17 Aug 2016

Contact Made: Liverpool hold transfer talks to sign 'skillful' £25m Everton flop with 'perfect positioning'

Despite signing two central defenders already this summer, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp reportedly plans to sign another yet another centre-half before the end of the current transfer window.

Liverpool reportedly scouted Mustafi in April, and according to according to a report today on Spanish radio station Cadena SER:

* Klopp wants to sign German defender Shkodran Mustafi, and the Reds are currently in talks with Valencia.

* Liverpool will offer Luis Alberto in part-exchange for the German international.

Arsenal are reportedly in talks with Mustafi, but The Mirror claims:

"Arsene Wenger is ready to pay around £20m for Mustafi, but Valencia [are] demanding in excess of £25m".

Some info about Mustafi:

* 24-year old central defender, who can also operate at right-back. 80 apps for Valencia (9 goals/assists). 12 apps for the German national team.

* Spent three years at Everton, and made just one appearance.

* Description on Valencia's official site: "Mustafi is a skillful defender. Confident and adept in the air. His speed and perfect positioning allow him to anticipate movement from opponents".

* July 2015: Germany U21 head coach Horst Hrubesch enthused: “He [Mustafi] is a real character and very mature for his age. He can lead and take responsibility, anticipates the game well and makes few mistakes".

* Jun 2014: Nicolas Otamendi's assessment: "Mustafi is a great centre-back and that’s why he went, played and won the World Cup. Valencia have signed a great centre-back with a bright future.”

In a season with a drastically reduced fixture list, do Liverpool really need another central defender? Right now, the Reds have Lovren, Klavan, and Matip vying for a first-team place. When Sakho returns, that's make it four; with Mustafi, it'll be FIVE senior international defenders vying for two places in a team that'll be playing once a week (!)

This is the very epitome of unhealthy competition, and makes no sense whatsoever. This link only makes sense if Klopp is planning to dump one of either Sakho or Lovren, and after Liverpool's defensive horror show against Arsenal, perhaps Lovren's time is finally up?

Klavan looks to be a superb signing so far, and based on his form so far, he's arguably Liverpool's most accomplished defender. Matip is also a Klopp signing, so he's not going anywhere, which leaves Lovren and Sakho possibly vulnerable.

Of the two, I'd rather see Liverpool cash in on Sakho, but even if he leaves, there's no way the Reds should overspend on Mustafi. £25m? You're having a laugh.


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