly in Reina’s class but he is a very solid keeper and a very good shot stopper. Furthermore, he is only 25 years old and has been playing in the Premier League for 3 seasons now. He won’t come cheap though, with Stoke having purchased Jack Butland, they are in a hard bargaing position. Stoke would demand at least £15m+ for their man. But it would be money well spent as Liverpool would be getting a goalkeeper who has plenty of PL experience with his best years ahead of him, and crucially fits into the mold of players FSG want to sign.
Possibility: 7/10 (If and only if Reina leaves!)
Ali Al-Habsi: Al-Habsi has been fantastic for Wigan for the past two seasons. He has been one of the main reasons the Lactics have survived the drop. If Wigan get relegated, he would be available for a comparatively less figure of £5-7m. Though he is 31, he would be a good investment in the short term. But there is a low chance of this transfer happening, judging by his age and no sell on value, FSG wouldn’t be very keen to sign him.
Possibility: 4/10 (You never know, if any other club out bid Liverpool for Begovic.)
Other notable mentions: Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Borussia Monchengladbach), Guillermo Ochoa (Ajaccio)
Defense:
Ashley Williams: In recent weeks, Rodgers has been linked with another one of his formers players in Ashley Williams. Williams is having a fine season, his performances in both the Pl & the League Cup would have increased his value. He is at the peak of his powers at 29. Williams is someone who would slot straight in the staring XI at Liverpool and be one of the experienced players in the squad. In addition, his leadership qualities on the field could prove invaluable. At the same time, a step up to Liverpool could be too much for him. It’s one thing doing it for Swansea but completely different doing it at Liverpool where the spotlight and pressure is immense. Also, he would not come cheap. Liverpool would be wiser from their previous experience in the Joe Allen transfer, that Swansea usually sell only if the offer meets their valuations. In this case, they might again hold out for £15m.
Possibility: 6/10 (The player is 29, he doesn’t fit the FSG criteria and Rodgers would have some convincing to do as his two former player signings haven’t exactly set the world alight.)
Stefan De Vrij: It’s time for the big fish! De Vrij has alerted several clubs across Europe after refusing to sign a new contract. De Vrij is one of the best young Centre Backs in the Netherlands and the player has already become the first choice CB for his country along with his team mate Bruno Martins Indi. The player is used to dealing with pressure as he has been Feyenoord since the age of 19 and just recently turned 21! He certainly fits FSG’s criteria, but all the other top clubs are also hovering around. It would be quite a coup to sign him! Liverpool would have to pay top dollar to sign such a talent. Rodgers’s scouting to watch the game between Feyenoord & PSV has only added fuel to the fire.
Possiblity: 5/10 (The player would command a transfer fee of atleast £12-15m!)
Bruno Martins Indi: If I were Brendan Rodgers, I would personally be scouting Bruno Martins Indi. With several clubs in pursuit of De Vrij, Indi might just go unnoticed. Indi is equally good if not better than De Vrij and both are of the same age. He is also the preferred CB partner with De Vrij for Louis Van Gaal. He can also play as Left Back. This versatility should appeal Liverpool because, if they sign him they would be getting a very talented young player and they also wouldn’t have to worry about signing a Left Back as competition for Enrique. He would also come in the same price range as De Vrij or he might come just a little cheaper.
Possibility: 6/10 (There is one more reason for none of the above two transfers happening-“EXPERIENCE”, both players are not much experienced and Rodgers is clearly targeting experience. But, you never know!)
Inigo Martinez: Not a very familiar name on the list here. Most youtube scouters would remember him as the defender who has scored 2 goals from his own half and one 30 yard backheel Own Goal, the finish a striker would be proud of. But Martinez has come on leaps and bounds and is having a fine season for Real Sociedad. La Real themselves are having a very good season with a new look team. The cultured centre half has a belter of a left foot and has very good technique. He is one of the best ball playing centre halves in the La Liga. With him in the side, Real Sociedad have the 5th best defensive record in La Liga conceding only 31 goals so far. The young defender is only 21 and he might come cheap as Real Sociedad’s financial situation is not that good.
Possibility: 7/10 (Spain is the market to find value for money.)
Other notable mentions: Modibo Diakite (Lazio)
Midfield:
Benat Extebarria: A player Liverpool should try their utmost to sign. Liverpool have a lacked a true deep lying playmaker since Xabi Alonso left. Gerrard has adjusted in that role this season, but he will not be around for much longer, as he turns 33 in the summer. Signing Benat could help free up Gerrard and could lead to him playing further up front in a classic No.10 role. Gerrard could also become the utility man at Liverpool playing in a variety of positions with success. Benat primarily plays in that deep lying playmaker role for Real Betis. He has good variety of passing and distribution of the ball. A testament to his quality is that he is one of the only few players not playing for Real & Barcelona in La Liga to have been capped by Spain. At 26, he is about the peak of his career, would be available for around £15m. Liverpool can lure the player with the promise of a starting berth, something which other top clubs won’t be able to guarantee.
Possibility: 7/10
Lucas Biglia: He is playmaker who can play anywhere across the central midfield area. He is clearly not a defensive midfielder as his wiki profile suggests. Biglia possesses a good range of passing with an eye for a pass. He is a full international for Argentina with 7 caps and at 27, he is about to enter the peak of his career. His price tag of €5-6m makes him an attractive proposition for Liverpool. The only worry is, he has played consistently well in the Belgian Super League, a league not known for its competitiveness. Liverpool would be wary of signing him, considering the failure of their last Belgian import, Milan Jovanovic.
Other notable mentions: Steven Defour (FC Porto)
Forward Line:
Tom Ince: The ex-liverpool academy player has lit up the Championship with his performances. Liverpool will most likely sign him, as the player has expressed a desire to move back and they have a 35% sell-on clause in the transfer agreement with Blackpool, which will reduce the transfer value. Tom Ince with Wilfred Zaha, has been the player of the Championship so far. His ability to score goals and to play anywhere across the front three would appeal to Brendan Rodgers.
Possibility: 8/10 (Karl Oyston is a hard bargainer! Ince might still end up with someone who pays more.)
Any Backup Striker: Liverpool should be looking to sign a decent backup striker to compete with Sturridge, Suarez and Borini. They should be looking at getting the likes of Kevin Gameiro, Jose Callejon on loan.
Possiblity: 8/10 (Be prepared for an unexpected striker on-loan signing!)
Other notable mentions: Markel Susaeta (Right Winger, Athletic Club de Bilbao), Gary Hooper (Striker, Celtic)
THE VERDICT: I reckon Liverpool would at least get a new CB, one midfielder and a striker on-loan. Martin Kelly might be groomed for the CB role. In addition, we might see some much unexpected out of the box signings. Liverpool need atleast one very good winger apart from Stewart Downing. Will they get one? I don’t think so.
Nice one Viraj! Very well articulated.
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