Simon Kjaer linked

[WaltonRed]

Liverpool are ready to kick off the race for rising Denmark star Simon Kjaer, according to a report in The People today.

 

The big defender, 20, wants a move to the Barclays Premier League and agents acting on his behalf have been instructed to secure a switch to a top-four club.

 

The Reds have indicated an interest and People Sport understands they would be willing to make a bid of around £10m.

 

Kjaer has a release clause of 12m euros (£10.8m) in his deal at Palermo and president Maurizio Zamparini is adamant that he will not be leaving for a penny less.

 

All monies must also be paid up front.

 

That is not too far from Liverpool's valuation and Kjaer would jump at the chance to sign for the Anfield club.

 

Chelsea and Manchester United are also monitoring Kjaer's situation, and Juventus are also keen.

 

But the English top flight is his preferred destination and Liverpool hope to steal a march on their rivals.

 

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The People can hardly be trusted but it would seem we are in the market for a centre-half.

 

I wonder if we could throw Dossena in on any possible deal.

[Iantn]

How much would Dossena take off that 10?

 

Not that I can see us finding the rest with selling Mascherano for big money.

[Red Nick]

Dream on

 

We will only be getting loan sigings until the club finances are resolved and that is unlikely to be in january

[Royal Family]

Wrong team in the north-west that plays in red.... He'll be a United player by the summer. Ferguson has already tapped him up.

[cestrianred]

Don't think Center Half is priority, as with Ayala, Kelly & Mavinga I think we've good cover close to being ready.

Think the Greek played ok yesterday & is worth a place ahead of Skrtel on current form.

[Crazyhorse7778]

Finding it hard to kjaer about transfer speculation given the state we are in.

[WaltonRed]

The Greek played well? He got skinned for there 2nd goal

[cestrianred]

The Greek played well? He got skinned for there 2nd goal

 

He got turned by SWP, something he'd have done to most of our defence with that move.

At least wins the headers, clears his lines and sticks within his limits.

 

Skrtel made far more errors (as he has consistently this season) & looks a shadow of the player he was in his first 12 months (remember the 08 CL semi 2nd leg at Chelsea, when he went off it changed as Drogba was bottled up until then-that was how highly I thought of him....THEN!).

[cestrianred]

If you watch Ayala in the reserves on LFCTV there's reason to be cheerful.

He takes no prisoners & attacks headers like a tank-been impressed this season. Mavinga looks a good addition to, bit more finesse than Ayala but they compliment each other.

[Xherdan]

Am I the only one who doesnt know what a tank-been is?

[cestrianred]

Am I the only one who doesnt know what a tank-been is?

 

:yes:

 

attacks the ball like a tank, (not - )!

[05 Milan]

I really hope he is a replacement for Skrtel.

[Josef Svejk]

Skrtel plus Dossena? If he's worth it...

[WaltonRed]

Mertesacker would be a better signing, and Werder would probably take money and Skrtel.

[Guest LFD]

Oh so people have now decided Skrtel is shite.

 

Short memories.

[WaltonRed]

Who said he's shite in this thread?

[05 Milan]

Oh so people have now decided Skrtel is shite.

 

Short memories.

 

I don't think he is good enough. Too many mistakes, not dominant enough in the air for a player of his role. Not "shite", but like Insua and Kuyt not good enough to start for us.

[Josef Svejk]

Who said he's shite in this thread?

 

Exactly. I don't think he is.

[Liverpoolway]

I don't think he is good enough. Too many mistakes, not dominant enough in the air for a player of his role. Not "shite", but like Insua and Kuyt not good enough to start for us.

 

I've never rated Skrtel, and even when he had the occasional decent game his faults were evident. He's a poor man marker, he makes too many free kicks (rash tackles, shirt pulling) and he's a liability in the air.

 

Liverpool really need another defender, as well as Kelly and Ayala stepping up over the next year or so (hopefully Mavinga will make it as well, but if he does it will probably be as a left back).

 

I'm not sure if Simon Kjaer would be the solution though. A young Sol Campbell-esque player is what I'm hoping for.

[Trucker Paddy]

Magic beans

[jackofdk]

Kjær is an amazing prospect-

 

At 20 he has established himself as a regular at a Serie A club, and this season - his second down there - coach Walter Zenga has made him the leader of the defense. That means that it is Kjær, he pulls aside and talks tactics with and that he is responsible for the overall performance of the defense. He seems to have an exceptional maturity and game intelligence.

 

He is also fast becoming first choice for Denmark, though he has only played something like five games at the moment. There is a very telling story from the last game Denmark played (against USA). Apparently he took the word at half time and told the rest of the team, that he'd noticed how there was space behind the USA backline when the danish forward pulled wide. In the second half Denmark made three goals more or less because of that.

 

He is going to be one of the finest defenders in Europe, I'm pretty sure, but I have a slight concern over whether he is suited to the english game. He isn't a very physically strong or tall player, but he is an excellent header of the ball because of timing and he jumps high. He is also very aggressive and tactically great.

 

I guess he could be similar to Carvalho without the dirtyness, in which case he would obviously be a great buy.

 

I think his buy out clause - that the club is currently trying to erase with a hefty payrise in a new contract - is "only" at 10m euros. But it is hard to see where the money should come from, I guess.

 

Bonus fact: He - or at least his family - is a massive red. The basement of their house in Denmark is all filled with Liverpool stuff.

[WaltonRed]

We should of been in for him before he went to Palermo.

 

He's been on a lot of peoples radars for a long time.

 

Another good post Jack, thanks for the insight.

[Paul]

Don't think Center Half is priority, as with Ayala, Kelly & Mavinga I think we've good cover close to being ready.

Think the Greek played ok yesterday & is worth a place ahead of Skrtel on current form.

 

Christ, I do mate. Agger is broken, Skrtel is good but nowhere near great and The Greek is a highly pragmatic stop gap who is entirely unsuited to playing every week, in my view. The kids are too inexperienced to be anything other than squaddies as yet, so that only leaves Carra who, unlike others, I believe will be a mainstay for a few years yet, as proven defensive quality at the back. We're desperate for a dominant centre half to partner with him, in my view. Sami with pace is what we need - and hopefully for a similar fee to the one the big fella cost us.

 

Meanwhile, back in the real world...

[Red Nick]

Our problem are at the back we should have max point against Brum and City and didnt due to horrendous defending as a team.

[Dan Vito Corleone]

I guess he could be similar to Carvalho without the dirtyness, in which case he would obviously be a great buy.

 

In a fascinating and insightful post, this is what catches my eye. Carvalho is a quality defender. Age is catching up with him now but he's been a top centre half for a long time now. Chelsea look far more vulnerable when he doesn't play, he seems to bring the best out of Mongo.

 

Is he a first or second ball version of Carvalho?