15 Aug 2014

'The Beast' to Anfield? LFC to make €20m offer for 'phenomenal' World Cup attacker

Liverpool continue to be linked with a late move for Paris St. Germain star Ezequiel Lavezzi, and new reports suggest that the Reds are set to intensify their interest in the 'phenomenal' attacker.

Last week, The Independent, claimed that Liverpool are interested in Lavezzi, and according to various sources today:

* Lavezzi has rejected a contract extension at PSG.

* Liverpool plan to submit a €20m offer for the Argentinian international.

It's easy to see Lavezzi's appeal to Rodgers:

* Versatile, and can play as striker, or out wide.
* Works very hard on the field, and is good defensively.
* Has pace, which is always a plus for any attacking player.

Lavezzi appears to be the archetypal Rodgers player, and Argentina boss Alejandro Sabella underlined this in June, when he highlighted Lavezzi's positive influence on his squad. He enthused:

"Players like Lavezzi are always very positive, because they keep players happy. They keep a nice atmosphere in the group. And Lavezzi is a great player. He hasn't been in the starting line-up but he never makes negative comments, he never makes faces, and he is always supporting the team."

Creative stats for PSG:

* 23 goals/18 assists in 90 appearances,
* Goal every 3.9 games.
* Goal/assist every 2.1 games.

With Sturridge increasingly injury prone, it's a priority to have another quality forward player who is seemingly impervious to injury, and Lavezzi - nicknamed 'The Beast' by the Argentina media - certainly fits the bill:

* 278 appearances in the last 7 years.
* Averages 40 games a season.
* Missed only 12 games through injury in the last 10 years.

In my view, Lavezzi is a great player to have in the squad, for the following reasons:

* Huge Champions League experience. CL experience in LFC's current squad is negligible.
* The finished article, and capable of coming in and making an immediate impact.
* Superior option to both Fabio Borini and Rickie Lambert.
* Will improve the overall quality of the squad.
* Will score and create goals to help fill the Suarez void.
* A steady, consistent player who rarely gets injured.
* Strong, hard-working, and physical presence on the field. Perfect fit for the Prem.
* Unlikely to moan if he's not in the starting line-up every week.
* Young players like Coutinho and Sterling can learn from his experience.

The obvious downside is that Lavezzi is approaching 30, but apart from that, I see very few negatives to this deal.

Author:


64 comments:

  1. The season is about to start. Exciting times ahead.

    I created a league in the Official Fantasy Premier League game a while ago.

    Seven regulars on this site have already joined the league so far.

    Code to join this league: 437552-113476

    It is called This is Fantasy Football. The more the merrier!



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    Cannot see us signing for Lavezzi. If that was the case then we would have already done so.

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  2. All day long mate. We need someone desperately, he'd be a fantastic addition and a massive boost for squad morale.

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  3. He's not an out and out striker though is he? Good player but don't we need somebody who can lead the line if Sturridge gets injured.

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  4. He isn't prolific enough. A good a striker would get a barrowload in France.

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  5. Great player!!!...........................why not??

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  6. All this , and no mention of his age - the guy is 30 this season , far too old !

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  7. Again with the age thing. So you wouldn't buy Yaya Toure?
    This is about sustaining our cutting edge or a year or two especially when Sturridge is out/tired. We need finished articles, and they are not easy to get.
    Next year Origi comes back to help out. For now we need someone to hit the ground running, and it looks like Bony or Lavezzi though I wish it were Reus

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  8. Surely his wages can't be cheap if he's playing for Paris?why not go for bony who is an out and out striker,younger ,ok he's demanding big wages but can't be too far off what lavezzi will want and as Jamie says proven prem player and is a mil cheaper..

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  9. I like Lambert but I wouldn't like to think he was leading the line for any length of time. I'm not sure if he suits our pacy counter attacking style. I'd rather we spent the money on Bony personally.

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  10. joined your league :) - super kickers

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  11. I certainly hope so- I've certainly got more belief in that than I ever did with Carroll...

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  12. I've always been a fan of Lavezzi but €20m for a non prolific, non-proven-in-premiership, non- resale value player seems a bit of a gamble. Hypothetically, if it came down to a choice between Bony or Lavezzi, I'd be more inclined to go for Bony methinks... Your thoughts?

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  13. Carroll was a disaster. Origi picked ahead of Lukaku at the WC...


    Fingers crossed we have signed a gem.

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  14. Lambert is a good player, he will show his worth.

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  15. Alonso is 32 so is he no good???

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  16. Forget the fantasy stuff and come back to the real world....Levezzi will not be signing for Liverpool. How many TOP players have you attempted to secure only for all to spurn your offer. Memo to Rodgres:Lallana, Lambert, Lovren ) (sp), et al, are good but not great players. You have a wasted the Suarez money. You have done a Spurs!!
    BTW...usually people as arrogant as Rodgers do their boasting after they have had some succes; Ferguson, Mourinho, VanGaal and even Wenger have earned the right to boast. Rodgers---Where's the Beef Mr. Rodgers?

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  17. He fits our system 100%.

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  18. Now there's a Liverpool fan with some sense

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  19. Reus to Liverpool? Are you having a Laugh?

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  20. Who has Van Gall signed?

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  21. Don't get me wrong mate, I'm not slating Lambert and I definitely think he's got a part to play. I just see him more of a plan b.

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  22. Thanks for the invite Logan. Is it a private or public league? (Need to select)

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  23. How has Rodgers been arrogant? Because he supports his players?

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  24. I have a feeling that "Memo to Rodgres" will not find its way to Brendao.

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  25. By the way, Jaimie, I was on the home page and there was an ad for Man U.


    I believe this is probably because of a 3rd party server, but thought you might like to be aware just in case you have any say over what ads appear.

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  26. From what I understand PSG were waiting to hear if they could sign Di Maria, before selling Lavezzi to raise the funds (FFP rules), and I think that that is what has caused the delay. I hope it happens, but if not we really should up our interest in Bony.
    Joined your league by the way, Electric T-Shirts. Cheers

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  27. The voice of reason.8:50 pm, August 15, 2014

    He would be a fantastic addition to our squad no doubt, he would be great for sturridge too if played up top on either side, that would give Studge a bit of freedom to do what he does best beat a defender and and leave him one on one with the keeper to beat.

    Hope we get Lavezzi he could be the difference between 1st and maybe 2nd place once again.

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  28. Swansea style of play not too dissimilar to ours in terms of the passing game with attacking wing backs...

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  29. Hey, do not insult us. We at least won one match ...:-)

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  30. I sometimes wonder whether the 'links' in the media to players like Eto'o, Lavezzi, Cavani et al are just smoke screens to other clubs and players' agents to make it look like we have other options/targets etc so they can't hold us to ransom in terms of transfer fees / personal terms etc.

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  31. What Liverpool players do you have? The Bargain Buys have none. This might seem to be a dig at our policy but I never put our own player because I fear they might not do well.

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  32. FFP is going make things very interesting from now on. City have not gone overboard because they are under scrutiny.The sale of Suarez has been very beneficial for us.

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  33. A fat laddy and an expensive version of Suso.

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  34. The voice of reason.9:02 pm, August 15, 2014

    Bet you thought the same about us last season boy, go on to your own deluded football site, but its obvious your team is crap, i understand you wanted to come see what its like to support the best team in the history of world football.

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  35. OMG just get Bony, we need goals, Bony Guarantees that!

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  36. Yes agree, noticed Chelsea haven't splashed out crazy amounts either.
    In other news, I'm in Lille this evening and Origi has just won and scored a penalty. He looks good. I wonder if the loan agreement contains some kind of clause to bring him to Liverpool this season if we need him.

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  37. Is he playing well? Who are they playing against?

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  38. Caen in the league. Yes he looks lively, making some good movements and runs. The game had been pretty boring up to that point but it's come to life now.
    It probably shouldn't have been a pen by the way, the defender got the ball and then the man I think. But it was a good through ball and run from Origi who had the nouse to go down under the challenge in the box. Tough on the defender who got sent off.

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  39. I think it is very obvious at this point that we are going after Bony. No other player seems to have emerged. As people have said below,Lavezzi would already have signed for us because PSG are keen to ship him off. My three preferences would be Lacazette, Gameiro and Volland but there have been no links with any of them. Bony and Romero and we would have had a great window.

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  40. Me too - Wegoagain..

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  41. Lots of crosses...they have gone away from passing a bit

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  42. Nah, he will be with Lille for the whole season. Good for his development and will have regular football. Super talent. Can't wait for him to join up with our squad.

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  43. I said I wish it were Reus.
    There's this strange new concept called reading. Try again.

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  44. Pls Brendan sign him immediately

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  45. It's France .. also, he's not scored very often for Argentina.

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  46. this story again ???? YAaaaaawwwwnnn

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  47. It's more interesting than Borini to Sunderland. And Assaidi may just have priced himself out of a move to Stoke as Clelsea have loaned them...wait for it.... Moses!!
    Assaidi won't even make the cup squad....

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  48. Private league mate. Anyone welcome!

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  49. Did you watch the game tonight? Our man scored a penalty. He was good at the weekend against Metz, too. He already looks less raw than last year. Still more Danny Welbeck than Thierry Henry, for my money, but perhaps we'll end up with something in between.... I'm hoping he'll grow up to be a latter-day Preben Elkjaer type. But we'll see...

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  50. After Remy, as far as I can see this makes sense

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  51. Lavezzi & bony will be a very wonderful addition to the team &a great show if intent

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  52. I agree with you on Volland he looks like a real talent one who could develop to be a good player.

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  53. Origi scored the winner, nice one.

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  54. Just scored the Winner against Caen, impressed.

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  55. Just joined! Thanks for the invite Logan.

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  56. I see a lot of Patrick Kluivert in him. I think some media pundit said that recently too ...

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  57. Bony doesnt fit our style

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  58. Only scores 1 in 4 games . . No thanks.
    A big, strong team player he may be but his goal stats don't suggest he can come of the bench and get a goal when we need one anymore than Lambert can.
    I don't think Sturridge will be anywhere near as effective without Suarez taking defenders away from him, we need a player who can score goals on a regular basis.

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  59. Lavezzi would be a good player, but he's not quite a Suarez replacement. He'd be a wise old head in a team of young guns, plenty of versatility and experience. He would score goals and create for others. I guess at his age there would be a question of his ability to adapt to English football. It's a bit of a cliche but there are too many examples of some players coming to England late in their careers and not quite making it.


    Call it a cop-out but I'd trust Rodgers on this one. He'll have scouted the player and evaluated what he'll bring to the team. If he think Lavezzi has the right combination of skills then I'd expect he's right. This isn't another Aspas who may or may not be good enough, he's a proven international so it's really just that x-factor issue that might get in the way. If Rodgers thinks he could make the move and be successful then that's good enough for me.


    Funnie said it below: Bony AND Lavezzi would be a good finish to the transfer window. Neither player is quite rounded enough to command an automatic starting role in the front three given who we've already got at the club but they would certainly be in the rotation and together would provide a nice balance to the side.

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