5 Jun 2013

'The club will sell' - LFC make new approach for €6m Mexican 'superstar'. Bargain...?

In February, Ajaccio goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa claimed that his Agent is 'in contact with Liverpool' over the possibility of a summer move to Anfield, and reports this week suggest that the Reds are still monitoring the Mexican stopper.

According to Tutto Mercato, Liverpool and Napoli have 'in recent weeks' approached Ochoa about a possible summer transfer, and when asked last night about about the speculation, the 'keeper's Agent, Jorge Belanga, told France Football:

"Guillermo feels at ease in France and will be forever grateful to Ajaccio. However, the club will sell him willingly if they get a good offer"

Liverpool made a €6m bid for the Mexican International during the January transfer window, and in an interview at the time, the 27-year old stopper told Reporters:

"My agent had contact with Liverpool, and I hope this summer there will be some offers. There is no doubt, though, that this is a dream I have had since I came to Europe".

Then, in March, Ochoa told Mediotiempo:

"There is interest from Liverpool, but I have to let things happen. I feel very good, in the professional and sporting way. Physically, I am also very well"

In a recent interview, Ajaccio President Alain Orsoni confirmed that Ochoa is worth 'five or six million euros' , and revealed that several clubs had made bids for the Mexican. He told the Ligue One club's official website:

"Foreign clubs are interested in Memo, but that is normal. He's great goalkeeper and a great man. We will study bids and decide at the end of the season"

Liverpool definitely fits the description of a 'major project' at the moment, and it's one that is gathering pace, and I'm sure lots of quality players across Europe will want to be part the Reds' march back to greatness.

Ochoa - recently voted Ajaccio's Player of the Season for 2012-13 - has a flamboyant public persona, but according to the people that work with him, the Mexican's humility is what makes him popular in the dressing room. In April, Ajaccio defender Arnaud Maire explained his appeal:

"He [Ochoa] is quite a simple person and he's actually quite subdued, strangely enough. I think he's someone who shines through his performances rather than his role off the pitch"

The club's goalkeeping coach Thierry Debès added:

"He's well liked because he is extremely humble. He's a superstar in his country, but when he arrived he just kept his head down and worked hard."

Earlier this week, Pepe Reina reiterated his desire to stay at Liverpool, but the Reds still need another quality keeper to provide credible competition, something the Spaniard has barely experienced during his time at Anfield.

Would Ochoa dislodge Reina? Would he just be back-up?





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16 comments:

  1. liverpool4life5656:41 pm, June 05, 2013

    Good price but rather have begovic or Sunderland keeper IF reina goes, but it seems unlikely he will go this window

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  2. god I hope we sign him a keeper at anfield that actualy makes saves !

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  3. I really think he's level has severly droppped since he burst onto the scene in 2004 as at one point I considered him a top 5 keeper in the world. In terms of his stats last season he was 13th overal in terms of avg. goals against which is poor. I never watched his games so that might just be his defense, but youtube only ever shows the good parts of a players game. I've watched a lot of him from 2004-2010 and I don't think he's close to as good as Pepe.
    6
    It's just interesting that no news source is reporting this as news from club representatives, just seems like he and his agent are talking a lot in an attempt to engineer a move away. I mean, where are Real Madrid, Inter, and all those clubs he claimed were after him? You'd think that kind of bidding war would have hit the backpages of most newspapers by now!

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  4. you mean mignolet(the sunderland keeper) :P

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  5. lets spend another six million on a bench warmer,maybe he could run on the pitch if pepe ever needed to change his gloves

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  6. In the later stages of the season Reina rediscovered really decent form. Furthermore, we all know that he can be a real top keeper, and as things stand he will stay with us. Given that he keeps up his form and concentration, I don't see Ochoa dislodging him. And I don't see the Mexican willing to sit on the bench. 6m for a back-up keeper is a lot of money, too. Reina hardly gets injured and suspended.



    I really would like to know whether or not Gulacsi is good enough to be at least our back-up keeper. At the age of 23 he should be playing some games, at whatever level. Actually, I am surprised that he still seems to be content with not getting any first-team action with us.

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  7. Just wanted to write absolutely the same ...
    With reina staying I just can't see us signing another GK! In addition I think brad Jones is a decent back-up keeper. Many goals reina conceded was because of individual fails of our defence (especially Johnson skrtel and agger)
    of course he made some misstakes too (manc for example ) but he really found form in the last games.
    And he just committed his future to us
    We should spend our money to strengthen other positions!

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  8. go away kanwar

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  9. change his gloves jas ? he never gets them dirty .to get them dirty u have to save something!!!!!!!

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  10. I would prefer to keep Reina, for several reasons.
    1: his is a great keeper and his dip in form seems to be gone.
    2: What with Carra leaving and us getting in Toure and maybe another new defender I would rather not shake up the back any more.
    3: For the fee we would get from Reina, who else is really better and available to us?

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  11. Ochoa would not go to liverpool, since they are not a Champions league team.. Ochoa would definitely dislodge Reina: Ochoa is more athletic and has better reflexes.

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  12. great video to watch.....but would have to insure that left hand for 20 million as its all he uses....does he ever use 2 hands to save the ball also we would have to have a pretty secure back four to clean up all the balls he parries to the ground.

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  13. come on bily hes not that bad

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  14. i don't know how this comment just made my day..lol

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  15. I remember him having good stats on football manager when I used to play a few years back, but I was always put off by his lack of size.
    He'd always go to Barcelona and I'd go after guys like Akinfeev or Lloris

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  16. I honestly think Pepe Reina is not that good and the change it feels right, plus he is also wanted by Borussia Dortmund and Napoli.

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