2 Feb 2013

Torino President admits: €16m Ogbonna could leave Torino in June. LFC Bid...?

Liverpool's defensive problems have caused major problems on the field this season, and with the Skrtel/Agger partnership faltering, the need for a new, commanding central defender has to be a major priority for the club this summer. Swansea's Ashley Williams continues to be linked with a move to Anfield, but Angelo Ogbonna - also wanted by Man United and Arsenal - may finally be available in June.

In an interview yesterday, Torino president Urbano Cairo hinted that star defender Angelo Ogbonna could be sold in the summer. He told TMW:

“A lot of clubs are still very interested in Ogbonna. In June we will sit down and evaluate together what to do next. Who knows - maybe he will have a desire to stay here for a bit longer"

Ogbonna has been linked with Liverpool several times over the last year, and the 24-year recently confirmed the Reds' interest:

"I am flattered by the interest from clubs. Liverpool is a dream club, it is awesome that they are interested in me. I love the Premier League and one day I might play in that league".

In October 2012, Anfield Scouts were dispatched to run the rule over the Italian, who has spoken many times of his desire to play in the Premier League. Indeed, speaking to Tuttosport a couple of months ago, he made this clear once again:

"I would go abroad willingly. I would like to experience other cultures. English football fascinates me, and the style is similar to Torino's one. And I speak English."

In September 2012, Torino director Gianluca Petrachi slapped a hefty transfer fee on the player:

"There are observers of many foreign clubs who come just to see Ogbonna because he is a player who has great potential. Last year we refused €10m for him but it is clear he is worth more than €16m [£13m]. Angelo has the desire to do better but I believe he should continue to grow with Torino."

Given Torino's comparatively lowly status in Serie A, I doubt they have the bargaining strength to demand a bigger fee as high as €16m, and Liverpool could probably get him much cheaper than that.

Ogbonna was included in Italy’s Euro 2012 squad after helping Torino win promotion to Serie A. He can also play at left-back, which would be useful for adding much-needed competition for that position.

A possible summer signing? Better than Williams...?



Jaimie Kanwar NOTE: Please stick to the Comment Policy (Click to read)


24 comments:

  1. I have only seen him play 3-4 times and from what i can tell he's a very athletic and talented defender. he would be a good addition IMO. but 16m? maybe not for that price.

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  2. He would be a good addition, but not at that price. Maybe 9mil would be ok. I agree that our defense needs fixing. I don`t think it is that the players are bad, or dropping form, but rather that some are struggling to adjust to the new passing system. For me I feel we have address the attacking side of things, and now need to focus on the defensive side of it. 

    Due to the fact, our defenders now have to be happy and able to pass it out from the back, we require a certain type of defender. Skrtel is a pretty solid defender, but more in the Carra mould rather than the Agger mould. I don`t think he has adjusted well to the new style.

    The trick though will be finding players who are still strong and solid, as at times we have been found out from corners and set pieces. 

    We never seem to score from them anymore, but do seem to let them in a lot from them. I think in our first 5 games all the goals we shipped in were from some form of a set piece. I would love to see the stats on how many where from open play, and how many from set pieces. I would guess most come from set pieces.

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  3. I agree totally that we let much more set pieces in than we score.
    It's a major weakness in our defence and I hope it is resolved in the summer if we are to believe we have a chance of some success next season.

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  4. I agree, Set pieces have been a huge weakness this year. At both ends.
    I fear us giving up corners and free kicks sometimes and at the other end we look more likely to concede a goal than score one sometimes! something needs to be done about it.

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  5. i do hope defenders are the main scouting priority, in the coming months.

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  6. I`m hoping we will. We were lacking in attack, and we IMO have sorted that for now, so I would hope the defense plus DM and GK roles are looked at in the summer. Would seem to make the most sense

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  7. we need another carra . his vocal organization skills are worth 10mill alone . something our other defenders just dont have and l that's why we been letting goals all season . we as fans of carra will know this . tell me who can we buy to replace him ? i dear say had it not been for carra we would have lost to arsenal

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  8. ash williams will have to eat humble pie with luis but he is a rock. he is the player we need.

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  9.  every team and especially defense starts from No1, we need a goalkeeper, whatever additions will come it will be worthless without a top keeper, and at the moment our keepers are the worst on premier league ...

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  10. Worst in the Prem? thats a pretty out there statement. Sure Reina ain`t having the best of years, and Jones didn`t have a good game last week, but they are far from the worst Keepers in th prem. I do agree we could do with a new keeper, as Reina seems to be getting caught out with low balls a lot this season, and I don`t think Jones is up to the task of no1 spot. I was suprised we didn`t buy Butland. He was cheap, and we could have just loaned him back, I reckon in a few years he will be a really top keeper, but again not ready for no1 spot right now, which might be why we didn`t get him, as cash was needed for first team only. 

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  11. Would rather someone like Howedes Hummels even Shawcross than either of these they really need to look at top class players.

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  12. Actually, often Defense & GK are spots which is taken for granted.  A good defender or GK can serve the club for over a decade whereas Forwards often burn out after 5/6 years, even earlier.  Nobody often questions when MFs & Fowrads being purchased for obnoxious money - 20, 25mn (even donkeys are purchased for 35mn to play as target man), but there is a feeling that defenders/GKs can't be in eight digit.  Also, expensive defenders hardly misfires & in every top league CB/WB/GKs task is similar.  Actually, every top team be in club or International Football, had dominated years with a settled back 5 (4+1).  

    Juve purchased Buffon for 55mn (Euro) 12 years back, look what service he is giving.  The dumb & dumber Yanks didn't invest on Vidic but SAF did. 16mn for a 24 years old 6'2" Italian International CB is a fantastic buy, can be our Rock of Gibraltar" for next decade.     

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  13. Vidic was purchased before dumb and dumber arrived and i believe Liverpool were out bidded for him.

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  14. I still don't understand how Liverpool fans rate Shawcross so highly. 

    But then again, I do remember Liverpool fans whinging over the failure to sign either of Scott Danns or Roger Johnson a year or two ago, and I thought they were equally over-rated

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  15. I don't think that the statement is too out there - most weeks last season we'd see goalkeepers come and have motm candidate performances against us in earning their sides a draw/victory. 

    In comparison, you'd struggle to think of a single performance in Reina over recent years where you'd say, he's won us/kept us in the game.

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  16. I've only seen Ogbonna play a couple of times, but both times he was a stand out performer that had me scouting his name, being unaware of who this guy was. 

    Obviously there's the risk of limited sample size, but he looked like exactly what we need if we are to successfully embrace an aggressive, pressing game full time - big, strong and quick enough to handle attackers one-on-one in open space, and technically adept enough to move the ball out from the back under pressure.

    Then again, I did think that Zapata was the next coming of Thiago Silva from my limited viewing of him for Udinese a few years back also...

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  17. If he turns out to be as good for us as it looks like he could be, £16m isn't over the top tbh - quality defenders are (almost) as important to a team as quality attackers. 

    And looking at the top Prem teams atm, they're even more rare...

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  18. Well, I like the player, but it's too much IMO.
    It's going to be tough to find bargains at a high quality as we did with Hyppia.

    I'd keep my eyes open for Ogbonna, Fazio, and Williams for now.
    I also like Subotic, Hummels(which I don't believe would come to us), and Godin.

    Also, if you like watching unknown players with potential, Celtic's new boy Gershon might be one(usually plays LB but can also play CB).

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  19. Do you seriously rate De Gea higher than Reina?

    Come on, man, yes he didn't get down for the eaqualiser on Wednesday night but he pulled off a couple of saves to make sure we left with a point.

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  20. If it can be resolved tonight then I for one will be extremely happy. I fear that with the same players, the same defensive frailties will persist. Was interested to know how you would remedy the problems of our defence in time for today's game?

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  21. We definitely seem to have more options up front now, so here's to hoping they will be given a little time to gel. 

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  22. Not saying i rate him highly just saying even Shawcross ahead of the Ogbonna meaning Ogbonna is rubbish and take my word he will be another Italian flop.

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  23.  carroll wore williams like a chaep suit yesterday

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  24. forget what keepers do at other club david james at watford then he was a jigsaw and brad friedel another who like james was and still is a top keeper but not many can hack it at liverpool dudek was good but pepe has seen worldclass players leave and woy had a OAP g.k. coach training him be carefull what you wish for ! kenny leaving has proved that and before you start carroll,hendo, and downing are all good players and not worldclass but good hendo is getting better and joe allen makes him look amazing

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