Multiple sources report that Liverpool have put in a £22m bid for Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa, but it appears that the Brazilian goalscorer is not the only striker on Brendan Rodgers' radar.
According to Italian newspaper Corriere Dello Sport, The Reds - along with Everton and Norwich City - are also tracking 6"4 Lazio striker Libor Kozák, who is reportedly available for around €8m.
24-year old Kozák finished last season as the Europa League's top scorer with 10 goals throughout the competition (no, I didn't know that either!), which seems to suggest he has the right kind of pedigree. Some stats about Kozak:
* Signed a five-year deal with Lazio in July 2008 after scoring 11 goals in 26 matches for Opava.
* Helped Brescia win promotion to Serie A while on loan in 2009/10; impressed with six league goals in as many starts back at Lazio the following season.
* Received his first Czech Republic call-up in March 2011 for a UEFA European Championship qualifier against Liechtenstein but did not play.
* Last season: 10 goals in 30 apps.
* Last three seasons combined: 22 goals in 79 apps.
With these stats, it's easy to understand why Lazio are willing to let him go. Kozak's current contract expires in 2015, but in a bid to avoid a situation where he leaves for nothing, the Serie A giants Lazio have told Kozak to find a new club this summer.
With Costa, and now Kozak, it appears that Rodgers is changing his approach slightly and targeting tall, strong strikers. Cost is 6'2, and Kozak is 6'4, which suggests Rodgers believes that Liverpool need some real physical presence up front, especially given Daniel Sturridge's apparent inability to stay fit.
Dubious fans will, of course, compare any big striker to Andy Carroll, but if the player concerned is technically good, skilful and a consistent goalscorer, I don't see the problem. Carroll is none of those things, which is why he would never fit into Brendan Rodgers' team.
At €8m, Kojak - a Czech Republic international - is certainly affordable, but I sincerely doubt his acquisition would excite the fanbase. Still, none of that matters if he does the business on the pitch. Worth a bid?
Jaimie Kanwar
NOTE: Please stick to the Comment Policy (Click to read)
According to Italian newspaper Corriere Dello Sport, The Reds - along with Everton and Norwich City - are also tracking 6"4 Lazio striker Libor Kozák, who is reportedly available for around €8m.
24-year old Kozák finished last season as the Europa League's top scorer with 10 goals throughout the competition (no, I didn't know that either!), which seems to suggest he has the right kind of pedigree. Some stats about Kozak:
* Signed a five-year deal with Lazio in July 2008 after scoring 11 goals in 26 matches for Opava.
* Helped Brescia win promotion to Serie A while on loan in 2009/10; impressed with six league goals in as many starts back at Lazio the following season.
* Received his first Czech Republic call-up in March 2011 for a UEFA European Championship qualifier against Liechtenstein but did not play.
* Last season: 10 goals in 30 apps.
* Last three seasons combined: 22 goals in 79 apps.
With these stats, it's easy to understand why Lazio are willing to let him go. Kozak's current contract expires in 2015, but in a bid to avoid a situation where he leaves for nothing, the Serie A giants Lazio have told Kozak to find a new club this summer.
With Costa, and now Kozak, it appears that Rodgers is changing his approach slightly and targeting tall, strong strikers. Cost is 6'2, and Kozak is 6'4, which suggests Rodgers believes that Liverpool need some real physical presence up front, especially given Daniel Sturridge's apparent inability to stay fit.
Dubious fans will, of course, compare any big striker to Andy Carroll, but if the player concerned is technically good, skilful and a consistent goalscorer, I don't see the problem. Carroll is none of those things, which is why he would never fit into Brendan Rodgers' team.
At €8m, Kojak - a Czech Republic international - is certainly affordable, but I sincerely doubt his acquisition would excite the fanbase. Still, none of that matters if he does the business on the pitch. Worth a bid?
Jaimie Kanwar
NOTE: Please stick to the Comment Policy (Click to read)
'Kojak - a Czech Republic international'
ReplyDeletedoes he have a lollipop in his mouth whilst playing? If so, I like his style
http://www.televisionheaven.co.uk/kojak.jpg
I haven't seen much of kozak but he sounds like physical striker which i don't think will suit the creativity of Coutinho threading delicate passed through the defence. If we are going to spend alot of money on a stiker i think we should forget kozak and costa, instead moving for Jackson Martinez. I feel he would be a success in the premier league and i would suggest he would be open to a move from the Portuguese league.
ReplyDeleteSaw him against spurs last season and he missed sitters and didnt look good...
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about Jackson Martinez but I doubt FSG would sanction any bid in the region of 35million or so.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand why BR is try to sign these players when he had Bony who was around the same price but far more prolific.
ReplyDeletethey could have had him for 8.5 when he was leaving jaguars, €40mil realise clause, hes willing to join napoli for 33k a week. I've always rated him.
ReplyDeleteYep, and like Michu, he's hit the ground running.
ReplyDeleteI dont want either player. I think 22m is about 12mil over the top, so hoping thats just a rumour and not true. The other player I can`t see making us stronger so dont see the point in signing him. Marque signings should be about quailty not price, paying 22mil for Costa is KK level over paying imo.
ReplyDeleteTrue, but is it not better to spend 35mil on Jackson than say 22mil on Costa and 8mil on Alberto (who might be good but we are well covered in that role currently). Ok thats only 30mil not 35mil, but my point is we are adding up the spending, by signing lots of 8mil players which dont look at though they will improve the squad massively.
ReplyDelete22mil is slightly overpriced I agree - a fee around 15m would be nice over 20 mil is to much , but there's still a big difference between him and KK signings... Kenny bought in overrated or inexperienced/unprovened players for to much money, and eventho costa is overpriced he's a good player, far over the potential of Hendo or Carroll and would definitely add a lot to our team. But I understand what you're saying and honestly I don't want us to jump on the overpaying-train again. ..
ReplyDeleteWe would rather spend 22 on costa and hope he ll do a Jackson than buy himself for 35m
ReplyDeleteHe's in my fantast football team! Hoping he turns out to be another gem like Michu!
ReplyDeleteCould have had a hat-trick on his competitive debut last night.
Yeah, I think we'll just keep missing such players because our transfer committee is searching the golden talent that I don't understand how missed Jackson Martinez and now Wilfried Bony. I hope this trend ends soon or we're not getting in the top 6 let alone top 4.
ReplyDeleteI've him on mine too with Benteke and Hooper in the striking department. I wanted Sturridge but then went for Gerrard, Coutinho and Mignolet from LFC.
ReplyDeleteFSG have a committee which handles transfers and misses on players very easily who're suppose to hit the ground running.
ReplyDeleteYes, of course it is better to have a player who makes a huge impact to the team rather than having two or three players who combined fail to make the impact that one single player does.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely agree, been praying since last year we'd make an offer for him but I can't say im not suprised we didn't. The only thing i'llcontradict is while reports claim we put in a bid for 22 mil for this guy....Bony cost the swans only 12mil and, ill be on the record and say, he'll score more this season.
ReplyDeleteRemember Peter Crouch? He was pretty good with his feet for such a big lad....
ReplyDeleteand he also scored 10 goals a season..
ReplyDeleteI'm sick of us going for players we don't need. We outscored the league at the back-end of last season so we go out and but two attackers and want a third. I understand we let shelvey and suso go, which justify aspas and alberto, but we need to be smarter with our money. We NEED a CB and a DM now. If we don't get back-up for Lucas then we are in trouble. I'm willing to say that if he goes down then our season is over; it happened last season and it will happen again. Wanyama would have been great value but he's gone coz we were too busy trying to sign another attacking mid who ended up at Dortmund.
ReplyDeleteToure will not play all premiership games. Cara was fitter than toure and he couldn't do it last season. We need to sign a young and upcoming CB but instead we're trying to put 22 mil on the table for a striker that has not validated that kind of value. It's a little annoying when the weaknesses in our team are so blatant but because tottenham sign a big striker, we want to do the same. They needed a striker, we need a CB and DM before any other signing. Unless we're about to accept a bid for luis then this needs to wait. And I would love eriksen here but all he'd do is relegate allen and hendo to the bench while a new DM would actually provide needed competition/cover for a crucial part of our team. Eriksen is not integral to our team success...our defence not leaking in goals is and it starts with signing two players in those positions imo. Sorry, rant over
Yeah, the price changes everything and if you don't live up to your transfer value then you'll be considered as a flop. LFC has mostly over-paid for a lot of players. I hope if they sign this Costa guy then he hits the ground running and makes a huge impact.
ReplyDeleteCouldn't agree more
ReplyDeleteAs frustrating as LFC scouting system is why are Fans becoming whiners??? Some talk like we have money like City. All those players get a great start at the beginning of the season or one season then die off.. I.E Cisse, Demba Ba, Kone, Remy even Michu had a low form compare to how he started. Later on you will be the same people saying we bought dead beats!!! We already got some too that's gots to GO!!!
ReplyDeleteSorry to harp on about Suarez but what are people thinking with regards to him possibly staying? I was convinced 2 weeks ago that he would go but after all the statement coming out about him 'definitely staying' I'm beginning to think we might be able to keep him for another season which would, IMO, give us a great crack at CL.
ReplyDeleteCarra was fitter than Toure?
ReplyDeleteSeriously do not know how some people come to conclusions about the fitness of players, which players are right, which players are wrong, the players the club has to sign et cetera.
How do you know Toure will not play all the EPL games? Are you part of the coaching staff at Anfield?
Michu has it all to prove this season though. There have been many one season wonders in and out of the EPL.
ReplyDeleteWhy do fans keep on saying we miss out on players?
ReplyDeleteIs it fair to say that Swansea missed out on Coutinho or Sturridge?
Clearly LFC had no interested in Bony.
Lets swing it another way. Would you rather have Coutihho and Sturridge for your team or one player who costs you 40m?
ReplyDeleteat last we agree allen was one of them he has it all to prove this season as well ,i think michu may well out perform allen thou
ReplyDeleteif he stays great but we still need to push on with transfers for top four ,a golden chance this season ,lets hope rodgers gets some money to take it
ReplyDeleteOf course Allen needs to prove his worth. All players do.
ReplyDeleteThis season he will hopefully (touch wood) not have to fill in for Lucas again and should be fully fit by the start of the season after having a shoulder operation last season.
If we have lodged a bid of over 20 million for that Costa lad then clearly Rodgers has been given money to spend and that is without having to wait for Luis to either stay or go.
ReplyDeleteI'd pay 40m for Messi!
ReplyDeleteYou would have to add another 210 million onto that seeing that he has a 250 million Euro buyout clause.
ReplyDeleteYou don't get the point I am making here. Coutinho and Sturridge had impacts that you don't get very easily. Remeber Sami? We paid next to nothing but then what was the return? What you're saying is to support your argument and now I will say something that will support mine and will also be easy for you to understand. Who would you prefer over Suarez and Coutinho&Sturridge? Anyone would pick Suarez because the impact he makes on the field, yeah he also has this habit of being nuisance but if you just consider his talent then you know who managers would sign.
ReplyDeleteBecause we mostly over pay for players who aren't as successful as the ones that other clubs sign for a lower price. Let me ask you this, for an instance if you have to pay for a burger from McDonalds for 5$ and you have to pay for a different burger from some local food chain for 15$, what would you buy? And remember the food and the service provided and the quality will be better at McDonald of course. Same is the case with players also to whom LFC are signing at present. LFC were close to signing Bony I read somewhere BTW.
ReplyDeleteProve that the club was signing Bony!
ReplyDeleteRodgers wants versatile players. Sturridge might be a CF but he can play on the wings too. That is what Rodgers wants, players who can play in more than one position. Even Coutinho can play as a striker cause he has the attributes to do so. Iago Aspas can play across the front three too.
Bony does not fall into this category hence the reason why we did not sign him.
I do get your point. You said it is better to have one player who makes a huge impact than two or three players who fail and countered your argument with Coutinho and Sturridge.
ReplyDeleteTo each his own matey :)
ReplyDeleteI am saying from the point that if we're signing strikers then we've better options than the players we're going for bar the versatility. I'd say we could sign Damio in place of Costa because IMO he's better than him.
ReplyDeleteBut we are not after natural strikers.
ReplyDeleteThe last natural striker the club signed was Andy Carroll and clearly pass and move was alien to him.
You can't put Bony in the league of Carroll. I think Bony is Benteke and Lukaku type who has technical ability too.
ReplyDeleteI was not comparing Carroll and Bony.
ReplyDeleteI am telling you that Rodgers is not after players like Bony unless you can prove me wrong.
I feel that deal is a sign of running out of options due to missing out on other targets. I think the player is ok, I dont think he is great. More importantly though he isnt the type of person I would want at our club, and esp not for such big money.
ReplyDeleteIn 160 games he has got 59 yellow cards and 7 red cards. He would be out banned for quarter of the season, if not more. Clearly he has a temper issue as well. He does offer something different, however not 22mil different. For 22mil the player should be the finished product.
The principle point tho isnt the cash Max, its the quality of player, this using Coutinho and Sturridge isnt the best example, as you could also use Carroll and Downing for the other side.
ReplyDeleteMy stance is forget examples, as we can all find ones to suit are argument, I would prefer to sign a quality player than two medicore players. Regardless of price.
Wayne Rooney is not the type of player Chelsea fans would want at their club either?
ReplyDeleteWho would you rather pay 22mil for?
What is quality then?
ReplyDeleteIf only we could get Dzeko lol...
ReplyDeleteI am not a coach at Anfield (you have me there) but there are some things that most football fans can deduce pretty easily and this is one of them. I'll start with the obvious; excersizing doesn't make you match fit…a combination of exercizing and playing competetively does. Toure has played 29 competitive games in the last 2 years while Cara has played 45. Also condider when Toure didn't play he knew he was a squad player while Cara was always on the fringes of the first team when on the bench. Toure was also banned for 6 months in 2011 and that would have had a negative effect on his fitness. While he has participated in all of preseason and is a strong athlete, you don't have to have a coaching badge to know he's not going to play every game if he's, from the proof above, less fit than Jamie was last season. As a result, i'm saying our priorities should be to make sure there is another qualified CB who can take the load off Toure if not start ahead of him. Pretty simple...
ReplyDeleteReally?
ReplyDeleteDo you realise that we snatched the scouts City had? Obviously they thought Toure is not capable of playing a full season? Our fans know better. Cough, cough.
they said the same thing about mingo
ReplyDeleteReina was going to leave anyway.
ReplyDeletedo you think the forum would be more interesting if we all came on and said ..rogers is great.the signings are great.fsg are great.everything's great...lighten up its a bit of fun
ReplyDeletei agree these guys are all 10m tops
ReplyDeleteI do know our scouts are from City and I'm also a little amused that was your only response to my deduction. I'm pretty sure that we signed Toure because he has a lot of great attributes (especially leadership) and came on a free and would be a direct replacement for Cara. Any scout would have made that call. But to play the whole season? I dont think so. I'll turn it around... how do YOU know our scouts think he can make it the whole season? (I'm sure you werent at the training ground with them yesterday) ;)
ReplyDeleteWe do have Coates and Skrtel so they might still be in our plans...its all speculation. I'm just saying that it might be in our best interest to provide cover in a likely event that Toure cant hold up the entire season as I, personally, do not trust Skrtel or Coates. And as a last point, you'd be surprised how intellegent, in general, LFC fans are :)
Well seeing the Man City scouts are employed by LFC and we as fans are commenting on a LFC fan site I would trust that our scouts are more than capable of knowing exactly what physical condition Toure is in otherwise it would be pointless signing Toure knowing that LFC would need to have met the wages he was on at Man City.
ReplyDeleteSo you saying you tend to know what you say is nonsense but you make it anyway??
ReplyDeletesomes true somes false somes thought out somes not
ReplyDeletecarra was fitter than toure..id say they are both ugly
ReplyDeletecr
ReplyDeleteid hardly call a player who is threatening court action to allow him to leave as testimonial material
ReplyDeleteif is a little word but sometimes little words are the biggest
ReplyDeleteThe daily mail reported that he agreed to a deal that was less than the 90k he was making at city so, again, I literally think that BR saw how much leadership he was loosing with Cara and decided it was a calculated move to bing him in, which I agree with. He's in better condition than he should be considering the amount of time he hasnt played but I can't see him playing all season (unless BR roatates and doesn't use him for certain games; ie carling cup and fa cup). If they don't bring another CB in, I'm thinking its because they have faith in Skrtel and Coates or else they would have left by now (of course, all speculation)
ReplyDeleteI just want him gone tbh, he is a great player no doubt, but I dont wanna be a begging bowl club. However abroad only, forget arsenal.
ReplyDeletewhich for £7m is decent.
ReplyDeleteNope, cause i dont rate him. hence why i said get great players.
ReplyDeleteCoutinho is quality, Alsono is, Tevez is, Higuain is, Soldado is, Reus is (wont come to us tho), Isco is, Jackson Martinez is, Eriksen aint bad either, Payet is.
ReplyDeleteThats just a few of a long list, some wouldnt come to us, but others would. There price ranges would vary although as per normal prob be high as, as a rule of thumb good players are, you do get the odd exceptions though for either way i.e. Countinho as named above was a decent price.
However the main thing to note is the experience they have too, even the younger lads in that list have had good game time playing for good clubs.
Balance as always is key. Only sign unproven players and you will flop, only sign old expereinced players and you will prob flop or go bust too. Balance. Sign young like Coutinho, mixed with signing a Higuain.
yep. I honestly dont think FSG will put any cash in for transfers this window. So far we are almost at net 0 spend. Statements have gone from we will sign two marquee players to one or two, to wont sign for the sake of it. I honestly think if we sign someone for 20mil right now, then Suarez or others will be sold to re-coup that cash. It`s H&G`s transfer policy all over again, it killed Rafa. Until he had to sell to buy we were flying, CL - Got, finished 2nd, then sell to buy kicked in and down the league we fell.
ReplyDeleteBut you missed my point.
ReplyDeleteObviously Mourinho does rate Rooney and who can argue with the special one's CV so it is not a case of signing a player that Chelsea's fans want but a player their manager wants.
Refer to my post regarding Mourinho.
ReplyDeleteDoes that have to be the case? It seems logical in one way, to say that the more we pay, the better the player should be ... but sometimes pure business comes into it. What if Costa is simply a player we want, regardless of cost? He has the qualities we want and, under normal circumstances we'd pay 15 million but maybe he can only be bought for 22 million. Yes, we're paying over the odds but if that's the only way that you get the player that you actually want then sometimes you might just pay the money required. It doesn't make him a 22 million pound player, that just happened to be the fee we paid.
ReplyDeleteIt's kind of like Carroll. No way was he a 35 million pound player, and we all knew that. Even Kenny knew that. But in the situation we were in, he was the player the manager wanted and we simply did what we needed to do in order to get that player. In a way the cost becomes irrelevant. I know, that's a hell of stretch of the imagination, and it doesn't make 100% sense, but what if sometimes it just doesn't matter how much you pay?
Look at it this way: You have 22 million pounds to spend and you needed a player with very specific qualities. You've scouted the world and one player tops your list - it's Costa. There are players available for 20 million or 25 million and they are good, but maybe they have different qualities that would be wasted at Liverpool because of the position we need to fill or the way we play football. So they are technically "better" players, but they don't fit the team very well. Cost is therefore top of the list, he's the one we want, and so even though he's not rated as highly as the others, he's the best player to make us a better team. Wouldn't it therefore make some sense to simply spend the same amount of money to get the "right" player, not the more highly rated player?
I don't know, I'm honestly guessing. I just don't think that we should judge players on their transfer fee. It doesn't always match up.
I think we'll let him go if a bid comes from a foreign team. I really think the issue right now is not price, it's Arsenal. The club won't sell to Arsenal and Luis can make all the fuss he wants. It makes sense the position we're taking. You don't sell your best player to the club that you're looking to take a CL spot from in the upcoming season. I think if Bayern or Real offer 45 million then we'll take it. Suarez is valuable but if he's genuinely agitating over a move to Arsenal then it's a sign of how unsettled he feels. The move barely makes any sense, the Gunners could be knocked out of CL qualification and he can't play for them to help ensure that doesn't happen. They become a very good team with him in there but his heart really lies with Real Madrid and he'd likely still be pushing for that move in the near future. Experimenting for a couple of seasons with Arsenal makes little sense to me, I think he's just annoyed at feeling trapped by his contract.
ReplyDeleteI can't see us selling to Arsenal, absolutely not. Maybe if they offer some absurd amount of money, but that's not going to happen. They are interested at 40 million and not much more. I think it's a no-go from all angles. So if no other bids come in then Suarez will stay. He'll suck it up and get over his off-season aspirations. I have no problem with us keeping the player, I think he's just so unique and difficult to replace. I'm happiest really to see that the club is standing firm on not selling to a rival. They are doing the right thing, I truly believe that. Suarez will have to suffer a little because of that.
LS to gunners makes no sense for us (to the enemy) and for LS if the press is against him. Are there no English press covering Arsenal these days?
ReplyDeleteid sell him to arsenal it would make our games against them all the more entertaining...plus the pressure would be on wenger and off rogers...im surprised that rogers hasn't twigged on to this ...if he passively allows fsg to sell Suarez and makes out he wanted to keep him ..if we fail this year to finish higher than arsenal he can blame fsg for selling Suarez...if he finishes higher than wenger he will be deemed a genius ...its win win
ReplyDeleteIt will take a little bit time for BR to sign an orthodox striker because he doesn't approve of the idea of having one. Lets hope soon he signs one orthodox striker who can score goals like Torres did for us.
ReplyDeleteagree 90%. Allen is not worth keeping; too small, too easily dispossessed, can't pass forward and can stop bigger guys. would love another mid and CB. Do u think Kelly is up to Taking a starting CB slot?
ReplyDeleteWe have one called Sturridge.
ReplyDeletePool fans are mad 12m for sturridge & 8m for coutinho 2 of the best buys benteke 8m michu 2m just cause ya dont spend 20m dosent mean ya cant buy quality alberto and aspas are quality yous havent seen them play prem football and your already thinking there not good enough
ReplyDeletedidnt miss it at all, just dont agree with it.
ReplyDeleteI dont care what Mourinho wants, or who he wants to sign. I dont see what Mourinhos C.V. has to do with Liverpool or Rodgers to be frank.
I want better players at Liverpool.
Price kills players, its that simple. Carroll was killed by his price tag. You over pay, pressure gets added. If Carroll had cost 10mil, I strongly feel he would still be here.
ReplyDeleteI did and it made no sense at all. Refer to my answer wondering what Mourinho or his C.V. has to do with Liverpool or Rodgers or Costa.
ReplyDeleteI think Arsenal would do very well with Suarez, so thats why I dont want him there. I dont think the pressure will affect Arsenal at all, as they are a big club, and used to a lot more pressure than having Suarez at there club, who is very talented and would prob score loads for them.
ReplyDeleteKozak - Who loves ya baby?
ReplyDeleteSign him up and sell him for €50 Million in a couple of years.
He plays on the wing too. Doesn't that makes him *versatile* too?
ReplyDeleteNot if he's your main striker it's not..
ReplyDeleteHaha, I'll take 90% over none. I have heard people say that they see Kelly as the next cara in that position but I'm not entirely sure. He's played a majority of his time as a RB and the two two positions are totally different. But I do like him a lot as a player and his attributes (size, strength, speed-ish, can read the game supurbly) make me want to say that if there was someone who could make the transition it would be him. He's also a product of the Academy which would add that local flair we'll be missing from Cara, and in the next couple of years, Gerrard. I personally see Sakho at PSG as an idea candidate purely because he has experience, is a leader, ifts FSGs model, and has a playing style that would compliment Agger's technical game. I think he could be a star in the EPL and is currently undervalued in the market due to his lack of playing time at PSG which is a plus for us. I doubt that a deal will happen as there hasn't been any concrete interest from us this summer, but that is who I'd identify to start alongside Agger
ReplyDelete