With Brendan Rodgers seemingly unconvinced by Sebastian Coates' defensive credentials, Liverpool continue to scour the market for central defenders, and reports in Italy this week claim that Davide Astori is the latest player on the club's radar.
According to Italian newspaper La Gazetta Dello Sport, Liverpool have made an €8.6m (£7m) bid for the 6'2 Calgliari defender, but the Reds also face stiff competition from Southampton.
Responding to rumours of a move to the Premier League this week, Astori - nicknamed 'Il Gigante Buono' by the club's fans - said:
"So far, I've only heard rumours. Right now, I'm focused exclusively on the team".
The 25-year old defender - who has played over 100 games for Cagliari - is valued at £12m, but Liverpool's offer is clearly well below that figure.
According to former Cagliari manager Davide Ballardini, Astori is one of the best defenders in Italy. He told Radio Anch’Io Lo Sport:
“In my opinion he’s the best Italian defender that there is right now. If he isn’t the best then he is nevertheless amongst the very best.”
In July 2012, the Serie A club agreed to sell Astori to Spartak Moscow for €15m but the defender rejected the move. Explaining his decision, he told Cagliari's official website:
"I want to thank the Spartak Moscow executives for their consideration, but I will remain in Italy and at Cagliari. I want to give a sense of fulfilment to my career with the Rossoblu outfit. I believe in this club and in the project. I will try to do my best and have a starring role next season."
This is only six months ago, but a lot can change in that time, especially if Premier League clubs enter the fray. Indeed, a move to the UK is probably far more attractive at this stage than a move to Russia.
Players from Serie A don't have the best record at Liverpool. In recent times, both Andrea Dossena and Alberto Aquilani struggled at Anfield, so perhaps it would be better to look for elsewhere?
This is not the first time Liverpool have gone up against Southampton for a player this season; The Reds lost out on Uruguay attacker Gaston Ramirez in the summer, and so far, he's grabbed 3 goals and 3 assists in 14 games for the Saints, which is not the worst return.
Worth a bid?
Jaimie Kanwar
According to Italian newspaper La Gazetta Dello Sport, Liverpool have made an €8.6m (£7m) bid for the 6'2 Calgliari defender, but the Reds also face stiff competition from Southampton.
Responding to rumours of a move to the Premier League this week, Astori - nicknamed 'Il Gigante Buono' by the club's fans - said:
"So far, I've only heard rumours. Right now, I'm focused exclusively on the team".
The 25-year old defender - who has played over 100 games for Cagliari - is valued at £12m, but Liverpool's offer is clearly well below that figure.
According to former Cagliari manager Davide Ballardini, Astori is one of the best defenders in Italy. He told Radio Anch’Io Lo Sport:
“In my opinion he’s the best Italian defender that there is right now. If he isn’t the best then he is nevertheless amongst the very best.”
In July 2012, the Serie A club agreed to sell Astori to Spartak Moscow for €15m but the defender rejected the move. Explaining his decision, he told Cagliari's official website:
"I want to thank the Spartak Moscow executives for their consideration, but I will remain in Italy and at Cagliari. I want to give a sense of fulfilment to my career with the Rossoblu outfit. I believe in this club and in the project. I will try to do my best and have a starring role next season."
This is only six months ago, but a lot can change in that time, especially if Premier League clubs enter the fray. Indeed, a move to the UK is probably far more attractive at this stage than a move to Russia.
Players from Serie A don't have the best record at Liverpool. In recent times, both Andrea Dossena and Alberto Aquilani struggled at Anfield, so perhaps it would be better to look for elsewhere?
This is not the first time Liverpool have gone up against Southampton for a player this season; The Reds lost out on Uruguay attacker Gaston Ramirez in the summer, and so far, he's grabbed 3 goals and 3 assists in 14 games for the Saints, which is not the worst return.
Worth a bid?
Jaimie Kanwar
cause hes worth a bid ,lets offer £1 its the fsg way make a bid thats not got a cat in hells chance of getting acceppted
ReplyDeleteSo we know that he takes shoddy penalties and that the beautiful city of Moscow is apparently less attractive to live in than Liverpool...
ReplyDeleteAfter the last 3 Italians no definitely leave them they like Serie A and home too much and Astori is no superstar.
ReplyDeleteCoates has not been given a fair number of games to judge his quality. Seems crazy to go for a player in Italy when there's plenty of talent in the premiership and Championship. Ashley Williams at swansea is awesome, Lescott is proven defender for sale; I hope Astori has been well scouted; as you have highlighted the last two from Italy have not been successful. I would have thought the left back position is more of a problem until the end of the season ?. Robinson has potential but lacks a physical presence at the moment; this will hopefully develop with age.
ReplyDeleteWilliams yes maybe but Lescott ???????
ReplyDeleteI think BR is looking for technically gifted defenders.
ReplyDeleteYaroslav Ratkitskiy it is so
ReplyDeleteAgreed. Martin and Seb are both the same kind of defender to a degree and BR clearly doesn’t fancy Seb and I'm not sure he's a fan of the lapses in concentration/unessesary fouls Martin has given away this season. If I was BR, I would be going for Sakho at PSG. He was captain at PSG at the age of 20 before ancelotti came in but now he's finding his chances limited. He's big, strong, fast but very technical, only 22, and friends of mine from the capital think very highly of him. Could be a great player for us as we could use a natural leader in our defense, what we're missing without cara imo
ReplyDeleteyeah let's shop close to home and pay outrageous prices for local talent. We have a scouting network in place for a reason. I want Liverpool scouts scouring the four corners of the globe looking for the best and the brightest at the most affordable prices. No more former players please that means no Ashley Williams. We all see how good former players have worked out. No to Lescott too.
ReplyDeleteSlightly disagree; unless you pay BIG money the foreign players (£15M+) that have come to liverpool have not been a success (Except Lucas, Alonso,Agger) ; However, you are right in saying that homegrown players are over priced. Its a difficult balance do you buy young potential players or older more, mature experienced players on shorter contracts ?. I still feel Ashley Williams would be a great addition; I have watched him for over four years (most saturdays), he really is strong, fast, reliable, hard working, good in the air, and a good passer of a ball.
ReplyDeleteYour probably right; limited skills but strong defender. Not a progressive type of purchase.
ReplyDeleteFrom that video clip i can surely see why Liverpool would be interested in this player. I bet he is also nice an so very cheap as well. I think that we need to actually sign a beast in the back. I love our defenders I think that they do a beautiful job. Skrtl is a machine and "Dagger" i mean Agger is sometimes made of glass. We need a man beast in the back who is good in the air so he can head em away all day for us when deployed on defensive duties and head em into goal when up front supporting for one of our corner kicks.
ReplyDeleteI think that the perfect player we could sign for our defense who would be nice and cheap just like Brendan Rodgers and FSG it is a 24 year old named Omar Gonzales. Gonzales stands at 6ft 5in so he would really present a massive presence in the back for us. I think he would certainly be a better option than Sebestian Coates. Here is where i will lose a lot of Liverpool fans. Omar Gonzales played with David Beckham and Robbie Keane last season for the LA Galaxy in Los Angeles , California. Yeah he is playing in what many believe to be an amateur league but I think that this player is full of potential and has already become a vital part of the United States National team. He is someone who could bring something fresh off the bench and do a better job than Carragher and Coates to boot. If i were Brendan Rodgers I would give this kid a try. If he succeeds he would have gotten a quality talent for relatively cheap (nobody will cost too much from MLS). He is the kind of player Brendan Rodgers hopes to find these days. One that is good and also cheap.
Liverpool face competition from Southampton, that in it's self sends shudders down my spine.
ReplyDeleteif we wanted ramirez we would have signed him. more lies from you there.
ReplyDeleteOutbid by Southampton. We don't have owners who will spend big money at the moment, need to move Carroll on if we are to get him and Ince.
ReplyDeleteWhich would explain why the Sturridge bid, AC bid, Suarez bid, Borini bid I could go, all got accepted?
ReplyDeleteI think it is more of a case, that is the other team going for him, so they are the competition, which isn`t a negative. Look at michu, the other team was Swansea, just because a top four team isn`t in for him, doesn`t mean he ain`t any good.
ReplyDeleteOr they feel he ain`t worth more cash? They get hounded for overspending, and then for not bidding higher on a player who prob isn`t worth that much.
ReplyDeleteWho does the buck ultimately stop with over the signing of carroll? I still cant believe we allowed ourselves to get stiffed for 35 mil for this fella, it seemed lile we had the torres money burning a hole in our pocket & behaved like an idiot who had just won the lottery, completely wreckless & still impacting on the club now with every subsequent transfer.
ReplyDeleteCoates HAS TO GO NOW
ReplyDeletelol your easy pleased forget caroll and suarez the other 2 no one else came in for them a bit like allen ,rodgers ex boyfriends
ReplyDeleteUmm why ? Coates needs to be given a proper chance . He has not . Players often need time to adapt to a new country and team . Coates needs some more game time first . I think he is a very good prospect . brendan seems to make his mind up about certain players before he even gives them a proper chance , yet he keeps saying he needs time for his project.
ReplyDeleteMr Rodgers it goes both ways . Stop throwing Liverpools hard spent money away by letting players go way below their value .
I dont want any players who have played in Italy or are Italian they really seem to have a problem adapting.....Robinson looked poor against non league opposition as did coates....im a big lescott fan but Fsg wont fork out for him.....please no more players from swansea
ReplyDeletedont let them being tall kid you into thinking there good in the air....its how you attack the ball which matters ....i dont remember graham Roberts getting beat in the air to often for spurs when he played at the back and he was about 5.10...
ReplyDeleteSangertim,
ReplyDeletei am not biased to having local talent if they can deliver. We have been waiting patiently for the emergence of folks like Stewart Downing , and Jordan Henderson. They have only began to show signs of progress after how long? The problem i have with most Liverpool transfers since Brendan Rodgers took over is that he has been shopping in the bargain basement. We hoped we would be getting more value for money with Rodgers than we did under Kenny.
I think we should change our mentality and act more like a big club and not an amateur outfit. I think it is okay to spend a lot of money on the real thing every once in a while. If the target player is a recognized talent (not like Carrol) it is okay to break the bank and bring him in. I would like to see us competing with other mega club once in a while for big name signings. Let's go after at least one player that everybody actually wants. We might have to pay a king's ransom but at least we know that his quality is not in doubt. I think that it would send a serious message to our fans and the competition that we mean business. Van Persie made a big money move and in his first season in a new club he is the leading scorer of the BPL. Why can't we sign a player who can come in and hit the ground running? Why do we keep signing amatuers who will for ever need time to find their game? Anyone felt Assaidi's or Sahin's impact yet? At the rate we are going we won't compete in the champion's league or get a top 4 finish before Gerrard or Carra retire.
He didn't impress me in the matches I've seen, so I'm happy we haven't signed him eventually.
ReplyDeleteYep, Italian clubs must think xmas has come early when they get a call from LFC. They ought to call us the dustbin, as its the place where they can get rid of all their crap!!
ReplyDeletenot just being tall isn't good enough gilstrap. This kid is more than just tall, he also posses "skills that will pay the bills." Strikers simply find him intimidating. He has a physique you would be jealous of. He is a real presence in defense. I am sorry love Skrtyl and Agger but this kid came to Liverpool he would really give our those two some serious competition . Hoping that the God's of football will grant me this one wish one day. Who ever discovers this kid will reap the rewards for seasons to come. I actually watched this kid score a powerful header that sealed the game for the LA Galaxy in what was Beckham's last game earlier this summer. Gonzales headed in a beautiful goal while he was sandwiched between two defenders. His strength in the air is undeniable. If it is at all possible for you to catch an LA Galaxy game where you are you should check it out. This kid is going places. Maybe not to Liverpool but one day one of the big boys across the pond over there in Europe will snap him up soon that's a fact. Just know you heard it here first.
ReplyDeletehaha good to see jason carr here... after reading the articles i always just scroll down to see your comments... your brick like IQ bring laughter to my life
ReplyDeleteBut we still paid top dollar, which goes against what you said about only offering low amounts.
ReplyDeleteexpand on this please? for me he is still worth keeping. He is young and needs time to fit in. I remember when Skrtyl looked a lot like Coates. Defenders take a lot longer to fit into there role. Maybe send him out on loan for a season to get him some game time under his belt. I find it hard to see how any player learns that much not playing, but esp defenders, who need game time to get used to positioning etc.
ReplyDeletePeople also often forget you have to have a certain amount of homegrown players in your team, otherwise your squad becomes very limited. 25man rule etc doesn`t mean 25 from abroad. You have to have at least 8 home-grown players, so unless you are going to pack your squad out with under 21`s sometimes buying from here is needed.
ReplyDeletewhy dun we just loan coates to southampton? he can link up with ramirez there. we have danny wilson comin back from loan this month i think? if we are gonna buy i reckon he be a beast like modibo diakite ( which we are linked with ) but better quality.. Just my opinion anw..
ReplyDeleteRather us play hard ball rather than overpaying. We are not bankrolled by a sugar daddy.
ReplyDeleteI found the idea of signing Nicolas Isimat-Mirin much better.
ReplyDeleteModibo Diakité, the 25-year-old who has racked up a massive 65 league matches in the last SIX years. I really would be surprised if he was a player who would be an improvement on what we've already got at the club.
ReplyDeleteYeah, loan him to another Premier League side and see how good he does.
ReplyDeleteAccording to some (not me) the signing of Carroll isn't Kenny Dalglish's fault at all. Surely Comolli can't be blamed for all of it either so take your pick out of the following possible culprits:
ReplyDeleteTea-lady
Kit-manager
Groundsman
Bus-driver
The girls on the ticket hot-line
The folks in the club shop
Any of the stewarts
The world conspiracy
The physio
Once Ince signs, the cheque book will be locked away. No more signings this transfer window. So this guy has no chance or any other for that matter.
ReplyDeleteYep, they can't do anything right in the eyes of some.
ReplyDeleteSo with two caps to his name he "has become a vital part of the United States National team" already?
ReplyDeleteHe went on loan to the Bundesliga so why not loan him first and buy him for no more than 2m if he should be good enough. But then you'd wonder whether he'd get a work permit.
This "kid" will turn 25 this year.
ReplyDeleteGood shout (Sakho), but do we stand any chance of PSG letting him go, and if so for a reasonable fee?
ReplyDeleteI don`t think it is fair to judge against the fact it was non-league. In cup games it happens loads, when lower league teams do really well. For them it is the game of their life.
ReplyDeleteExactly my thoughts, just letting him go seems a waste to me. Looking at his progression through the ranks of his national team, clearly shows he has something of worth. I think maybe he is just struggling to fit into the English style. He needs game time, and if I`m honest, it is a bit risky having that with us right now, we need wins every game, so can`t afford to many risks trying him out. However just letting him go at such a young age, before having a chance to get used to the style here, might be missing a trick, and something we come to regret when in 3 years time his is one of the best in the world. A season at West ham or Southampton would do him the world of good, and give us a better chance to look at him to see if he has what it takes.
ReplyDeleteClearly right now, BR likes Carra as back up. Good or bad, that is his choice, so why not send Coates out on loan now, as clearly for the rest of the season at least, he aint going to get much game time here.
Agreed. If we signed him I think he would just be a back up player, which seems pointless right now. We have back up players in Carra and the young lads.
ReplyDeletesorry didn,t realise you had to be a member of mensa,also i suggest you get out more ,you mite see something that will really make you laugh lol
ReplyDeletePersonally I find it puzzling that Bredan tends to bring on Carra instead of Coates when we are two or three goals up with only ten minutes to go. His choice, true, but one I don't agree with.
ReplyDeleteIt seems utterly pointless to me. He'd only block the way of our youngster coming through.
ReplyDeleteJason, make your mind up-
ReplyDeleteDo we lowball, or overpay? you claim both!
we over pay for crap,and under bid for crap as well
ReplyDeleteas above
ReplyDeleteJason.... it's "might", not "mite".
ReplyDeletei know m8 ,do you really think its worth wasting your time correcting my swelling
ReplyDeletePlease don't correct other posters' spelling. Who cares? As long as the post can be understood, that's all that matter.
ReplyDeleteyep good idea. but on the understanding he has got to play against us !!!
ReplyDeleteit should be the same for them two though ...coates has been complaing about game time ...gets a chance against low level opposition and get run ragged
ReplyDeleteAnd then he'll score.
ReplyDeleteAncellotti says that he won't sell him but its wildly known that he is unhappy playing second fiddle to Alex. If we went from him now I can see it happen but only if we can assure him first team football and I would rate him above Martin. As for the fee its tricky. Every signing we've made since FSG came in has been inflated so I would think PSG, like every other club, would try and do the same. 8mil would be a good price for him and it wouldnt hurt to make it public so that Sakho can add some pressure on his end. But the more I rhink about it the more I dont see it happening. imo BR sadly just doesnt have the transfer insign/knowhow to bring players like him to the club
ReplyDeleteAt 10m it still would be a steal, as he is widely regarded as one of the very best up and coming centre backs in Europe.
ReplyDeletelol i totally agree with Jason, he makes a very strong case for his arguments
ReplyDeletetouche
ReplyDeletelol quality
ReplyDeleteSo the 14 or 15 homegrown Liverpool have is not enough i see
ReplyDeletethe word is out he wants to leave how many english clubs have come in 4 him Err none .hes miles to slow turns like the bismark and for 6ft 6ins isn t that great in the air. sell him and try and recoup some of the waisted 6 million
ReplyDelete