10 Jun 2015

TMW Exclusive: Liverpool 2nd-favourites to sign 'amazing' €20m attacker; decision in 48-hours

Last week, Spanish newspaper AS claimed that Liverpool submitted a €20m bid for allegedly 'amazing Villareal goalscorer Luciano Vietto, and new reports this week suggest that Reds are still pushing to seal a deal.

According to an exclusive in Italian newspaper Tutto Mercato:

* Liverpool, Inter Milan, and Atletico Madrid are all fighting to sign Vietto.

* The Reds are allegedly second-favourites behind Atletico.

* Vietto will make a decision on his next destination in '48 hours'.

With 28 goals/assists this season, Vietto is proving his worth in La Liga, and when asked recently about the striker's future, his agent, Jorge Cyterszpiler confirmed once again that Vietto will leave if the price is right:

"He [Vietto] might leave in the summer. It is normal that the best clubs in the world are after him. If big clubs make an offer, we need to talk. The offer must be very good, not only for us but also for Villarreal."

Liverpool transfer timeline:

* Sep 2012: Liverpool sent scouts to watch Vietto in action for Racing Club.

* Oct 2012: TalkSport reported: "Liverpool will battle it out with Juventus to sign Luciano Vietto"

* May 2013: Vietto's agent claimed: "The whole world wants Vietto, including Liverpool."

* Oct 2013: The Daily Mail claimed: "Liverpool and Manchester City have been monitoring Vietto's development for a year"

* Feb 2014: Vietto's agent noted: "We have talked to top-level clubs like Real Madrid [and] Liverpool"

* Feb 2014: Vietto's agent mused: "Real Madrid and Liverpool have showed a serious interest."

* Dec 2014: The Mirror claimed: "Brendan Rodgers wants Luciano Vietto to replace Luis Suarez"

* Mar 2015: Reports claim that Vietto is Liverpool's top transfer target.

* Mar 2015: Vietto told Spanish newspaper AS: "If these great teams come forward and make an offer we’ll see".

* Mar 2015: Vietto's agent confirmed: "Big clubs are watching Vietto. He could sign for Liverpool. He is admired by the Reds"



As you can see, Liverpool have been chasing Vietto for a long time, and as the repeated assertions from his Agent attest, this is one of those situations where the rumours match the reality.

In theory, if the Reds have been after Vietto for three years, and he's open to signing, then there's seemingly of actually sealing the deal.

Alas, it's never quite that simple, and with no Champions League football, and Brendan Rodgers reportedly staying at Anfield, there's probably next to no chance of Liverpool sealing the deal.

Additionally, with the impending arrivals of Danny Ings and Divock Origi, the 'young, developing striker' slot is seemingly taken at Anfield, which is a shame as Vietto is clearly more effective when it comes a striker's primary role, i.e. goals and assists.

Given the choice, I'd take Vietto over Ings and Origi - reputedly one of Ligue One's worst players - every day of the week.

Still, you never know. The smart money is on Vietto signing for Atletico Madrid, but perhaps we'll wake up tomorrow with the wondrous news that Liverpool have somehow contrived to seal the deal.

It'll make a nice change from waking with a skin-crawling cold sweat brought on by the horrific reality that Liverpool is morphing into that enduring symbol of total and complete and utter football failure: the England team.

Author: Jaimie K


69 comments:

  1. "[Vietto] is an objective -- ours [the coaches] and also the sporting directors," Simeone said. "We are close, and I hope to count on him for next season, because he is a player with extraordinary characteristics, a second striker, who links well in attack, and scores goals.

    "I look upon him as being very similar to [David] Villa when he began, without being yet the goal-scorer he was for Spanish football, but with his play between the lines, which is very difficult to see in current football. He is very tactical, and he settled very well at Villarreal.

    "As a kid, I know him well as I coached him at Racing -- I gave him his debut. I hope it can happen as he would be a very important signing."

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  2. Vietto is a classy player and with provide a great partner for Sturridge but can also play as a lone striker who can feed off of Coutinho's balls (*cringe*). But we need more! A solid defensive midfielder in the ilk of Gonalons, Clasie or Illaramendi should be our priority as one of them will provide bite in midfield and offer great protection to the defesne without compromising the attack.
    A backup /challenger to Mignolet is Aldo needed; preferabley Cech or Ryan but if Rodgers continues to shop in the Bargain Bin then Bogdan will be next(!)
    Finally we need a Right Back that can also operate on the left so Martin Montoya would be best if Barcelona allow him to leave this summer with their transfer ban on. A decent alternative would be Clyne (Yes, another Soton player(!)) who will provide a balance in attack and defence but will cost substantially more than Montoya.

    And a last note to Brendan- We said signings not sign ings

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  3. Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers favourite for next Premier League managerial departure
    Mirror.co.uk‎ - 47 mins ago


    I will just keep on looking...

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  4. Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers favourite for next Premier League managerial departure
    Mirror 47 mins ago

    I will just keep on looking...

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  5. Absolutely spot on.... Kondogbia as a DM would be immense.

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  6. Kondogbia would ideal but it's highly unlikely that he will come because he has CL football at Monaco and is playing consistently. Unfortunately we can only offer playing time in the Europa League so for us Clasie would be the cheapest option with Gonalons or Illaramendi (Possibly even Kondogbia) as our first option.

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  7. I can totally tell you secretly love England football team, I will write to Woy for you and ask him to have all the players sign one of their balls and send it to you.
    Red skies outside now so lets hope for some epic Vietto news in the morn.

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  8. Sad to say it,the days of luring and getting quality players are over for Liverpool.Unless FSG are willing to fork out the real big bucks,then it's free transfers or average talent,that will be the only players Liverpool will get.

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  9. Vietto most likely to move to A. Madrid.

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  10. FSG forked out mega bucks last summer and look what happened.

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  11. with Ian Ayre and the TC dealing with transfers there's no chance for Liverpool to attract quality player.

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  12. Which includes Rodgers.

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  13. If we offer the money and make him feel he's really needed, I think he'll come.... These players want to be felt that they are appreciated, thats something we've been screwing up at the negotiations.

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  14. You don't really need to keep looking it will happen

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  15. After sales of LFC players,how much did FSG spend on transfers for Liverpool?

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  16. Doesn't matter.. we could've spent the money much better, a striker who could score 15 goals would've put us back at the top 4

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  17. Does not matter. Who would we have signed if LFC made available £120m plus the £75m we got for Suarez?


    £195m you want to give to Rodgers?

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  18. So the medias are finally seeing that the fact there's not been any word from Liverpool since the end of the season is odd, took them long enough.

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  19. Trust me,i don't want B.R to have any transfer money to spend.

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  20. Going to Athletico Madrid - FORGET IT

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  21. That is why net spend is such a pointless argument. If LFC had not recouped any money on sales over the last three seasons then the massive amount of losses the club would have made = disaster.

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  22. That took me a heck of a lot longer to work out than it should of done.

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  23. When are Liverpool getting that filthy rich sheik that will buy any player they want?

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  24. There wouldn't have been so much money available if there wasn't player sales.

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  25. Ayre and BR - Neither have credibility with the fans - the whole City knows it and really worried where we go next

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  26. When are LFC getting a manger capable of taking this club back to where it should be?


    City have spent shed loads of cash and still have not even pushed their weight in Europe.


    Money is not the be all and end all.

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  27. With absolute respect friend I hope the answer is never, I just don't want LFC to be part of all that get up, my hope is rather that the oil clubs will have their own funds restricted.

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  28. BS. You cannot just keep on signing players without departures otherwise you will end up with 10 first team squads.


    Net spend is just an excuse to muddy the waters.

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  29. It doesn't matter where the money comes from... The point is we had the money and spent it on average players when it should've been spent on quality

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  30. Have to agree with you on the manager point of view,B.R isn't good enough for LFC,and truth never has been.

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  31. I agree but there is one problem. Ian Ayre. He isn't right for the job, he is a marketing man not a negotiator face-to-face. If we get rid of Ayre then I'm sure we can land the likes of Kondogbia and Gonalons.

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  32. The thing is at the moment that the *fans* don't have any credibility with the fans, either. If the team did poorly last season, the fans were at least as bad, at *least*.

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  33. And the fans just have to accept mediocrity?


    That is why this club is where bit is at.

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  34. I would like to think you're right,and the oil rich tycoons had restrictions put on them.But it's sad and true,money talks when it comes to buying quality players,and the restrictions that were given have been taken off.

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  35. The problem isnt fsg thier trying to save liverpool fc. Why else would you fork out millions of dollars just to save the kop when the top 4 teams all play in bigger stadiums. More seats more money for transfers it as easy as that. We didnt make the champions league so what do you really expect? And the fans aren't willing to pay more for tickets so where is the money going to come from? Wait i know fsg pockets!!! Honestly if you really want to be mad at someone hate suarez. That guy everytime he wants to leave a team he just bits someone. And why do Europeans sign 5 year contract just to break them seem pretty shady to me.

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  36. Is your dog howling? Mine are.

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  37. Money talking - indisputable and I completely agree it talks louder than anything else. I've long been of the opinion it's most often the deciding factor in transfer deals and most other football related goings on.
    To be honest, and it's not a fully fleshed out idea but, if the FA said they would like to financially cap every team in the league to the same level, I would probably be in favour; only with a huge slice of caveat though that it didn't just drive the best players to other leagues - that may prove to be impossible of course.

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  38. I'm not going to engage with you, sorry.

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  39. So why reply then?

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  40. Of course.

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  41. Did you reply to the wrong person Pete, trust me I'm fully in support of FSG, can't see which of my posts may have suggested otherwise - 'scratching head emoticon'
    Completely with you on the contracts though, just another facet of the modern game that's gone a bit mickey mouse, Suarez though - could never hate him ;-)

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  42. Not definitely though - you were meant to rebut the 'of course' bit and reply with a substantial plan of how it could be done ;-)
    Seriously though there must be a way of levelling the playing field a bit, otherwise our league will become less and less 'the best in the world' - where any team can beat any team etc and they may as well go back to this super league of four they were banging on about years ago.
    If the FA can't set some financial limits in the name of equality for fear of all the talent disappearing off around the world, then they should be lobbying FIFA to bring in changes across the board to level the playing field globally, IMO. Maybe that's overly naΓ―ve though.

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  43. Which is why we're SECOND favorites ;) Which is a euphemism for, yup you got it, no chance.


    Interesting that Jackson Martinez is supposed to have already made up his mind as well and reveal it later this week too. Even if we don't get either of them (most likely outcome) at least we'll know sooner rather than later...

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  44. FSG are more than capable of shelling out the big bucks. But the problem is they're new to the football scene. To buy players, they have to put trust in the manager and/or DoF, and frankly they can't. First was Carroll and Downing, then came Allen, Lallana, etc. etc. If they're going to pay for someone, they're going to want to be absolutely certain that they're worth it now. They might be rich, but they don't like wasting money any more than you or me.

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  45. Are you a 'Supporter' of LFC Jamie???
    I only ask because anytime i'm bored enough to actually waste my time reading one of your posts. I find that your always complaining about something!!.


    As far as i can tell:
    1, You don't like the owners and slate them at every opportunity.
    2; You don't like Ian Ayre and slate him at every opportunity.
    3, You don't like Brendan Rodgers and slate him at every opportunity.
    4, You don't like the current squad and slate them at every opportunity.
    5, You never like any of our 'reported' transfer targets and slate the club for targeting them.


    I'm not trying to be argumentative or anything.
    I'm asking a genuine question here,


    Is there actually anything about LFC that you like, are happy with or 'support'??

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  46. Atletico want Tevez also I heard. One or other will do me.

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  47. FSG aren't trying to save anyone but themselves and their paychecks. In fact, it's the other way around.


    They kind of look like they don't give a toss about LFC. Their devious TC is partly the reason why we are where we're at right now.


    I really hope you were joking on the Suarez part. We wouldn't have done sh*t without him last season, and a top 4 finish without him would have been considered a joke. He loves our club and while he has some attitude problems, he's one of the last people you should hate.

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  48. From what I can tell:


    1) He doesn't really mind the owners themselves, he's more annoyed that they don't have the experience in the footballing world to make decisions on their own, and BR isn't exactly helping.
    2) Well, who does like Ian Ayre? He's been pretty good on the commercial side of things I guess, but he's atrocious in terms of transfers.
    3) BR deserves all the criticism he gets. Now it would be nice to hear some optimism for the future, that's just not Jaimie's stance. I'm not sure he's doing anything wrong...
    4) Again, the squad has been performing terrible. Like with BR, he could express some optimism, but that's not the point of the site.
    5) He writes articles because he has an opinion on a given player. I'm sure he'd love to write about guys like J Martinez, or Nainggolan, or Hummels, etc. etc. but those transfers are just not realistic.

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  49. Impressive guy, Simeone.

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  50. Vietto would be a good signing as he does look a good player and I would take him over Origi and Ings any day of the week. Obviously with Origi and Ings being Liverpool players I will roar them on from the kop regardless and wish them well. The direction the club keep taking has shown serious flaws in how they operate in the transfer market with very poor signings made on a regular basis. As much as I would like to say the signings have been great I just can't because I would be talking rubbish, the signings made season in and season out have failed to make a believer out of me and I just can't escape the sense of the probabilty history will repeat it's self once more with Rodgers and this strange and mysterious transfer comittee.

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  51. If the money comes from players such as Borini, aspas, alberto, Albert who rarely play or have an impact in game, I can see how net spend is pointless. But when you are talking about replacing a 31 goal striker that central to your system then net spend is directly related to quality on the field because you aren't adding quality to what you have, you are basically rebuilding. Also, if you look at transactions in terms of total cost instead of transfer fees, after getting Agger, Reina, and Suarez off the wage bill last seasons transfer business might actually yield a profit over the next few years. I think most people agree that if sturridge would have been fit all season ( who played most games last season ) then LFC would have more than likely qualified for CL. Add depth, reduce the wage bill, and still qualify for CL would have been brilliant business. Sturridge's injuries derailed that not the transfer business.

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  52. lady.b.ird πŸ’‹1:46 am, June 11, 2015

    Wow second favourites, in other words "no chance" with Ayre/Rodgers/Fsg at the helm we can kiss goodbye any dreams we once had!

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  53. Will LFC go on to break the England team's record of zero international champs trophy for 49 years?! Brendan has broken a few 52 yr old records in his 3 seasons at the Anfield club

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  54. thexcuriousxwanderer3:31 am, June 11, 2015

    BR needs more tactical guys. I just read Pep Confidential and I think BR is trying to do the same thing. If so he really needs more people like Vietto.

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  55. As much as I don't like the idea of signing over-priced over-hyped English players, but there's really nothing the club can do to attract decent overseas players. So we are basically left with no choice but to buy half-decent but much overly-priced English. With an unestablished English manager plus a chief negotiator plus a group of furtive individuals proclaimed as the transfer committee, countless of downright lousy transfer decisions were made, most actrociously the go-english policy. I have already resigned myself to fate that I'm definitely not going to see LFC playing in the UCL ever again unless FSG wake up from their dream one day and decide to part with their go-English policy all the way starting from the manager top down.

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  56. I think we all know how this transfer window will end..garbage signings Milner and Ings will be the highlight. There are no world class players that want to come play for rodgers.. and the clueless clowns at FSG are too stupid to figure out how shitty of a manager he is.. I expect us to sign few more overrated british pieces of garbage bcuz really thats all that rodgers knows..#rodgersout #nomorebritishplayers

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  57. No they didn't actually and this is why: we sold Suarez for 80m or so while we spent 115m so basically we spent 35m.
    We have to watch our net spend. Look at Manchester clubs or Chelsea (couple of years ago) even Arsenal they all have spend more than us. FSG net spend since they came is something like m13£ per window which is simply not enough

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  58. If LFC spent almost £120m last summer then why was the money not used to find a suitable replacement for Suarez? Instead Rodgers went for quantity and spent most of the money at Southampton.


    If we spent £25m on Lallana then surely we could have spent £25-£30m on finding a prolific striker? Net spend argument = excuses.

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  59. You don't get my point. Net spend does matter because it's a business. They did have a suarez replacement in sturridge who was pretty healthy and prolific last season and nobody could predict he would miss most of the season. Balo was bought as a back up/partner for him he was never suppose to be relied on. If Sturridge was fit we would be in CL point blank. What do you think Rodgers is Nostradamus?

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  60. Quite laughable honestly to be reading the Anti FSG posts. we have dropped from 1st / 2nd to 5th far before the ownership changed due to new money teams, and Arsenals steady growth and smart business model. What FSG has done is saved us from being bankrupt, established an enviroment of commercial growth, finally expanding Anfield to increase matchday revenue. They also are spending on transfer market, on wrong targets though.

    blame Rodgers for last season, sure. blaming FSG as some boogeyman and source of our woes is just lazy.

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  61. exactly, gods bring back Hodgson/Gillet/Hicks, and doing "the Rangers" and plummetting down to third after declaring for bankruptcy

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  62. lady.b.ird πŸ’‹8:43 am, June 11, 2015

    The blind leading the blind..

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  63. This isn't really the only woman on this site?

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  64. lady.b.ird πŸ’‹10:51 am, June 11, 2015

    Well I'd like to think I'm not the only woman on here with all these bad tempered men ;)

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  65. Couple of things.
    1) We tried to get Sanchez (and failed admittedly), so it's not like we weren't going for quality, the season before we went for Costa.
    2) I highly doubt Rodgers makes the decisions regarding money
    3) If there's a transfer committee do they not share the blame? If so why is there never a mention of them?

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  66. What makes your opinion any more valid than Robo's.
    It's not about accepting mediocrity. It's about you and other people accepting where we are at.
    At the moment LFC are no longer able to compete for the top players and as fans we have to realise that and accept it.

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  67. They're all fair comments. Thanks for taking the time to reply in a reasonable way. It's a shame my original post was deleted.by Jamie.
    I'm not sure of the usefulness of constantly criticising everything the club does. I would much rather see a more balanced argument and a few positive comments now and again. I, like everyone else, would like to see a little more progress and little faster. I'm just as tired as everyone else is of waiting for things to happen. But things are not as bad as the doom mongers would have you believe.

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  68. second favourites in a one horse race

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  69. That is simply because you have fed them the same stuff you keep feeding us i would be howling too!!!!

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