28 Jun 2013

'I'm the best' - LFC close to signing €30m attacker for bargain €5m. Good deal...?

In the summer of 2011, Dutch star Eljero Elia confirmed that Liverpool wre interested in a potential deal, and he praised the Reds as the 'biggest club in England'. The deal fell through, and the talented winger went to Italy instead, a period of his career he recently described as a 'failure'. Elia is currently at Werder Bremen, but reports this week suggest that he is on LFC's transfer wish-list.

According to Portuguese newspaper Jornal Record:

"Liverpool is close to reaching an agreement with Werder Bremen for the transfer of Eljero Elia.

"Despite the Dutch winger having a €30m buyout clause, Elia will only cost Liverpool €5m".


Kenny Dalglish tried to sign Elia in the January 2011 transfer window, and the 26-year old winger confirmed this in an interview at the time. He told NuSport:

“Liverpool, Everton and Juventus wanted me in the winter, loaning me out initially with an option to buy. Liverpool remains England’s top team and Juventus are still the biggest club in Italy. Bigger than AC Milan, Inter and the rest, but Hamburg did not want to let me go.”

Elia had a disastrous spell at Juventus, and prior to leaving for Werder Bremen, he emphatically revealed just how much the move 'hurt' him. He told Eredivisie Live:

"This season has been a failure. It's really hurt me, but I've become stronger mentally. I'm 25 now and I still have a long career ahead of me. I came from far, but I will have to start all over again."

Former Holland Coach Marco Van Basten is a fan of Elia, and in an interview last year, he outlined the player's qualities:

“He [Elia] is a really quick player. He’s very good at dribbling and in one on one situations, and he often goes past his man. He's a player who can make the difference for a side, but he needs to be left a certain amount of freedom in order to invent.”

Elia - Described recently by former Schalke coach Huub Stevens as having 'the skill and speed of Arjen Robben - is certainly not short of confidence, and in an interview last week, he told german newspaper BILD:

"I want to return to the national team, but all I can do I have to just play and take it from there. If I am in good shape, I'm the best left winger in Holland"

After a bad couple of years, does Elia have the will and motivation to resurrect his career, and is Liverpool the place to do that...?





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28 comments:

  1. No thanks. Babel mk 2

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  2. Reminds me of another Dutch ex-Liverpool player, Ryan somebody???, full of attitude without delivering. Why has this lad not settled anywhere??, that is a worry!!!

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  3. Leave him be he is garbage let him go elsewhere i would rather use the academy lads.

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  4. No, rather save the money for other signings. Already have a Moroccan guy who doesn't seem to start games.

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  5. liverpool4life5654:48 pm, June 28, 2013

    No thanks, just leave him there.

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  6. Nah you're grand,I dont think we'll be missing out on much....

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  7. he simply has not been good enough to settle . a few years back i though he looked the part but he hasn't became what people thought he would become . it could be he hasnt found the right club . i am not sure if signing him would be good business but i thought the same about Coutinho ! i knew Coutinho was good but had worries as to him selling in the prem. hopefully if pool get Elia he performs the same way .

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  8. hes a bargain for a reason,and i think even a blind man can see that reason

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  9. well your right as if he comes it would mean less playing time for Ibe etc. even Sterling would not get as much time if Elia came to club.

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  10. We have about 7 wingers at the club, no thanks.

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  11. or he might just turn become another Assaidi as well.

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  12. Just sign Kevin Gameiro

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  13. He isn`t for me and I hope we don`t sign him. He had potential a few years ago but he seems to have lost his way last few seasons. I don`t think he will get that back. He is cheap, but I think there is better options out there.

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  14. Exactly. You must look at a players mentality, its similar to suarez, as in although we all hoped he would stop repeating previous mistakes, its gone the same way. It may well be leopards cant change their spots!
    What am i on about??? Lol.

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  15. Don't worry I dont think he'll be in red any time soon.

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  16. Pft! *snort in derision*

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  17. Slipperie_Slope7:14 pm, June 28, 2013

    We're top heavy on wingers at the moment. We really don't need another. This feels like a bit of a non story. I'm sure the priorities ar DM, CB, and a top class striker should Suarez abandon ship, and that's where the transfer efforts are being focused. I remember seeing this guy play a few times and he never really convinced, and at his age i think this is as good as he's going to be. I would also have to wonder why a story about a dutch player, owned by a german club, being linked to a british team is appearing in a Portugese newspaper....I'd have a fiver on his agent being from portugal...

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  18. I reckon its all rubbish! If we signed every player we've been linked with recently we would have Begovic, Digne, Sakho, Moussa Sow, Erikssen, Mkhitaryan, David Villas, Tello, Papadopoulos, Benteke, Keissling, Williams, Lescott, Mbokani, Honda, Emenike, Llori, Callejon, Jackson Martinez, Wanayama, Alonso, Atsu, Boudebouz, Alderweireld, Biteco and Remy to name but a few. So Elia is just another name to add to the ever growing list the media vomit out. All leads to an interesting read and debate regardless

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  19. liverpool4life5657:48 pm, June 28, 2013

    luis Alberto has got the number 6 shirt, also sahko is happy to BR linked with us. If he comes available we should put in a bid. And unconfirmed rumours that we've had a bid accepted for Mkhitaryan.(hopefully true)

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  20. Only £5 million co's he's crap! no thanks..

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  21. Assaidi hasn;t failed , he hasn't been given a fair chance, instead of selling him we should loan him to another prem tea to see what he is made of.

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  22. And those were only those you could name from the top of your head :-)

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  23. I agree with the lads... there is only so many rough diamonds in the sand that you can polish up to shine... sometimes when it looks like a turd and smells like a turd ... its a turd.. if he can change him around... well done.. but BR cant start complaining later if they don't work out .. its the choices he makes today that make or break him.

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  24. This one is difficult. I really haven't seen him since the world cup in 2010 but he was sensational there imo. Didn't start many games but when he came on, he made a difference. Maybe for 5 million not a bad squad player to have around. I agree with MvB and with Elia himself here, IF he's on form, he is near unstoppable and definitely the best winger in Holland.

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  25. Mr. Point Of View8:28 am, June 29, 2013

    will he another ryan babel????

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  26. O wow! That's brilliant! Thanks!

    BUT NO THANKS

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