In May, Liverpool reportedly held talks with Lille over the potential summer signing of coveted left-back Lucas Digne. Perhaps inevitably, the 19-year old seemingly rejected a move to Anfield and signed for Paris St' Germain instead, and last night, the young defender explained why he chose PSG.
Last month, The Mirror claimed:
"Liverpool have held talks over signing teenage French defender Lucas Digne.
"Brendan Rodgers has identified the youngster as a key signing this summer".
When asked last night why he chose PSG over the likes of Monaco and Liverpool, Digne told french newspaper L'Equipe:
"The fact that the club are already French champions was definitely a plus, and so is the prospect of playing in the Champions League next season. I did not need to be reassured, but I received personal calls from [former sporting director] Leonardo and [coach] Laurent Blanc and that weighed in my decision."
Reds boss Brendan Rodgers confirmed this week that left-back is a priority position for Liverpool, and with Jose Enrique is the club's only senior left-back, it would be beneficial to have some quality cover in that area. Alas, it seems that a lack of European football continues to be a major handicap to attracting the best talent.
In Digne's case, it must be very flattering to be pursued - and personally contacted - by the likes of Blanc and Leonardo, both of whom have huge experience and prestige in the modern game.
Contrast that with Liverpool: being pursued by Ian Ayre and Brendan Rodgers is hardly enticing, and even if Liverpool were in the Champions League, the club's hierarchy just doesn't have the 'X-factor' required to truly excite top players.
Jaimie Kanwar
NOTE: Please stick to the Comment Policy (Click to read)
Last month, The Mirror claimed:
"Liverpool have held talks over signing teenage French defender Lucas Digne.
"Brendan Rodgers has identified the youngster as a key signing this summer".
When asked last night why he chose PSG over the likes of Monaco and Liverpool, Digne told french newspaper L'Equipe:
"The fact that the club are already French champions was definitely a plus, and so is the prospect of playing in the Champions League next season. I did not need to be reassured, but I received personal calls from [former sporting director] Leonardo and [coach] Laurent Blanc and that weighed in my decision."
Reds boss Brendan Rodgers confirmed this week that left-back is a priority position for Liverpool, and with Jose Enrique is the club's only senior left-back, it would be beneficial to have some quality cover in that area. Alas, it seems that a lack of European football continues to be a major handicap to attracting the best talent.
In Digne's case, it must be very flattering to be pursued - and personally contacted - by the likes of Blanc and Leonardo, both of whom have huge experience and prestige in the modern game.
Contrast that with Liverpool: being pursued by Ian Ayre and Brendan Rodgers is hardly enticing, and even if Liverpool were in the Champions League, the club's hierarchy just doesn't have the 'X-factor' required to truly excite top players.
Jaimie Kanwar
NOTE: Please stick to the Comment Policy (Click to read)
I do agree we dont have the "X Factor" to help get top players, young or old, cheap or expensive. However maybe in time we will.
ReplyDeleteSome managers can get a player to sign regardless of CL purely cause of there rep. Rafa did this well when he first came to us, Jose Mourinho can do this, although he doesn`t need to as only manages already top clubs, and a few others can to like Van Gaal, Hiddink etc.
Rodgers just doesn`t have the rep right now.
If we win the league though next year, with the style of football we have then he would gain that rep too.
that goes for any prem manager.....lets come down to planet earth for a second though .....we played well second half of the season when we where out of all the cups and out of the running and out of pressure......under pressure we crumbled like a cheap digestive in a cup of coffee.....if rogers had any balls he would realize suarez is out for the first 7 games and if we got rid and bought 2 or 3 world class players we could be points up on arsenal and have them under pressure heaping pressure on suarez....thats the difference between leaders and followers ...great managers use misfortune and prosper
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure Stevie is utilised to some extent? And that must be a bigger draw than those two? At the end of the day Rodgers needs a chance to grow and persuade players. Fergie never started off at United without the 'x factor' and he didnt do too badly did he?
ReplyDeletedisagree, Mourinho is a prem manager and he has the "X Factor".
ReplyDeleteif he said it then it must be true
ReplyDeleteUntil we make Champions League, it's unfair to say that Rodgers and Ayre don't have the "X-Factor" to sign them.
ReplyDeleteWhen we make Champions League, and if we don't sign those players, then you'll be correct.
But for now, it's an unfair insinuation.
Jurgen Klopp didn't have much of an 'x-factor' a year after he took over Dortmund....
ReplyDeleteits the name zanatos its sounds like a far flung planet i was trying to work it in but couldn't think how ....
ReplyDeleteHe is a French boy of 19 (& a World Champion), got the opportunity for one of the richest clubs in the world, which happens to be the French Champions & CL football; on top of that residence at the dream city, why would he come to Liverpool, or for that matter to Manchester? Mourinho won't be able to bring him at London with "X-Factor" & the Russian mafia Boss won't be able to tussle with those arrogant Qataris. Leave it.
ReplyDeleteThat's spot on.
ReplyDeleteit prob sounds like a lot of things tbh, as it is somewhat random.
ReplyDeleteAgree totally. Get rid of Suarez Asap and get some WC players in. As it stands our squad hasn't improved on last seasons. When I hear people mentioning winning the league, its like someones sent me back to the 80's in a time machine, because that's the last time we regulary won and challenged for the title. Its now a pipe dream with the strength and current development of this Liverpool squad. Even challenging for the top 4 looks bleak, unless 2-3 top players arrive.
ReplyDeleteThere are two things holding the deal up.
ReplyDeleteSuarez needs to hand in a transfer request and Arsenal need to bid 50 million.
Done deal.
Never heard of him , cissoko is a better option
ReplyDeleteSuarez/soldado,sturridge,coutinho,eriksen/bernard,gerrard and lucas ,johnson,cissoko,wisdom,agger and mingelot
He took the quick and easy route to success and trophies which just goes to show how a lot of players think these days. Granted if PSG win the league again and add the CL aswell this season, he will undoubtedly be p
ReplyDeleteChuffed but it won't be a miraculous achievement considering the small fortune they will have forked out to do it but if he and other players out there were to take the opportunity to go for the not so easy route, and help a team like our beloved LFC back to greatness, then that achievement would go down in the history books and he would be immortalised for it! Shame the instant success and big wages overshadow the passion and pride side of the game these days! That's why players like Aspas should be welcomed with open arms because at least we know he is passionate about playing for our club and why I'm glad we didn't get Digne as he would just of ended up doing a Suarez in the end!
I met Ian Ayre in my hotel, and he's a really nice person. Maybe being too nice has hurt his recruiting abilities?
ReplyDeleteSuarez probably wouldn't want to move if a few world class players were actually brought in to take the Club to the next level .Of course the way he went about in protest against the transfer policy is really immature.My opinion is we will continue finding low key players with loads of potential who will be expected to take the PL by storm and take us to that level with or without Suarez and that will be miraculous.
ReplyDeleteAnswer to all the woes that LFC is having at present and is having for sometime is the lack of CL, if that gets fixed and we're a regular customer at CL then we can push for the league title. That's how its going to work and (IMO) that is how Rodgers & Ayre are working. You can't think of players to be bad just because they're choosing teams that are more successful than LFC (ATM), same was the case with Henrikh Mkhitaryan when he chose Dortmund. LFC need to qualify for CL this year or the scenario is going to be even worse than what it already is.
ReplyDeletePSG have a lot more prestige in France at the moment than we give them credit. I think French football is looked down on in England so we'd never think of PSG as a super club, and their record says they are not, but they have a good record recently, a good manager and plenty of cash. Not surprising for a young french player to take their interest quite personally. Who are Liverpool to a young french footballer, really? He has no living memory of anything we've achieved except that 2005 CL win. Have to agree that as a current prospect we're just not up there with the best of them. We need to back up our long history and reputation with some good league form and a return to Europe.
ReplyDeleteThats exactly why hes leaving. Like some of us fans, he can see the lack of world class players and is thinking could it be years of mediocricy? A players career is short so they have to make the most of it. As for the signings with (possible) potential, instead of WC proven players, the club have done nothing to dispell your theory. It makes me laugh when a club spends 8- 12 million on hit or miss gambles.Instead of spending abit more on proven quality. For every coutinho you could compare a borini etc.
ReplyDeleteI hope Borini proves my opinion wrong by the way.
ReplyDeleteRodgers isn't in fergusons league.... Much though it pains me to say. He is at best a rival to mark Hughes or Steve Bruce.... I am a season ticket holder at anfield and these comparisons with great managers just smells of desperation. Rodgers isn't up to it and we don't have the finances.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a season ticket holder-does this make your opinion more valuable? But i do go to Anfield quite a lot and watch every game somehow. I'm not comparing him to Alex Ferguson NOW. I am merely saying that Fergie had no great history to 'pull' excellent players, the same as other clubs, but they still do well.
ReplyDeleteHi mate, no me having a season ticket doesn't make my opinion more valuable, didn't mean it like that just didn't want someone coming on saying ... Your a manure fan... Annoys me greatly! I am lfc through and through.... Take your point and I hope you are right.... I so do..
ReplyDeleteYou make a good point about the lack of 'X factor' behind the scenes at Liverpool.
ReplyDeleteYou'd hope once Gerrard retires he could do something akin to Zidane at Real. He'd probably be less involved in footballing matters, but could be a good figurehead- someone to show people around the club and get them excited as we try to sign them.
The CL english clubs are struggling to attract world class players...Our club even more so. If we are fortunate to get one ...it will be a person who has baggage like suarez had or a person with a last chance to make it happen
ReplyDeleteif we manage to get WC players, they will be under pressure to leave for a club with CL after a season or 2...for example if coutinho plays well this season ...he will be subject to interest for all the cl clubs in europe...we will inevitably lose him too
We aren't getting wc players in so we will lose Suarez. Cavani has given an interview stating this fact after spending 2-3 weeks at the tournament with him.Suarez doesn't think the clubs ambition matches his. He might of stayed if Liverpool bought some game changers.
ReplyDeleteDude. I don't want to blow smoke up your ass, but An interview from Cavani in one of the rags confirms your statement on us not buying WC players and showing Suarez we can challenge the top 4.
ReplyDeleteFSG should have brought in Van Gaal as DoF when they had the chance. Its the blind leading the blind at Anfield at the moment and FSG are not willing to change it as they are after the cheapest possible options at every level.
ReplyDeleteThis is a crucial transfer window with all the managerial changes and the chance of Spurs losing Bale. Some quality investment now and Suarez would stay and we'd be in with a genuine chance of competing for a top 4 position. Instead, FSG are more interested in asset-stripping, reducing the wage bill and buying 'cheap' unproven players.
Another season of slipping further into the abyss of mediocracy awaits.
I really hope they sell up soon.