25 Mar 2015

Anfield-bound? Liverpool willing to pay massive £30m fee for 'exceptional' LFC-loving attacker

Liverpool are once again being linked with a move to sign 'exceptional' Atletico Madrid winger Arda Turan - a self-confessed admirer of LFC - and new reports suggest that the Reds are willing to pay big bucks to secure the transfer.

In February, Italian newspaper Tutto Mercato claimed that Liverpool were back on Turan's trail, and according to the same newspaper today:

* Liverpool, Man United and Arsenal are all interesting in signing Turan.

* All three clubs are willing to pay his £30m release clause.

When asked this week about Turan's future, however, Atletico Chief Clemente Villaverde seemed to rule out the possibility of a move. He told reporters:

"We’re very happy with Arda Turan. He is a very important player for us [and] he will continue with us next year."

As anyone with even a passing interest in football knows, such statements are not worth the air into which they're uttered. Money talks, and if a club activates the release clause and/or offers Turan a huge amount of cash, he will leave without a second's hesitation.

Turan has a long transfer history with LFC:

* Apr 2009: Rafa Benitez made a €10m move for Turan, a self-confessed Liverpool fan, but the tricky winger ended up moving to Atletico Madrid.

* Dec 2009: Turan made it clear that he favours a move to Liverpool: told reporters: "I most want to play at Liverpool because of the culture of the club and the fans"

* Mar 2010: Turan reiterated his Anfield preference: "As I always mention, Liverpool attracts me because of their tradition. In Europe, I am a Liverpool supporter, so if I go to play in Europe, I would like to play for Liverpool".

* Oct 2012: Nuri Sahin posted a picture on his Twitter account of Turan in a Liverpool shirt.

* Oct 2012: Liverpool sent an 'observer' to watch Turan in Turkey's World Cup qualifier with Romania.

* Dec 2012: Turan's Agent, Ahmed Bulut, told Turkish television channel TRT: "Arda wants to play for another club, to live a different experience. We are working now to make it happen. Atletico know what our intention is. If all goes well, Arda will leave the Madrid club at the end of this season."

* Mar 2013: Reports in Spain claimed that the Reds were lining up a €20m summer bid for the Turkish star.

* Aug 2013: ESPN claimed both Liverpool and Arsenal were'interested' in signing Turan during the summer transfer window.

* Aug 2013: Turan's agent confirmed that English clubs were on the prowl. He told NTV Sport: "A transfer of Arda to the Premier League this summer is likely. England is where most of the interest in him lies and there have been discussions."

* Jan 2014: The Liverpool Echo reported: "Brendan Rodgers [is] pondering a move for Atletico Madrid winger Arda Turan. Liverpool [could] make a play for the former Galatasaray star before the end of the January"

* Apr 2014: When asked if he is Liverpool fan, Turan told Four-Four-Two magazine: "I've always played for teams in red [Galatasaray, Manisaspor, Turkey] and I've admire Steven Gerrard. So yes, I have a soft spot for Liverpool, especially given their history and the atmosphere at Anfield".

* Jul 2014:Turkish newspaper Sabah Spor claimed that Liverpool 'accelerated efforts' to sign Turan after the collapse of the Alexis Sanchez deal.

If Turan really loves Liverpool as much as he claims, then in theory, securing a deal should be relatively straightforward. At the age of 27, the Turk is in his prime, and after winning La Liga with Madrid, he may feel that he's achieved everything he can at the club.

Is signing Turan such a good idea, though? In my view, Liverpool should steer clear:

* 11 separate injuries in the last 5 years.
* 319 says out injured in that time (44 games missed)
* This season: three minor injuries.

Turan is not a prolific goalscorer/creator, either. Atletico Stats:

* 22 goals/32 assists in 167 apps.
* Goal every 7.5 games.
* Goal/assist every 3 games.
* Top goalscoring season: 9 (all comps) in 2013-14.
* Most league goals scored in one season: 5 in 2013-14.

No thanks. Liverpool already have attacking players who struggle to score 8-10 goals a season - what's the point in bringing in someone who is clearly not an upgrade on the players already at the club?



Author:


33 comments:

  1. Can't help but feel the ship has sailed on this one. If we were talking 2/3 years ago I would have been all for it but his value has risen above what he is truly worth due to Atletico's recent successes. Still think he is a quality player but as the stats show he probably doesn't quite do enough for the figures mentioned.

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  2. AndWithSuchSimplicity2:51 pm, March 25, 2015

    The press seem to think that United will activate his '£32M release clause'.
    We only ever get these kind of players when they are past their peak - Litmanen, Riedle, Gary Mac etc.

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  3. Usually I'm big on stats, but Turan is one I really, really like and would ignore the stats for.

    Remember when we had a team of captains under Rafa? You could look virtually anywhere on the park and the player was either a current international captain or someone who'd been captain at their previous club, or you'd have no issues with being captain if Sami/Stevie were missing. Someone you thought would take the game by the scruff and drive you on when the chips were down.



    Turan is one of those for me. A real fighter, a real leader, someone who won't give up. Our team is really missing that. Our men have become sheep. Sakho, Skrtel show the fire, but few others do.


    Appreciate I haven't talked about football skills yet. Don't think I need to, he's one of the 'differences' in the team that allow Atletico to compete - and win - against RM regularly and sometimes against Barca.

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  4. Gary Mac was still a fantastic signing.

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  5. This is the criteria for an lfc attacker


    1) Below age of 25
    2) Fast
    3) Lots of stamina
    4)Team player




    Mata ,Eriksen like Turan
    Two players i know you like do not fit the 4 scale requirement

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  6. Yeah, it's 3 referees that decide whether an infringement has occurred and refer it to the FA.

    The FA panel appeals panel is FA members, not the referees. It is purely an appeals process, the charge is already there (as if a red had been issued within the 90 mins), so Skrtel would've said it was an accident, they clearly said we don't believe you.

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  7. Never posted anything positive? How long have you been one this site? 2 days?

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  8. Cheers mate. Have a nice life.

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  9. You do not have to? Why did you even reply then
    :-o

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  10. You're right in priciple, but think the age of 25 is over prescriptive. I think FSG's policy would better be stated as "has potential for resale value above purchase price". Reckon they'd go up to 26, 27, or even 28 if the talent was good enough and the price was right on the basis of 2-3 years later the player could still get decent market value. But the older they get that's more likely to be a top class striker than a midfielder.


    Exactly why I don't think Turan is likely, already 28 and never going to achieve anything like the stated £30m in 2-3 years.

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  11. You forgot injury prone.

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  12. No thanks. Being linked to a club for years with no outcome for that club is indicative one way or the other...the club don't want him enough or the player doesn't want it enough. Also do we really need another winger? At the current system we aren't even playing wingers. And we have 4/5 of them already. We are playing attacking wingers in wing back roles and losing this creative output. What would turan's stats be at RWB? Or is he another number 10 to fill in.? Or are we planning on changing system back to one with wingers? Sterling, Markovic, Ibe, Lallana...they are not L/RWB's and putting them there is a waste of the creative talents. Ibe does well there when played there, Markovic does ok when played there. But I would rather see both of them doing it 50 yards further forward than having to spend equal time making sure they are in the correct defensive line. Would rather see Manquillo play RB than Sterling RWB.

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  13. Bony not good enough for Liverpool went to man city. Loic remy not fit enough for Liverpool play for Chelsea! We need a new transfer comitee.

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  14. Which Rodgers is part of!!! It will be really interesting to know who's decision it was to last minute call of the Remy deal and sign Balotelli.

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  15. I'm a big fan of Turan but the time for this deal to be done was 5 years ago. Can't see it happening now

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  16. I really think Turan has just used Liverpools name over the years to fund a bigger elsewhere he may well be a fan but i bet he loves money more.

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  17. Look at the remaining fixtures the 3 above us have. Almost by default we'll have another bite of the cherry. We beat Arse, Manyoo beat Arse, we're there. We beat Arse, Arse beat Manyoo, we're there. Citeh on current form are catchable too.

    Of course, it all depends on us beating Arse. Lose that one and you're probably right.

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  18. Thanks for the clarification

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  19. Great point

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  20. We had the best form in EUROPE coming into that game! Then we lose one game and people are calling for his head. It's unbelievable. It makes me think that they don't really understand the difference between our transfer approach and the approach of our direct rivals for top 4.
    I really don't know what manager they think is going to come in and be better placed to take this team forward than Rodgers is, now or at the end of the season

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  21. I know it is absolute Bonkers. A lot of things have changed at the club to suit Rodgers and if he goes those changes go up in smoke. That is from the academy up. People want some proven manager to come in, Klopp etc. Have many of these names bowed out early when FSG were interested? It was in all the papers at the time. Have of those saying they want Rodgers gone say they are sick of transition. What exactly are they expecting to happen if he is sacked? People were happy with a top four spot before he got the job and now everyone wants the league? Why and how? Because we got close last season? Yeah and why? Rodgers being a big part of that. Anyone saying otherwise hasn't a clue. He has made numerous mistakes and they cost dear this season but anyone thinks that just changing it all up is the answer has no idea of the complexity of what they are talking about. It's cloud cookoo land.

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  22. Why is it that lovren a professional CB who's played there all his career is only capable of playing LCB ? Seems ridiculous to me that him and sakho cant both be in the same team

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  23. Absolutely mate

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  24. Spot on, perfect replacement (in terms of player skill-set), going on what I remember of that little terror. Don't know where he is now, only have time to follow LFC, but Tevez as i remember him, yep, perfect.

    Just buy the smegger a house with a 20, 000 sq ft solarium and he'd come ; )

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  25. Yeah! whatever.

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  26. What is this obsession about being in the CL? What is the point of being there if you're just going to be making the numbers up? Man United will accomplish nothing in the CL next season, though probably more than Liverpool's utterly abject showing this year. Liverpool were in the CL last year and couldn't attract top players so why would it be different this time if they qualified again? They should concentrate everything on winning the F.A. cup, a trophy is worth a hell of a lot more than fourth place. Would Shankly or Paisley have been excited about finishing 4th? It is true that, even if they got past Blackburn and Villa, they would probably lose to Arsenal at Wembley, but at least they'd have a chance. They have absolutely no chance whatsoever of winning the CL.

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  27. He's at my club, Juventus, and having a brilliant season. Again.

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  28. I could not agree more! Your entire post about Turan is spot on. He's a player from the top shelf.

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  29. Why wasn't Jonses' tackle on Henderson reviewed? That should have been an automatic red...

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  30. We couldn't even compete in the Europa and it's only 5th PL place to get into that !

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  31. "...a trophy is worth a hell of a lot more than fourth place..."


    In prestige, in glory, in pride, in reminiscing in 10/20/30yrs time, in all sorts of ways you're right.



    But in winning the FA Cup you'll get about £3.5m in prize and TV money. For being beaten by Basel, bending over for Real, and embarassed by Ludogorets we'll get somewhere in the region of £30m from the UEFA.



    I'd rather have the glory of the trophy then FSG have the money. But without the money they won't invest in the players. And, though it may not have brought the high profile player in last summer, this summer simply being in the CL for *next season* is more meaningful to prospective stars than the club having won the FA Cup *last season*.

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