19 Jun 2012

€10m LFC midfield target responds to transfer rumours. Worth a bid?

Last week, the Agent of Celtic star Victor Wanyama confirmed that the Kenyan international wanted to play 'at the highest level', and further suggested that a summer transfer could be on the cards 'if Celtic receive an offer from one of the big leagues'. That statement appears to have incited a number of offers for the powerful midfielder. Could a Liverpool bid be among them?

The Reds have been linked with Wanyama several times over the last month, and speaking to the Press last night ahead of Kenya's game Togo this Sunday, Wanyama was tight-lipped about his future, but confirmed that clubs are interested in signing him:

"At this point, I have no comment on the many bids that have come in, My concentration is with Kenya. We have to focus as we have a tough game against Togo".

Lucas Leiva is currently the only dedicated first-team defensive midfielder at Liverpool, and signing a back-up/competition must surely be on Brendan Rodgers' agenda right now.

€10m [£8m]-rated Wanyama cost Celtic less than £1m a year ago so if Liverpool go in for the player, the transfer fee shouldn't be too excessive.



Jaimie Kanwar


27 comments:

  1. Mr. Point Of View12:10 pm, June 19, 2012

    D media can link us all over d world...

    MY POV: i hope any future signing is wat BR want....not d BOARD/D.O.F. said so....coz no point if BR dun use d player or being forced to use...

    YNWA

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  2. A slightly misleading article. I am not aware that Victor has expressed any desire to leave, and the last line which suggests that as Celtic got him for £1m then the fee shouldn't be excessive seems like wishfull thinking. I dont think the purchase price Celtic paid will reflect in their asking price, I tend to think that this would be more depedent upon the player's ability ad worth to the club. 

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  3. Depends on how much money we will have to spend. A striker and a right winger have got to be our priority. It looks like we are gonna get the Icelandic guy so we'll have another midfielder in the squad so if we have positions I've mentioned filled it might be worth a bid but can't see him being quite as cheap as you think Jaimie.

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  4. There is nothing misleading at all. Last week, Wanyama's Agent said the following:

    "Wanyama is like any other young talented footballer in that he wants to play at the highest level. He has made the club aware that if they receive an offer from one of the big leagues he would like them to consider it. He loves the club but should something come in he feels they should listen."

    This is direct from his Agent, he references Wanyama's wish for Celtic to consider offers. That means he is willing to leave.

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  5. Mr. Point Of View12:23 pm, June 19, 2012

    agree with u....n oso this kind of player ego wont over power BR....not like some other FANs thinking like playing fantasy game wan to buy BIG NAMES only....be realistic for now...player choose liv not liv choose player...

    YNWA

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  6. Worth a punt but not for more than about £6m

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  7. Celtic fan here. Wanyama is a terrific player, one of our best this season and at the age of 20 most Celtic fans agree that he will play for a top, top, club in a few years. (If it's any indication, his brother is McDonald Mariga, the Inter Milan player). He's an extremely useful player and can fill a variety of roles which means he always has a game with us. As an important player who has only finished his first season I can't see Celtic letting him go except for 'silly money'. We paid about 1mill; I could see him going for 8-10mill with a sell-on clause.

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  8. just a quick note Iam not saying Victor doesn't want to leave us but as a financially well run club we don't have to sell unless we get paid what we value him at as he still has 3 years on his contract all the best for next season

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  9. How is the decision made as 10m being a lot but 6m not being huge! I never seem to get that! Is it just a gut feel? If it is, would you react by criticizing the board if they sign him for let's say 12m and will you kick yourself if they get him for 2?

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  10. I dont think we must risk on potentials any more especially at such costs. We are no Real Madrid, Chelsea or City. We have good youth setup am sure we can find a diamond in there somewhere. If we can't find a first team player from youths than no point in having youth program at first place. 

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  11. It is misleading! There is a difference between what Wanyama said and what his agent said. Truthfully, while the epl is more interesting for a player in the spl, the epl isn't even close to what it once was. For years we hear how there are only two teams in Scotland, if truth be told, there are only three or four at best in the epl, and the epl has twice as many teams! A move to Liverpool wouild be a major step back for Wanyama.

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  12. We have Lucas as our first choice for Defensive Midfielder. After Lucas was injured last season we really struggled in DM department. Spearing did a very ordinary job in Lucas's absence. Liverpool needs a decent backup for Lucas but I don't think Liverpool would spend £8 million on a backup player.

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  13. Unfortunately I have to disagree here. Celtic are no better than a mid-table EPL table, and now the top (6-8) teams of the EPL are more or less or similar levels. Competition is getting fiercer. Liverpool would be a major step up for Wanyama, but I don't think now would be the right time to move. He should wait till he has matured and improved even a bit more (22-23). 

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  14. Surely he'd have more ambition that to sign for a diddy team such as L'pool?

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  15. if you do get him for £10m, you have a bargain.

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  16. Another player for the crowded midfield. A player to give competition to Lucas is a good thing fundamentally but I think we should asses Liverpool's  situation realistically for one moment before we sign him. This was a team that had problems scoring goals when they were in the opposition's defensive third. I think that there is need to give one Andy Carroll competition more than there is to give Lucas. I don't know but that is my opinion. We have a misfiring left winger , I think he needs good competition in that position , and guess what we just lost Dirk Kuyt so i think we need a player for the right side of midfield . Henderson is clearly not the answer. We as a team need to fill out a couple different positions with players who can come right into the first team right now. 

     Victor Wanyama is a great prospect but not an immediate priority in my humble opinion. Conversations about whether the SPL is better than the EPL is simply irrelevant at this point. Wanyama doesn't even begin to address Livepool's immediate problems. He (Wanyama) wants to play at the highest level of foot-ball and right now he could do better than both Liverpool and Celtic if he really as good as people say he is.  Liverpool is definitely a shadow of his  former self. I think only the rich history of the Liverpool name would be the only thing attractive to Wanyama . Certainly the recent quality of the Liverpool play would not be a most attractive thing for the player.

     I am still upset that BR doesn't want to pursue Gaston Ramirez a player that would bring something special to the team. Someone who I think is more than capable in succeeding in his new proposed passing game. I guess I have an axe to grind with the new manager already.  I guess am just one supporter whose job is just to spend on Liverpool while the club continues to  makes error after error in player acquisitions. Oh well so is life of fanatical team supporter.

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  17. As stated previously ,, we have no need to sell Victor and I'm certain that NL sees him as a key player next season particularily with the CL qualifiers looming ,, the Celtic board will sell him in a nano second if the price is right but my gut feeling is that he will stay for one more year before heading for pastures new ..... all the very best to Liverpool for next season regardless ...YNWA . 

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  18. I work in sport insurance in London where Celtic FC use us as main player insurers. The value a team insures a player for is a good indication of the required transfer fee for that club to sell him. I can't reveal the figure Celtic have insured him for but the figures mentioned in this discussion are not far away. Through my line of work I know a few teams have enquired about Wanyama, all lower league EPL and Championship teams. I believe they've all been put off by the transfer fee Celtic are demanding. It will take one of the EPL top 6 to take a chance on him at this sort of price. Wanyama's agent??? Of Course he's going to be pushing for a big money move to the EPL, how else do they get paid? Could his mystery agent who has said so much actually just be the tabloids? There has been interest but not as much as the papers make out. Will be a Celtic player next season, then if he has a second good season then the big money will come.

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  19. Rumours at the weekend suggest Chelsea have been watching him and £14m was mooted.

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  20. Wanyama is only 20 and he showed massive improvements at Celtic during the few months he was here. He does have some weaknesses but I feel these can easily be improved with experience, he has good technique, is really strong, actually has pace as well. I think he can make the grade at Liverpool but I think this year will probably be to early for him. He can play as a defensive midfielder or as a central defender, I think he could fit next to Lucas.

    I would keep him for another season and allow clubs to see how he preforms in the UCL, in my opinion he will do great as we have seen from his Europa League games.

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  21. celtic fan here. i would be extremely sad to him big victor go. hes a 20 yr old that bosses the midfield like the most experienced player you can get. he sometimes tries wild tackles, evident from the old firm game at ibrox, but its not something that i would say is a downfall for him, he is young after all with so much to learn. personally i think he should stay at celtic for another couple seasons, not just for celtics benefit but for his own development, because i think liverpool would just see him as one for the future. celtic see him as a first choice player and thats worth so much more, especially with a team that can have a run in europe. if you do get him though you can sure as hell expect good performances, great attitude from a great young prospect.

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  22. This has been blown out of all proportion from an article in the Daily Record. The article in itself was a mixture of speculation, fantasy and untruths. So, no change there then...
    I don't doubt there is some interest in big Vic, he's the player Chelsea hoped Obi Mikel would be. The statement from Wanyama's agent is disingenious, all he says is that the player is happy at Celtic, and that at some point he would like to challenge himself in the EPL. Which can be said for any Celtic player. The part about considering a reasonable offer is flim-flam; The same goes for any player, at any club, it goes without saying really.

    Victor will be at Celtic next season. After that, who knows. Good luck for next season, hope Brendan turns things around for you guys YNWA

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  23. Seriously, there must be something in the water. Nothing has been blown out of proportion, and there is nothing 'disingenuous' about the Agent's statement. it doesn't matter what newspaper the story appeared in, the bottom line is this:

    * Wanyama's Agent made a public statement stating the following:

    "Wanyama is like any other young talented footballer in that he wants to play at the highest level. He has made the club aware that if they receive an offer from one of the big leagues he would like them to consider it. He loves the club but should something come in he feels they should listen."

    In this statement, the Agent confirms the following:

    * Wanyama has told Celtic that he wants them to listen to offers from big clubs.

    It doesn't matter if the statement is not from Wanyama himself; his Agent is paid to speak on his behalf; why would the Agent lie about his client in public?

    Wanyama then made direct reference to 'many offers' for his services (in this article)

    Why do people always try and complicate things and/or refuse to accept the reality. Based on the (persuasive) available evidence, Wanyama wants to move to a big club.

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  24. He is already at a BIG club, a bigger club than Liverpool will ever be.

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  25. No disrespect to Liverpool in last post, but Celtic ain't a small club, the arrogance of the English clubs,fans,media,is so annoying.

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  26. So Wanyama's got ambition? Shock horror, hold the back page. Every young footballer in the world expects their club to consider big offers from better leagues for their services.
    A difference between that and telling the club he wishes to leave. Victor may turn out to be a one season wonder, other clubs will be watching him closely and if he can reproduce last season's form then we may see bids of £7m upwards.
    Of course Wanyama wants to play at the highest level possible, what a silly thing to get hung up on.

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