29 Sept 2012

'We may lose him' - Tonnies admits 48-goal LFC target could leave. Be ready, LFC!

Bundlesliga club Schalke have conceded for the first time that there is a strong possibility that star striker Klass Jan Huntelaar could leave in the January transfer window. Various teams including Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United have been linked with Huntelaar over the years, and the prolific goalscorer continues to stall on signing a new deal, and if he the Dutchman doesn't sign by January, he will be able to sign a pre-contract agreement with another club.

The Reds were strongly linked with a loan move for Huntelaar during the short-lived reign of Roy Hodgson, but a deal could not be agreed at the time. Speculation arose again during the summer, but on transfer deadline day, Brendan Rodgers specifically ruled out the possibility of signing the Dutch International.

In an interview with Bild yesterday, Schalke General manager Horst Heldt admitted that the club was still 'unable to finalise a deal with Huntelaar', and Clemens Tonnies, Chairman of the Board, indicated that the German club is preparing for the worst case scenario. He said:

"It's our obligation not to go for broke in this affair, and we have to make sure we are aware of alternative solutions, just if it comes to the worst of all."

In an interview with Bild in July, Heldt revealed Huntelaar's buy out clause:

"Huntelaar has a €20m buyout clause in his contract, and rich clubs can afford it"

£16m for a player who grabbed 44 goals and 10 assists last season and has a history of scoring goals wherever he goes? That seems fairly reasonable to me, but given the current market, it's unlikely Schalke would achieve that price for Huntelaar. Some stats:

* 48 goals and 10 assists last season
* 194 goals over the last 7 season
* Averages 28 goals a season
* Last season: Goal every 96 mins (league)
* Last season: Goal or assist every 76 minutes (league)
* 58% conversion rate

Whether Huntelaar would want to make the move to Anfield is another story, but it's got to be worth a shot, surely? The Dutchman is a natural goalscorer, and despite the constant stories circulating that Liverpool don't have any money to spend, I believe FSG would sanction a deal for the right player, and Huntelaar arguably fits into that category.

Luis Suarez and Huntelaar together again? Yes please! At Ajax between 2007 and 2009, the duo grabbed over 125 goals/assists between them.



Jaimie Kanwar


16 comments:

  1. 16mn? If he has only 6 months left by January, he should be more cheap right? I don't think FSG will sanction it for 16mn, 29 year old and soon to be 30. I wish David Villa to come on loan, he is not playing at his natural position and is not getting a regular start as well.

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  2. PS:- Huntelaar is always expensive in Football Manager. Never bought him for his age. :(

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  3. No chance , Brendan will not be interested.
    Huntelaar is 6` 1" far to tall for his ideal team.
    BR only wants front men 5`7" or under .
    Next year Jerome Sinclair will be too tall .
    But seriously I reckon liverpool will not
    sign anyone 15 m or more .

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  4. YES PLEEASEE. He is a goal machine

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  5. If he's only got 6mths left surely we could get him for around £10m. A scorer like that with a lot of pressure off Suarez would be well worth it. Plus the impact he could make with the young lads by seeing their hard work resulting in more goals far outweighs any concerns FSG could have with age? Come on January! Till then, our boys can win with BR's direction! YNWA

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  6. What the heck? from all the striker rumoured i just interested in that stutgart striker,i forgot his name. he looks prolific like torres ,has speed and that touch of goals. he could also play wide,making the pressure of borini. maybe he could come for 10 mil?

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  7. Oh,its martin harnik. then we have a trio of skillful strikers in suarez,harnik,and assaidi.

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  8. I reckon Rodgers is working on targets and will surprise us come January ... Huntelaar would be a number 9 that would handle the pressure and bring us 20 goals a season

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  9. They did play together at Ajax before and did very well, why not for the right fee????

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  10. I'm not really a huge fan of bringing over international strikers at 29. Fernando Morientes still haunts me like the short lady in poltergeist.

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  11. We just dont know if FSG will decide not to invest, citing the success the youngsters have had, it wouldnt surprise me.
    P.S:Milk turned faster than Morientes,

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  12. Today's game could have been perfect if we did not concede the 2 goala and its the manner it was conceded matters. They rarely tested reina yet they scored 2 goals.Reina has to improve, play with a mentality of champion. The way we must keep possesion should higher up the pitch. Defenders like skyrtel and johnson must release the ball early to the midfielders. Reina as a sweeper/keeper is possible then.

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  13. Skrtel's error was the result of the 2nd goal but the first goal was entirely Reina's doing. An over hasty throw that completely missed its target resulting in giving possession away and then a horrendous fumble of a shot that ultimately led to their tap in.
    Not sure what the exact stats are but he is making costly errors at least once a game that have been costly in the tighter games.

    Back to GK & DF 101

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  14. No thanks. He's not suited to the system. Ajax had to alter their style of play to build the team around him and he's only ever been successful when teams have been built around him. We could do with an attacker, but not Huntelaar. Villa might be available in January, he'd be a better signing. More suited to the style, more versatile, better passer and as good, if not better, at scoring goals.

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  15. Sign both, think about it. Cant lose .we need to be playing CL and need a mix of experience and youth, it would great for depth

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  16. Huntelaar would be the perfect signing for LFC but its not about money, its about whether he would come too Anfield ? Im sure Luis Suarez could sway him if we really had intrest in him. Huntelaar would be our very own fox in the box, he would be worth at least £15m if Borini was £12 think about it 20 plus goals a season its a no brainer, he had this telepathy with Suarez at Ajax and that can only be good for our team. I myself say get him in January that will give Assaidi and Suso time too mature and learn off a renowned finnisher. C.O.Y.M.R.

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