Summer Transfers 2014

[Guest davelfc]

Hey it wouldn't be summer without a Xabi Alonso story, helicopter in Southport yet?

 

Liverpool are on red alert after it emerged that Real Madrid are ready to part ways with Xabi Alonso this summer.

The Champions League holders have moved to bring in Monaco's James Rodriguez and Bayern Munich's Toni Kroos during the current transfer window, heating up competition for places in midfield.

Manchester United target Angel Di Maria is set to be offloaded to French champions Paris St-Germain, whilst question marks remain over the future of Sami Khedira, who is being chased by both Arsenal and Chelsea.

However, Spanish outlet El Confidencial claims that Carlo Ancelotti would rather part with Anfield favourite Alonso after the midfielder returned from Spain's World Cup campaign in poor condition.

Alonso already looked set for a season on the sidelines, with Ancelotti planning to deploy Kroos alongside Luka Modric behind an attacking quartet of Rodriguez, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo, and the former Chelsea boss is now willing to sanction a move for Alonso back to Merseyside.

Liverpool have already added a number of players to their ranks including Adam Lallana and Emre Can, but Brendan Rodgers could now pounce for Alonso in order to provide Steven Gerrard with competition and cover for the role of midfield playmaker.

A reunion with the Kop faithful would surely appeal to Alonso, who previously admitted that there was nothing like playing in front of a full house at Anfield.

He said: "Liverpool was a very important part in my football career. Especially when we played at Anfield, we achieved great things and we had great nights at Anfield.

"There is a passion and atmosphere that comes when you play in England in the Premier League. It's special and I had the privilege to play for five years for Liverpool, and it's a really special club.

"Anfield is a beautiful stadium and it has a certain charm and style that is very difficult to find in other stadiums. So I miss it a little bit; I really enjoyed the time that I spent in England, it was very important for my football career."

 

http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/media-watch/express-anfield-return-for-star

[Anubis]

No thanks.

[Bjornebye]

Cant believe some people on here are against it.

[Anubis]

He's spent the last two seasons in decline in La Liga which is why Madrid will happily jettison him. If he can't cope with the pace of La Liga, he can't cope with the Premier League.

[Josef Svejk]

He's spent the last two seasons in decline in La Liga which is why Madrid will happily jettison him. If he can't cope with the pace of La Liga, he can't cope with the Premier League.

 

Has he? Is that why they played him in all the big games and gave him a new contract?

[Anubis]

Try playing him in the big games here. They'd pass him by. A new contract just keeps the transfer fee reasonable.

 

We've already got one Gerrard occupying that position. We don't need another.

[dickie mint]

Show us your chops Brendan Rodgers. Big season for him without the Suarez bungee cord. Not convinced that any defence with Johnson in it is about to offset the loss of Luis by conceding less. Squad a bit better? Yes. First 11 a bit worse? Yes again.

Spot on.

[Bjornebye]

Rubbish. He is a different player to Gerrard. If he wasn't suspended he would have played in the champions league final. He played against the european champions in the semi-final when his team walloped them. 

 

He also started 3 games for the world and european champions in the world cup. 

 

Big games would pass him by? Suck my fat one you son of a whore 

[Lario]

 

Hey it wouldn't be summer without a Xabi Alonso story, helicopter in Southport yet?

 

Liverpool are on red alert after it emerged that Real Madrid are ready to part ways with Xabi Alonso this summer.

The Champions League holders have moved to bring in Monaco's James Rodriguez and Bayern Munich's Toni Kroos during the current transfer window, heating up competition for places in midfield.

Manchester United target Angel Di Maria is set to be offloaded to French champions Paris St-Germain, whilst question marks remain over the future of Sami Khedira, who is being chased by both Arsenal and Chelsea.

However, Spanish outlet El Confidencial claims that Carlo Ancelotti would rather part with Anfield favourite Alonso after the midfielder returned from Spain's World Cup campaign in poor condition.

Alonso already looked set for a season on the sidelines, with Ancelotti planning to deploy Kroos alongside Luka Modric behind an attacking quartet of Rodriguez, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo, and the former Chelsea boss is now willing to sanction a move for Alonso back to Merseyside.

Liverpool have already added a number of players to their ranks including Adam Lallana and Emre Can, but Brendan Rodgers could now pounce for Alonso in order to provide Steven Gerrard with competition and cover for the role of midfield playmaker.

A reunion with the Kop faithful would surely appeal to Alonso, who previously admitted that there was nothing like playing in front of a full house at Anfield.

He said: "Liverpool was a very important part in my football career. Especially when we played at Anfield, we achieved great things and we had great nights at Anfield.

"There is a passion and atmosphere that comes when you play in England in the Premier League. It's special and I had the privilege to play for five years for Liverpool, and it's a really special club.

"Anfield is a beautiful stadium and it has a certain charm and style that is very difficult to find in other stadiums. So I miss it a little bit; I really enjoyed the time that I spent in England, it was very important for my football career."

 

http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/media-watch/express-anfield-return-for-star

 

 

Another one they've missed out on!

And Barcelona have moved ahead of them in the race for Vermaelen by actually making a bid for him!

 

They're so unlucky by just missing out on all these players, what with all the money they have!

 

/sarc

[Sugar Ape]

Latest from the Echo:

 

Liverpool FC will aim to wrap up the loan signing of Javier Manquillo in the next 24 hours.

 

And the Reds are confident of following that up by completing a move for Alberto Moreno in time for the new Premier League season.

 

Manquillo has been on Merseyside this week to undergo a medical ahead of his switch from Atletico Madrid .

 

The 20-year-old full-back will join on a two-year loan deal. Liverpool will have the option, at the end of this season, to make the move permanent for a fee of around £5m should they wish.

 

That fee could also be reduced, depending on how many games Manquillo starts during his time at Anfield.

 

Anfield officials also believe their long pursuit of Sevilla left-back Moreno is nearing a successful conclusion.

 

Liverpool have tracked the 21-year-old all summer, but had been forced to pursue alternative targets after being frustrated by the Spanish club’s £20m-plus valuation.

 

Now, though, a compromise is close to being agreed, with the Reds set to pay around £16m. The hold-up at present is concerning payment structure, though Liverpool are confident a deal will be struck by the time the new Premier League season gets under way in 10 days’ time.

 

It would mean Brendan Rodgers will have added seven new signings to his squad this summer, and he is expected to target an eighth, with a striker top of his agenda.

 

A move for Swansea City’s Wilfried Bony, though, appears unlikely at this point, with the Reds put off both by the Welsh club’s asking price, which would be around £20m, and by the Ivorian’s anticipated wage demands.

 

Young German attacking midfielder Julian Brandt has been watched, and impressed Reds scouts at the recent European U19 Championships in Hungary.

 

But prising the highly-rated 18-year-old away from his club, Bayer Leverkusen, could prove difficult this summer. He is seen as one to be monitored.

 

The future of Fabio Borini, meanwhile, remains unresolved.

 

The Italian returned home early from Liverpool’s tour of the USA with a shoulder injury, and has been deliberating over a possible £14m switch to Sunderland.

 

The Wearsiders would ideally like a decision from Borini this week, but Liverpool are keen not to part with the 23-year-old until a suitable replacement has been identified.

 

Borini fuelled speculation he would be moving to the North East by ‘favouriting’ a Tweet confirming Sunderland’s £10m signing of Jack Rodwell from Manchester City on Tuesday.

 

Elsewhere, young Liverpool defender Rafa Paez is expected to join Italian Serie B outfit Bologna on a season-long loan deal.

[Josef Svejk]

Try playing him in the big games here. They'd pass him by. A new contract just keeps the transfer fee reasonable.

 

We've already got one Gerrard occupying that position. We don't need another.

 

I'm not advocating his signing (or Gerrard in his current position). I'm just saying that he hasn't been in decline for the last couple of years. He's been first choice for club and country, though obviously time isn't on his side...

[Russ Atmosphere]

So basically if the financial terms are right then it's Bony who'll be our new striker.

[Josef Svejk]

So basically if the financial terms are right then it's Bony who'll be our new striker.

 

I'll have Bony over no additional striker, thank you. Not that he'd be my first choice.

[Dr Nowt]

I'll have Bony over no additional striker, thank you. Not that he'd be my first choice.

Likewise, however it hamstrings you for who you can bring in that's better down the line doesn't it - the problem with our current choice to make. But purely from a who's better point of view, I'd take Bony over Borini without hesitation.

 

He may not have pace but at least he has power. Fabio Magnifico has neither, and in the absence of exceptional talent, one of the two is pretty much a prerequisite to succeeding as a striker in our top flight.

[Russ Atmosphere]

Oh he's decent enough but you'll be pulling your hair out over Sturridge being accommodated on the wing and the laziness of the player in shooting from where he receives the ball a lot.

 

Why do I get the feeling that our main priority in replacing Suarez has been value, low prices. Did we not just receive £75m and get our highest wage earner off the books?

[Red Banjo]

Don't worry chums. I'm 87.33% certain we'll produce a Coutinho/Sakho style signing out of nowhere that the media never got wind of.

 

Brendan will be as worried about our lack of genuine top class up front, as we all are. The reason the Moreno deal is taking so long is because everyone is working behind the scenes on a new forward.

 

Chill Winstons, we've got this.

 

 

*I may be high on the excitement of my impending holiday.

[JoeyJones65]

 

A lot has been said about the goals and assists of Luis Suarez that we will miss this season. I think it goes even further than that. We will also miss his drive and will to win, especially in games where we could go a goal down through a defensive mistake or a bit of bad luck. That unpredictability, that touch of genius which could change things around won't be there this time around...

 

That's why I can see us dropping a number of silly points this season. Carra pretty much said himself that he expects us to have a couple of rough spells in the league where we will be saying "would have been different if Suarez was still here"

 

Hate to admit it but I fear we will fall back this season...how much we fall back will depend on if we resolve the striker issue. If we don't, we could struggle to finish 4th.

[Red Banjo]

Did we not just receive £75m and get our highest wage earner off the books?

We did. And Reina. That's £350k a week trimmed of the weekly wage bill.

 

However, I suspect Lallana, Lovren and Markovic will be on fairly sizeable contracts. And the rumoured new deals for Sturridge, Sterling and Coutinho pushing them up to the £100k+ club needs to accounted for.

[The Great Jacko]

We did. And Reina. That's £350k a week trimmed of the weekly wage bill.

 

However, I suspect Lallana, Lovren and Markovic will be on fairly sizeable contracts. And the rumoured new deals for Sturridge, Sterling and Coutinho pushing them up to the £100k+ club needs to accounted for.

Yep - I'm sure our wage bill will go up massively this year and that does impact on transfer fees available - we're going to have a lot of players on £60k-£100k a week.

[The Guest]

I think Alonso would be ideal as a backup/different option to Gerrard in the role Gerrard played last season.  Obviously it would all come down to how much he was paid though.  We are a possession based team and he's still one of the best passers in the game.  The decline comment is a complete nonsense.  He's getting older and of course he's not going to be as good as he was.  It doesn't mean he isn't still good enough though.  When he was here he didn't have much pace to aim at other than Cisse and Torres to play the ball into and he still stood out for being an amazing player.  With the side we've got now it would suit him down to a tee.

[Dr Nowt]

Why do I get the feeling that our main priority in replacing Suarez has been value, low prices. Did we not just receive £75m and get our highest wage earner off the books?

If the cap fits...

 

But either we put on a show of trying to sign Sanchez, I don't personally believe that but fair enough perhaps some do, or once we couldn't get him adopted the policy you've likely correctly identified, which seems self-defeating given the role's importance to the team.

 

Because the club via many media outlets let it be known they were bringing in Can, Lallana, Markovic, Lambert and Origi regardless of Suarez moving, and the defensive moves since were clearly all pre-planned as well, so you do have to wonder where the £35M for Sanchez came from/has gone.

 

I can partially accept there are few such players on the move and that we've perhaps decided to go for a stop-gap now to then try again next year - hence the Remy deal's attraction - but that largely at least resembles straw-clutching.

[Bjornebye]

I think Alonso would be ideal as a backup/different option to Gerrard in the role Gerrard played last season.  Obviously it would all come down to how much he was paid though.  We are a possession based team and he's still one of the best passers in the game.  The decline comment is a complete nonsense.  He's getting older and of course he's not going to be as good as he was.  It doesn't mean he isn't still good enough though.  When he was here he didn't have much pace to aim at other than Cisse and Torres to play the ball into and he still stood out for being an amazing player.  With the side we've got now it would suit him down to a tee.

 

I'd sign him and put Gerrard up-front. 

[FrenchEyeGlass]

You can stick bony up your arse. Fucking hell, our scouts are truly stealing a living.

[Bjornebye]

You can stick a bone up your arse. Fucking hell, our scouts are truly stealing a living.

 

Don't you start 

[Denny Crane]

I think Alonso would be ideal as a backup/different option to Gerrard in the role Gerrard played last season.  Obviously it would all come down to how much he was paid though.  We are a possession based team and he's still one of the best passers in the game.  The decline comment is a complete nonsense.  He's getting older and of course he's not going to be as good as he was.  It doesn't mean he isn't still good enough though.  When he was here he didn't have much pace to aim at other than Cisse and Torres to play the ball into and he still stood out for being an amazing player.  With the side we've got now it would suit him down to a tee.

 

I think Gerrard would end up playing backup to Alonso who is much more disciplined and mixes up his passes better than Gerrard. Knows when to play it short or long etc. Both are fantastic passers but Alonso has been big pimping that role for a generation. I actually think Alonso is much more suited to Mourinho, Benitez and DelBosque. Who give their midfielders much stricter instructions and are more concerned about balance and control than going gungho.  

 

It won't happen but Alonso does have a dilemma of what/where to go next.