Last summer, Liverpool were heavily linked with a move for Porto left back Alvaro Periera, one of Luis Suarez's Uruguay team-mates. Kenny Dalglish ended up signing Jose Enrique instead, but now it appears that Liverpool could be set to reignite their interest in the player.
According to a report in Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manhã, Brendan Rodgers is a fan of Pereira's attacking abilities, and a Porto Source claimed that the Uruguayan could be available 'for less than 20 million euros".
Pereira is under contract at Porto until 2016, but he has a £17.5million buy-out clause in his contract, which seems to fit with the club's source's contention that he could be available for less than €20m.
Pereira's Agent, Alejandro Savich, confirmed last week that the Uruguayan would consider leaving Porto if the right offer came in:
"He [Pereira] will stay unless there is an offer. So far there is nothing at all".
Pereira's himself also suggested recently that he may be on the move this summer. He told Sky Sports 24:
"I do not know what will happen. I'm still in South America and when I return to Portugal I have to talk with Porto to decide on my future, but for now I am player of Porto".
I may be in the minority here but I'm not convinced that Jose Enrique is the long-term solution to Liverpool's left back position. His form tailed off badly during the second half of last season, and as the stats below show, his distribution in the final third is consistently woeful:
* 21% crossing accuracy (109 off-target crosses)
* 27% shooting accuracy (Only 3 shots on target all season)
* 70% passing accuracy in opposition half.
* Defensively, won only 57% of ground/aerial duels.
Stats: OPTA
Enrique is a good player but end product matters, and for the amount of time and possession he has in the final third, the Spaniard's end product is just not good enough.
Additionally, there is no real competition for Enrique's position, and the arrival of another top quality left-back would be a good thing for the squad, and may even push Enrique to up his game.
Jaimie Kanwar
According to a report in Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manhã, Brendan Rodgers is a fan of Pereira's attacking abilities, and a Porto Source claimed that the Uruguayan could be available 'for less than 20 million euros".
Pereira is under contract at Porto until 2016, but he has a £17.5million buy-out clause in his contract, which seems to fit with the club's source's contention that he could be available for less than €20m.
Pereira's Agent, Alejandro Savich, confirmed last week that the Uruguayan would consider leaving Porto if the right offer came in:
"He [Pereira] will stay unless there is an offer. So far there is nothing at all".
Pereira's himself also suggested recently that he may be on the move this summer. He told Sky Sports 24:
"I do not know what will happen. I'm still in South America and when I return to Portugal I have to talk with Porto to decide on my future, but for now I am player of Porto".
I may be in the minority here but I'm not convinced that Jose Enrique is the long-term solution to Liverpool's left back position. His form tailed off badly during the second half of last season, and as the stats below show, his distribution in the final third is consistently woeful:
* 21% crossing accuracy (109 off-target crosses)
* 27% shooting accuracy (Only 3 shots on target all season)
* 70% passing accuracy in opposition half.
* Defensively, won only 57% of ground/aerial duels.
Stats: OPTA
Enrique is a good player but end product matters, and for the amount of time and possession he has in the final third, the Spaniard's end product is just not good enough.
Additionally, there is no real competition for Enrique's position, and the arrival of another top quality left-back would be a good thing for the squad, and may even push Enrique to up his game.
Jaimie Kanwar
Enrique is a bit scatter-brained at times, not totally convinced by him at all.
ReplyDeleteErinque is good but yeh he has no one challenging him to the LB position. Tbh I rather sign vargas he availeble for 3-5 million and when erinque bombs forward he can slot in for him... Like what ekotta does for spurs with bale..
ReplyDeleteTo be fair first half of the season he was really good and during the second half of the season most of the players were poor, much harder to play well in a team that is not performing.
ReplyDeleteI think left back is that fine line at the moment where Enrique really let himself down in the second half of the season either we provide competition or replace him. At our current position I would go for the latter purely becos i don't think we have the money to invest heavily.
ReplyDeleteAnd if the rumors of carrol and Bellamy leaving for 2m this season we r gonna need to invest in our dwindling attack.
Also should have added that for £17.5 million we could spend that money more wisely in other areas.
ReplyDelete£17.5m for a position we have covered. Why? Attacking reinforcements are a much higher priority.
ReplyDeleteJaimie, I think that Jack Robinson will be a serious left back in years to come.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure we can get this guy with the budget in hand.
On a upbeat note have you seen the squad for the Europa League ?
On a DOWNBEAT note unfortunately Spearing Downing & Adam have all made the trip and look likely to feature.
When that team take to the pitch tomorrow, if Downing, Carragher, Adam & Spearing start then I give Rogers another 18 months as Manager.
He doesn't seem to have watched any of their performances last season on DVD.
Anyone would tell him that these players were reason we didn't do well along with Dalglish and Carroll.
My optimism is quickly waning.
Spot on about terrible product in final third. I don't know how many times I've seen him fire a cross into the first defender. He's good at protecting the ball and running down the flank (gaining territory) but his crossing is atrocious.
ReplyDeleteI doubt he would actually cost 17.5m.
ReplyDeleteDID NONE OF YOU CHAPS WATCH JACK ROBINSON IN THE TOUR GAMES? HE LOOKS MORE THAN CAPABLE OF GETTING THE LEFT BACK SLOT
ReplyDeleteenrique puzzles me he is sometimes world class and sometimes a konchesky. but as is i dont think we can afford pereira because it seems we are signing ramirez. so if we get ramirez, we will have spent about 26 mil. and thats all in transfers as im concerned.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you re Downing, Adam, Carra and Spearing (although I have a soft spot for Adam), but my optimism is not waning. Rodgers may have to use those players through necessity as the squad is pretty thin at the moment. I'm sure though by the time the transfer window closes, reliance on those players will be drastically reduced. If those four players are playing regularly in September, then we have a problem (!)
ReplyDeleteKanwar,
ReplyDeleteTo put stats up for Enrique and say his form tailed off in the 2nd half of the season - than you may as well apply that to the whole of the team and replace all the squad according to your followers logic.
Spending circa £17.5k on a position that can be covered by Johnson and the young lad if need be is daft. There are more important positions to think about.
Aly cissoko(most prob spelt that wrong) of Lyon or Vargas of fiorentina are cheaper and just as good. Also Vargas can play left wing if we do play wingers at some point. Really need a two more capable forwards, especially like Suarez and Borini who can play centrally or as a wing forward.
ReplyDeleteJaime, you are dead right on this one, Alvaro Periera is atop class left back that likes to get forward in the mould of contreao, I have seen him live and he can dink a chip or cross a ball with great accuracy, he would be an excellent signing for Liverpool. Enrique, has strong physical strength but defensively he lacks concentration and pace and his delivery when he gets forward is poor most of the time. hes Newcastle level and thats it!
ReplyDeleteI think we all know now why he is not in the spanish national team...
ReplyDeletewe need the Uruguayan Cavani more than Pereira
ReplyDeleteEnrique was never the LB I was looking for. Apart from speed he hardly has anything to offer. In the second half of the season, Enrique gave enough evidence of why he had never ever been called to any of the Spanish National side.
ReplyDeleteKD wanted players from British origin, if not, at least players experience in EPL & opted for Enrique. I think Cissokho would have been much better. However, 17mn for Periera looks to be too high. If we are to spend anything over 10mn for a LB, we should target Baines.
I'd only pay 17mill for him if he had eight legs.....like a footballing spider.
ReplyDeletein fact porto are known to sell players at inflated prices
ReplyDeleteEnrique is so one footed (left) its untrue. By the latter 1/2 of the season, he was well sussed by everyone.
ReplyDeleteHe would be a lot better if he learned to use his right foot, even if it was on an occasional basis
Out of those 2 Vargas would be the one going forward .
ReplyDeleteit seems Carroll is out the squad with a £17million groin strain
ReplyDeletewould love to see it but cannot see it happening. We are rumored to be spending 15 mill on Allen and maybe Gaston Ramirez i don't think we have the money to buy him aswell maybe unless we sell Carroll for 20 mill Vargas looks more likely as a cheaper option but he is a good player as well.
ReplyDeleteBesides Chelsea would be favourites, they have the money and already had bids rejected for him last season which were more then the 20 mill euros mentioned in this article
ReplyDeleteI think we need another cb and another winger and striker suso and sterling get promoted to 1st team regulars shud see us Ok for now. I don't see why we still have downing as no goals and no assists says it all he is shocking. With the wingers Liverpool used to have downing just ain't up to the standard we require
ReplyDeletewe are not going to spend any money other than from sale of players and reduced wages fsg are here for the money reminds me of some previous owners we had
ReplyDeletewait wait wait, left backs are allowed to score?
ReplyDeleteAye i find myself agreeing with you JK. I think enrique is just another average buy from Kenny however he gets a lot of benefit of doubt because he wasnt expensive.
ReplyDeleteNevertheless if we have high aspirations then we need class in all departments. Im glad were finally linked with international class players as opposed to the likes of dempsey and allen.
I do hope however these purchases are not financed by the sale of Agger or Skirtel whilst we still have Downing, Henderson, and Adam on the payroll. Indeed rather than Maxi and Kuyt the first players that would have been out should have been these 3.
Then why isn't BR not using Aqualani and Suso?
ReplyDeletewhen did u all become mancs wales as well booing suarez we love him thats all that matters wre not racist we just hate mancs
ReplyDeleteWe need the creativity mate, we do not need Carra, spearo, Downing and Adam, we need to change the whole team mentality, but Aquaman and Suso defo have to start, worse off Aqua is box-to-box midfielder and we cannot afford to let him go, though I think we need another left-back and proper striker [cannot wait to find out Macca's prediction] but I think he is from Real or Barca, thanks again Jamie wonderful article mate
ReplyDeleteI've always said that Enrique was ok at everything without being good at anything. He has never been good enough and would be the first player I would look to replace. At least as a first option.
ReplyDeleteFor me he's dangerous because of he is not so obvious in his lack of adequacy. At least not as others...
what the hell is wrong with u first an fore most defenders are there 2 defend an we had 3rd best defence in league it midfield up we had problems last year enrique did quiet well for his first season n new team all i see is moaning about this player an that player an season not even started yet what we need is wingers an a goal poacher an we be find defence im well happy with an back up ok sepending 17m on left back crazy stuff
ReplyDeleteCouldn't agree more mate. Why would we pay 17M for a left back? The entire premise is utterly bizarre under our current cash constrained circumstances. Even if we did have obscene amounts of money to spend I wouldn't be advocating a purchase like this. Defence is the one area of the team where we were other than dire last season (particularry the second half of the season).
ReplyDeleteJose Enrique was by-far-and-away Liverpools best acquisition last year. Our defensive record during the majority of last season is what kept Liverpool from dropping even more points. Jose Enrique was a at the heart of that defense being a rock at left-back with his pace and strength!!!!
ReplyDelete