Despite an ongoing delay in transfer negotiations, Celta Vigo attacker Iago Aspas has confirmed that he is joining Liverpool FC.
In an interview with Spanish newspaper MARCA today, Aspas - who will reportedly cost the Reds €10m - enthused:
"When I heard of Liverpool's interest I did not hesitate even for a minute. It is one of the biggest clubs in the world.
"I also had offers from Italy and Portugal and other countries I decided that my future was in English football.
"I am very calm and very excited because I am making a very significant step forward in my sporting career".
This is good to hear as there is no actual deal in place yet for Aspas. The Mirror reports:
"The Reds discovered on Friday that the agents with whom they had been negotiating Aspas’ transfer from Celta Vigo were not his contracted representatives. The revelation lead to frantic phone calls between Ian Ayre, Celta and Aspas’ official agent.
"The deal is likely to be held up by legal wranglings with the other agents possessing an authorisation document signed by the player".
Liverpool are now speaking to Aspas and his real Agent directly, and a deal should be struck 'by next weekend', but only as long as the other agents 'agree to withdraw their claim to any proceeds from the move'.
From the sounds of it, it seems as if Aspas authorised these 'fake' Agents to act on his behalf, but it's a little concerning that Liverpool - and by 'Liverpool', I mean Ian Ayre - can make this kind of embarrassing error.
It's all moot, however, as Aspas clearly wants to join Liverpool, and unless he changes his mind - which, given his comments, seems unlikely - he'll be a Reds player soon rather than later.
Is this a good deal, though?
At the age of 25, he has only 136 senior appearances, and the Spaniard is hardly a prolific goalscorer. Having said that, 12 goals/7 assists in 34 La Liga games is a creditable return, so maybe he's on an upward curve...
Jaimie Kanwar
NOTE: Please stick to the Comment Policy (Click to read)
In an interview with Spanish newspaper MARCA today, Aspas - who will reportedly cost the Reds €10m - enthused:
"When I heard of Liverpool's interest I did not hesitate even for a minute. It is one of the biggest clubs in the world.
"I also had offers from Italy and Portugal and other countries I decided that my future was in English football.
"I am very calm and very excited because I am making a very significant step forward in my sporting career".
This is good to hear as there is no actual deal in place yet for Aspas. The Mirror reports:
"The Reds discovered on Friday that the agents with whom they had been negotiating Aspas’ transfer from Celta Vigo were not his contracted representatives. The revelation lead to frantic phone calls between Ian Ayre, Celta and Aspas’ official agent.
"The deal is likely to be held up by legal wranglings with the other agents possessing an authorisation document signed by the player".
Liverpool are now speaking to Aspas and his real Agent directly, and a deal should be struck 'by next weekend', but only as long as the other agents 'agree to withdraw their claim to any proceeds from the move'.
From the sounds of it, it seems as if Aspas authorised these 'fake' Agents to act on his behalf, but it's a little concerning that Liverpool - and by 'Liverpool', I mean Ian Ayre - can make this kind of embarrassing error.
It's all moot, however, as Aspas clearly wants to join Liverpool, and unless he changes his mind - which, given his comments, seems unlikely - he'll be a Reds player soon rather than later.
Is this a good deal, though?
At the age of 25, he has only 136 senior appearances, and the Spaniard is hardly a prolific goalscorer. Having said that, 12 goals/7 assists in 34 La Liga games is a creditable return, so maybe he's on an upward curve...
Jaimie Kanwar
NOTE: Please stick to the Comment Policy (Click to read)
he shows he has passion for the game and is not money minded that attitude could help us .......
ReplyDeleteShame, just like when Torres left it would have been good to see how he and Suarez linked up on the pitch. .
ReplyDeleteLiverpool will create my chances for him to score than Celta did and turn that 12 into 20 if he plays most games. He looks like a natural in front of goal.
ReplyDeleteMostly its liverpool fans who pulls down the club ambitions regarding signing a player. ANYONE would come to liverpool if right amount is offered.
ReplyDeletereminds me of Robbie fowler think were on a winner here
ReplyDeleteHe sums up where Liverpool are, right now. Hopefully he is more coutinho than assaidi. If we remain a top ten side, over the next few seasons and don't push on, we will be classed as average, like stoke or west brom etc. And may stay that way for a long time. Its a genuine fear. Players will start accepting average as good enough. Fingers crossed, we up a few levels this season and get at least 5th place.
ReplyDeleteOther news: Malta have won their first competitive match in 20 years and their second since 1974. Away against Henrikh Mkhitaryan's Armenia. Well, one man doesn't make a team, but, is he really that good? Losing against Malta seems to be the capital punishment of football.
ReplyDeleteId like to know also, why spurs are linked with top players (expensive) They are on a level financial footing as Liverpool? No champions league! Or are they just more ambitious?
ReplyDeleteBeing linked with top players doesn't mean that the rumours are true or that those players want to play for Spurs.
ReplyDeleteHe's not saying he'd be a threat to Allen, he is referencing The Sixth Sense (like your username).
ReplyDeleteLooks good.
ReplyDeleteI'm worried though about singing another wee hothead. It never seems to end well.
Like it or not. 2 players chose spurs over us last year. And their chairman won't sell bale unless he gets his price. Will we do the same with Suarez? Great respect to how they have become a top club. And at least they are linked with top players. Every year Liverpool fans get the £20 millon budget, rubbish. Leaked out,to keep down expectations.
ReplyDeleteNot sure what Ayre is supposed to do differently?
ReplyDeleteWhile yes it's embarrassing, if he goes and asks who to contact and he's given a wrong name, how would he otherwise know?
Sigurdsson and Dempsey? Spurs can have them, I am quite happy that those deals did not happen otherwise we would not have signed Couthino and Sturridge who are on a different level.
ReplyDeleteSpurs offered them higher wages and it has come back to bite them. We dodged two bullets.
Damn I missed that LOL.
ReplyDeleteAre you serious? Is this the level of criticism attached ti the club of players that we haven't even bought yet if we will at all? I heard of whining fans before but this is ridiculous
ReplyDeleteLol. In hindsight eh. But how can you compare signings from 2 different windows? I get the Dempsey and sturridge, a little, but sigurdsson? He was Rodgers first target, in the summer. Anyway, my point is, it irks with me that spurs are doing better than us. And personally are showing a little more ambition.
ReplyDeleteYes, I am serious. I haven't seen the player play personally, but people on here were raving about how exceptionally good he is and how he would guarantee our return to the Champions League. I found it somewhat strange that a player that good (guaranteeing CL qualification for us in case we signed him), couldn't prevent his team losing to one of the worst national teams in Europe. That is why I asked that question. Why you consider asking a question as "whining" and "criticism" is beyond me, though. Maybe you never make observations and wonder about thinks. Maybe you never ask questions, because you know everything. In that case, would you please be as kind as to answer my question. Is he really as good as people portray him? And how did he then not manage to prevent his side from losing to Malta? Has he had an off day. Carrying an injury. Note: I have watched the Malta national team play football and thought that an average to poor opponent with one world-class player in their ranks would be enough to beat them comprehensively. I have nothing at all against Malta, just in case you might get that one wrong, too.
ReplyDeleteRodgers wanted Sturridge on loan last summer so if we had signed Dempsey and Sigurdsson we would have to chose between signing Sturridge or Couthino. Things happen for a reason. Our youngsters also got a chance at the big time.
ReplyDeleteTo suggest that Spurs are showing more ambition? If they are able to sign better players than Couthino and Sturridge then I will believe you.
Just imagine if the signings we made in the winter happened in the summer, Would Spurs have finished ahead of us then?
Alot of ifs, buts and hindsight. Lol.
ReplyDeleteI like like your positive thinking though. And I hope your right.
ReplyDeleteNice one Iago. Welcome to Anfield.
ReplyDeleteY.N.W.A
Next season we will not be giving Spurs a head start as we will have more than one striker available and we will not have to rely on Sterling to make up the numbers so that is more than enough for me to be positive.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't put it down as two people chose spurs over us, it's more we withdrew our interest in them both...
ReplyDeleteALot of players are attracted to London. That is one major advantage they have over us. That and they are currently a better team.
ReplyDeleteNo you're absolutely right. If he can't beat 11 professional footballers on his own then he must be sh**. All those goals and performances at Champions League level mean f**k all if you can't beat 11 footballers on your own. Liverpool should stay clear because if by chance we get 10 men sent off against Crystal Palace and only Mkhitaryan is left then we'll get stuffed.
ReplyDeleteI'm right with what? That I ask a question. You don't have the answer then. In what kind of totalitarian country do you live to consider it a sin to ask a question?
ReplyDeleteI never said that he was shit! And I didn't know that the Maltese footballers were all full-time professionals.
What I also didn't know was, that I put together my question and post in such a complicated way, that you seem to totally fail to get what my point is.
Therefore, I repeat the following. Some people on here portrayed Mkhitaryan in such a way that he would be able to get us CL football, single-handedly. Playing against Prem opposition, not Malta. Therefore, I assumed that he would be able, with the help of his team-mates, to do enough to beat part-time footballers. Yes, I think that quite a few of the Maltese national team are not full professionals, but I may be wrong.
This is a top debate this is and really begs the question... What's the point?
ReplyDeleteBut if I am indeed awake my concern is that you are counter balancing his impressive goal record and reputation at domestic, European and international level, his readily available video footage in one of Europe's better leagues and the opinions of football experts with the fact that he featured in a generally shocking defeat. I mean it's not Argentina v Cameroon or even Wigan v Man City but I suppose it is a shock. Do you counter balance the reputation of any player involved in a shock with the rest of their career records, performances and achievements. I'm sorry I do get your point but it seems like such a tenuous one that I find it hard to take seriously which is why I asked in the first place.
ReplyDeleteBut if I am indeed awake my concern is that you are counter balancing his impressive goal record and reputation at domestic, European and international level, his readily available video footage in one of Europe's better leagues and the opinions of football experts with the fact that he featured in a generally shocking defeat. I mean it's not Argentina v Cameroon or even Wigan v Man City but I suppose it is a shock on some level, I suppose. Do you counter balance the reputation of any player involved in a shock with the rest of their career records, performances and achievements. I'm sorry I do get your point but it seems like such a tenuous one that I find it hard to take seriously which is why I asked in the first place.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to seeing this lad in action.Could he be a Michu MK2?
ReplyDeleteDeebo, I haven't seen the guy play myself. Hence the question. Is he really that good? Youtube videos are no good means to assess/judge the actual quality of a player. I have posted above the reasons that made me wonder. THAT IS THE POINT. Do you get that now? I never said he isn't good, or isn't bad. I don't know it. I don't play computer games to give me a hint either.
ReplyDeleteAs far as I know, he does actually not play in one of Europe's better leagues. He plays in Ukraine. I don't mean to be disrespectful, but they are not one of the better leagues.
He scored two goals in eight European matches for his club last season. Impressive?
Actually, I don't have access to the opinion of those alleged football experts you mention vaguely.
No, I don't counter-balance anything. I was just wondering. Did you get THAT now. I WAS WONDERING. HOW COULD THAT BE (see above for what I mean with "that").
I once thought that Shevchenko was one of the greatest strikers in Europe. How wrong I was when he finally played in England. The video footage was there, the experts thought he was great, too, and he had scored at every level, domestic, European, International.
You either don't understand how someone doesn't know how brilliant and great that player is, or you don't know it, because you sure as hell don't want to answer my question. Why did you reply at all then. You have nothing positive or enlightening to offer concerning my question. You seem to fail when trying to catch my train of thought.
Did you realize we do not have a manager that knows how to buy quality with decent amount of money (BR is learning fast, hopefully) and at the same time offers a strong pull for 'top' players. Jaw-dropping amount of money spent is one thing but whether it is value for money is another.
ReplyDeleteHe seems to have a problem keeping his clothes on and that song has the "N" word in it. I find that highly offensive, did Suarez sing it?
ReplyDeleteHis attitudes & build up play from midfield to attacks as well as some of the suspensions he had suggest his more like Suarez MK2
ReplyDeleteYes he is a great buy at the price and will add versatility and goals no doubt although 1 rumour circulating about Kone coming worries me he is rubbish.
ReplyDeleteWhat people on here said that exactly please, so I can look at their posts and confirm what you are saying(he will take us to champions league SINGLE HANDEDLY). thanks.
ReplyDeletestop singing then,
ReplyDeleteHe looks like a hard working player. Worst case scenario we have a Dirk Kuyt, with more pace and more trickery; meaning he will play in front of Downing for the right sided attacking position any day.
ReplyDeleteHe actually plays in the Russian league and for the same team that Man City splashed out £34M for Fernandinho to. My point is that you're seriously asking the question based on such little snd rather irrelevant basis. It's just odd to me. Great and good players have played in the wrong end of shock defeats before. If you don't know do some basic research. It's not a valid or fair question to leverage all the information on the fact that he played in a minor shock defeat. And I'm not even heralding his talents because I haven't seen enough of him myself. But my ignorance gap on his ability isn't going to be filled by an international one nil defeat against Malta because I know that shocks happen and in reality I don't even know how good Armenia are supposed to be. I'm sure Ryan Giggs, Gareth Bale and George Best also played and lost against lower ranked opposition in their international careers. It really wouldn't raise the question to me of 'are they really good enough to play for Liverpool FC?'. I know that this blog encourages original points of view but for Christ's sake if you don't know at least try make your questions and points grounded in some generally balanced thought.
ReplyDeleteIn answer to your question as other posters seem to be more interested in the meanings behind it etc. He is very good. I don`t think signing him or anyone for that matter will 100% give us CL football, purely as theres to much other stuff that comes into play. He will though improve us. He can play well on the right side of attack amongst other places. He imo would be better than downing.
ReplyDeleteI didn`t see the game against Malta, but I wouldn`t judge him just on that one game if he had a bad one. He might have had a off day, or be like all Englands players and just not very good at internationals lol.
Granted he plays in a poor league, so that does make him look better, but he just has a edge about him which I think will work well for us. Although the 22mil fee rumoured for him is to high imo, and around the 15mil mark would be more like it, and even that is taking a big risk. He is very good, but plays in a poor league. No one knows if he will be able to cut it in a top league, therefore 22mil seems a very risky deal.
WHY ARE YOU SHOUTING!
ReplyDeleteThere's obviously a major misunderstanding here. It's obvious that we talk about two entirely different football players. The guy I am talking about does not play in the Russian league at all. He plays for Donezk in the Ukrainian league. Seems the entire conversation has been futile.
ReplyDeleteNot exactly these words were use, but he was portrayed that way. I wouldn't go through hundreds of comments to find the right one anyway.
ReplyDeleteAh, thanks very much for your critical view Zanatos. The way you describe him is more the stuff I enjoy reading. Not this over-the-top stuff from people who seem to know everything about football. The one guy was even talking about an entirely different player who plays in the Russian league.
ReplyDeleteEvery transfer is a risk. Not too sure whether we have the money to take 22m risks at this moment in time.
Essentially this discourse started off as a damp squib and it ends as one. The bottom line is that the fact that a player participated in a minor shock is hardly the basis of a balanced assessment of his abilities or Liverpool's scouting network. Everything else is an irrelevancy of a near nullity and is best to be ignored. As others did and as I should have.
ReplyDeleteAlways a pleasure Anteater.
ReplyDeleteI`m very split on this deal myself. On the one hand I do rate the guy, and in that sense think he is worth getting and in turn does excite me for the season ahead. On the other hand there is the fee. I know I shouldn`t care about the fee as it`s not my cash, but I do. I don`t like over paying for players as I think it has far greater knock on effects to the club.
If we get him I will be very happy in getting that player, but I have a feeling I wont be with the price.
I do agree every deal is a risk. No such thing as a cert. Ask Chelsea about that with the signings of Sheva and Torres.
When we were first linked to Henrikh, I was over the moon, purely as like stated above I think he is a gem of a player. I will stick with my first feelings and hope we get him and just hope we don`t pay more than 20mil for him.
I am very glad that Zanatos managed to answer my question properly. I don't know why you entirely ignored my question throughout, but told me this and that. About a different player, too.
ReplyDeleteTo be brutally honest with you, I don't know whether our scouting team actually scouted him and if they did, what their reports looked like. Why would I guess about things like that. I don't work in the media, after all.
Agree about Eriksen. He seems to be pretty hyped up, and believes it, too. That's not saying that he's a good player, but maybe not as good as he seems to think.
ReplyDeleteWell, if Mkhitaryan is really as good as people on here, and you too, seem to think and if we should really get him (at least one big IF here), then I surely look forward to see for myself. Downing down the right, or left, is nothing to get excited about.
Because of what Zanatos said. Because attempting to judge a player on one minor shock game is ridiculous and only speaks to your over inflated sense of self importance that you've found a unique angle of assessment. You haven't. Essentially everyone has told you that it hardly matters. Because it hardly matters. Now if you were mentioning it as some kind of glib joke fair enough but if you think that deserves serious analysis or that it sheds important light onto the quality of the player I repeat: are you serious?
ReplyDeleteWell, I didn't judge him, I've asked. Doesn't that get into your head?
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, as I have pointed out, I haven't seen the guy play. What player are you talking about, anyway. You said that you are talking about a player in the Russian league, and I am NOT.
Should I base my judgement on hearsay, on what some random passers by think, people, I have never met and don't know how reliable their judgement is. I don't know whether any of those people who portrayed him as the next big thing, or already big thing, have seen him themselves. Maybe they know him from some computer game. I SIMPLY DON'T KNOW IT. THAT IS WHY I ASKED.
How asking a question, ffs, is now considered as an "over inflated sense of self importance" is beyond me. Asking a question should rather hint at someone not knowing something and being interested in the answer.
And yes, I would seriously like to know whether that guy from the Ukrainian league, not the one from the Russian league you are on about, is really that good. But, hold on, Zanatos already got into a disscusion with me about it and let me know what he thinks. And I liked what he wrote, because it was not this over-the-top stuff.
Ok this is beyond boring now so I'll say this:
ReplyDeleteI made a mistake in stating that he played in the Russian League rather than the Ukrainian League. Ergo it is perfectly reasonable to seriously consider assessing the player's widely known and accessible abilities, reputation and statistics at club, European and International level against the fact that he appeared in a surprise 1-0 loss to Malta.
I seriously thought you were talking about another player.
ReplyDeleteI've had a look at his stats, thanks. They look good, but the Ukrainian league isn't that strong. Djibril Cissé, for instance, looked good in France, and that included his stats.
You obviously seem to have a problem with me, or maybe others, too, asking questions and not taking everything they hear or read for granted. You go on and believe everything you hear, read, or even see. It would be kind of you, though, if you would not condemn people who at least try, even if it's in vain, to look behind those things.
He is actually a Striker by nature, but played as a AM last season, which is why his scoring record is so impressive, however he can also play on the left or right of the attack. If he can score that many and set that many up from AM, then I would say on the right of attack he will do just as well if not better.
ReplyDeleteThis is a bit difficult. We should definitely play players in their best position. If he's a striker, or an attacking midfielder, his talent might be a bit wasted playing out wide, at least in a 4-4-2.
ReplyDeleteTrue, but how often do we play 4-4-2. We seem mainly to play 4-2-3-1 or sometimes 4-3-3. Get him and play him in AM and keep Coutinho out left as he seemed to do well there last season, although AM is still Coutinho`s best role imo. Then you just got to work out what to do with Hendo, Shelvey and if we get him Alberto. Thats a lot of players for the AM role.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I`m glad about though, is BR seems to be really re-doing the team. Like getting players for positions I thought he would go "there ok". I like the fact he has looked at gone Hendo is ok, but ok isn`t great, improve that position. That can only be a good thing, if not a little hard for my sentimental side of me who wants Hendo to keep playing. Maybe Hendo will move into Gerrard`s role? with Gerrard playing less, although I can`t see that. Today we were linked with a player who plays in the Gerrard role (role last season). I wonder if BR is also going to try and improve the center mid role too. Granted we are linked to everyone now, and chances are most wont be signed.
Yep. BR isn't that bad after all. Shelvey, imho, played himself out of the team last season. Obviously don't know the manager's plans for him, but wouldn't be surprised, if he was sold.
ReplyDeleteGuess there still is a place for Hendo in our squad. A lot of rumours, but in the end we may sign not additional player in his position. Would be good to have decent players coming of the bench for a change.
In other news Armenia just beat Denmark 4-0. Is Eriksen really that good?
ReplyDeletehttp://hereisthecity.com/2013/06/11/video-henrikh-mkhitaryan-sends-message-to-liverpool-with-solo-ar/
I have seen that, too. Is Eriksen really that good? Well, I am not a professional scout or something, but I think that he has been hyped up pretty much. Only my personal opinion. You'd have to ask one of the experts who seem to know everything about every player. Losing to Armenia is almost as bad as losing to Malta, though. Morten Olsen probably had a sleepless night. That's the best answer I can come up with. Glad if I could help.
ReplyDeleteOnly insofar leaving me with the conclusion that the fact that a player featured in a one poor result shouldn't really be used as the sole basis of serious questions or analysis of his abilities. Good goal by Mkhitaryan though. If only he could have done that against Malta.
ReplyDeleteWell, insofar that one has never actually seen a player play and all he knows about him are stats from a not-so-good league plus hearsay. Then one even HAS to wonder and ask questions. Anything else would be negligent or at least naive.
ReplyDeleteI dunno. I just think that at some point there is no shame in saying "I don't know" rather than suggesting or encouraging hyper criticism for somewhat tenuous reasons. Now maybe the cumulative effects of critique based on scant or under informed points, be it FSG's financial support, Suarez's on field behaviour or Brendan Rodger's transfer acumen, led to my initial outburst. However my underlying point is that as fans there comes a time when we have to just admit that we just don't know. These small micro facts do not assist our knowledge to any great degree but they just contribute to an atmosphere of constant and imbalanced criticism of the club we all love. It was a small outburst in that respect and maybe unfairly aimed at you as your post certainly isn't the worst I've seen of that type but as I said it was a cumulative effect as such.
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly the position I was in concerning Mkhitaryan. I didn't know. All I've had was some stats and second hand information from people I don't even know in real life. I didn't know what to make of all this, HENCE the questions you reacted in a rather hostile, not understanding way. Maybe, just maybe you misunderstood my entire point. I never meant to haul any imbalanced criticism towards the player, I just didn't know, was unsure.
ReplyDeleteI am glad, though, that you still find worse commentators on here than me.