The Luis Suarez transfer saga continues to rumble on, and although Liverpool owner John Henry claims that the Uruguayan is not for sale at any price, the club still seems to be considering contingency plans, and Udinese striker Luis Muriel appears to be firmly back on the Reds' radar.
Liverpool have been linked with a move for Muriel several times over the summer, and according reports in Italy today, the club has stepped up interest in the Colombian striker. Italian newspaper Tutto Mercato reports:
"Scouts from Liverpool and Barcelona were in attendance last night [8th August 2013] to watch Muriel in Udinese's the Europa League Qualifying game against Siroki Brijegin".
Udinese owner Giampaolo Pozzo does not want to sell Muriel, however, and in a recent interview, he explained:
“He is still young, and he still has to get more experience in Udine. We want to keep him here for a long time, but if the circumstances don’t allow for it, we won’t keep anyone against their will. If someone doesn’t want to stay we will do a deal"
Manchester United are also £18m-rated Muriel, but Pozzo insists that the striker is worth much more than that. He told reporters recently:
"He [Muriel] has a price. I don’t put clauses in contracts but €20m euro for a striker of great worth is nothing. For [Edinson] Cavani the price is 60m euro"
It appears that Muriel wants to stay at Udinese, and when asked last month by La Gazzetta dello Sport about his future last month for him, he said:
"I would like to stay another year at Udinese. It's better for my development."
Muriel's strike partner, Antonio Di Natale is certainly a big fan of the Colombian, and when asked about Muriel's qualities in June, he told FIFA.com:
“Make a note of the name Luis Muriel. He’s got all the qualities needed to become a phenomenon, and in a few years Luis will become a great champion.”
Udinese boss Francesco Guidolin has a more pragmatic view of Muriel, and in May, he told reporters:
“Di Natale is an absolute champion, whilst Muriel is an apprentice who can do great things if he continues in his process of growth. Muriel still has to grow and has a great sense of goals, and is a good centre forward.”
Despite being almost 23, Muriel is a comparative novice when it comes to top-flight experience:
* Career total of 58 appearances so far.
* Averages 19 appearances per season.
* 18 goals/8 assists in 58 apps.
* Goal every 3.2 apps.
* goal/assist every 2.2 games.
Muriel's stats are creditable, but they're not outstanding. Worth a bid...?
Jaimie Kanwar
NOTE: Please stick to the Comment Policy (Click to read)
Liverpool have been linked with a move for Muriel several times over the summer, and according reports in Italy today, the club has stepped up interest in the Colombian striker. Italian newspaper Tutto Mercato reports:
"Scouts from Liverpool and Barcelona were in attendance last night [8th August 2013] to watch Muriel in Udinese's the Europa League Qualifying game against Siroki Brijegin".
Udinese owner Giampaolo Pozzo does not want to sell Muriel, however, and in a recent interview, he explained:
“He is still young, and he still has to get more experience in Udine. We want to keep him here for a long time, but if the circumstances don’t allow for it, we won’t keep anyone against their will. If someone doesn’t want to stay we will do a deal"
Manchester United are also £18m-rated Muriel, but Pozzo insists that the striker is worth much more than that. He told reporters recently:
"He [Muriel] has a price. I don’t put clauses in contracts but €20m euro for a striker of great worth is nothing. For [Edinson] Cavani the price is 60m euro"
It appears that Muriel wants to stay at Udinese, and when asked last month by La Gazzetta dello Sport about his future last month for him, he said:
"I would like to stay another year at Udinese. It's better for my development."
Muriel's strike partner, Antonio Di Natale is certainly a big fan of the Colombian, and when asked about Muriel's qualities in June, he told FIFA.com:
“Make a note of the name Luis Muriel. He’s got all the qualities needed to become a phenomenon, and in a few years Luis will become a great champion.”
Udinese boss Francesco Guidolin has a more pragmatic view of Muriel, and in May, he told reporters:
“Di Natale is an absolute champion, whilst Muriel is an apprentice who can do great things if he continues in his process of growth. Muriel still has to grow and has a great sense of goals, and is a good centre forward.”
Despite being almost 23, Muriel is a comparative novice when it comes to top-flight experience:
* Career total of 58 appearances so far.
* Averages 19 appearances per season.
* 18 goals/8 assists in 58 apps.
* Goal every 3.2 apps.
* goal/assist every 2.2 games.
Muriel's stats are creditable, but they're not outstanding. Worth a bid...?
Jaimie Kanwar
NOTE: Please stick to the Comment Policy (Click to read)
i think the happy ending of Suarez case will be LOAN him out somewhere champion league?? while we gain that spot next season???
ReplyDeletei personally hope we sell him asap !!!! this guy really worst in repo
would be better then costa I feel, and for roughly the same price. has plenty of that south american flair. Suarez will defo be here another season and BR said we need another attacking player
ReplyDeleteWhen I've seen this player play he impressed me, if we do sell Suarez this year or next we should sign either him or Martinez
ReplyDeleteWe just need to get somebody in asap and stop pretending that Suarez is a viable option for the season.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure other teams are waiting for the window to reach closing time before snapping him up, not just to get a better price, but so that he fulfils as much of his ban as possible at LFC, rather than them having to pay for him to sit in the stands for a month instead!
It's too late to get Martinez now - the opportunity was there last year and we blew it, instead choosing to waste money on Borini and waste time messing about with Dempsey!
ReplyDeleteI haven't watched Muriel play live tbh but have been assured that he has everything in his toolkit - and this is part of the reason I am not overly fussed about 'marquee signings'.
Every year there are 'fringe' players that suddenly blossom into mega-money players and we need to be picking up those players that are right there on the cusp, rather than waiting for them to categorically prove their worth and push themselves out of our reach first
By now other clubs are alerted and if Barca come in, we can forget about him alltogether. He should have been a priority signing in July. Not the players we did sign apart from Touré.
ReplyDeleteHe has a lot of ability on the ball but I don't see him as a potent goalscorer. We need a few more signings regardless but who to bring in I am sure will be answered in good time, but I do feel Suarez should be sold as he will be dead wood, I would sell him to a team in the darkest coldest corner of Russia if I had my way he doesn't deserve to wear the shirt of our great club.
ReplyDeleteOff the topic I've just seen that spuds are abt to sign Capoue, I can't help but feel jealous of their esp as they already have Dembele! How I wish we could also sure things up in the middle too!
ReplyDeleteoff topic sterling needs to sort is head out ,to much to young
ReplyDelete£ 18 Million is a lot of money for a novice i might say
ReplyDeleteLoaning SUAREZ out to a Champions league club because he's throwing his toys out the pram to me would be bad business.
ReplyDeleteIf he goes it has to be for money so we can replace the loss.Not leave a massive gap of quality in our squad that we can't afford to fill.
fsg have already stated they will not be time to replace him
ReplyDeleteIf 50m+ came in from REAL MADRID i think they would change their tune!
ReplyDeleteJaimie: Please learn how to use statistics properly. This guy is only 22 years and has not reached his prime. So counting what he did as a 20 year old or 21 year old wont make sense (not everyone is a owen or Rooney ,many players improve later!). He scored 11 goals and gave 3 assists in 22 games last year which is 0.5 goals 0.14 assist per game and 0.64 goals/assist per game, i.e one goal or assist in every 1.6 games which is awesome. He will only improve from this 1.64!
ReplyDeletemakes it all the more worrying when john henry says we will not have time to replace him,even if we sell him now,will he go i still think its 50/50,will we replace him jh,S comments tell there own story
ReplyDeleteHe scored 11 goals in 22 games last season with 3 assists... Still call him novice?
ReplyDeletei have no doubt they will but like they say we will not have time to replace him,which is what i said would happen when it all kicked off
ReplyDeletebut as a young player should we not know all is stats ,any player can have a hot streak sturridge did after joining us ,t dose not mean he can replicate it this season
ReplyDeleteBang on m8, we still have a soft center and it will cost us dear, might just beat 7th place, if we're lucky. Could cost Rodgers his job.
ReplyDeleteI've always be in favor coming to LFC, I think he has a lot of potential and does play a lot like our Luis. Hope we sign him, I'd be happy to see him at LFC.
ReplyDeleteLoaning the ll twat 2 a Champions league club could be perfect, It makes sense on a few levels, It allows an unhappy spoilt lilttle bollix get his own way {which lets face it does far 2 often}. Just imagine we could do without all the drama caused by Suarez so loan d lil bollix out and just imagine when we do qualifiy!!! He wud b like a new quality addition , Although if we were 2 sign Luis Murieal id b happy 2 see the lil bollix out!!
ReplyDeleteit was always going to play out like this
ReplyDelete£18M for Luis Muriel and £15M for Christian Eriksen. Combined fee of £33M. £2M less than the £35M we splashed on Andy Carrol and its actually 2 'marquee signings'. if the board can back BR with the cash, i think we can take a risk and not sign a CB or a LB. we could deploy Glen there for worst case scenario at LB, and have either Wisdom or Kelly at RB. and although i believe we are OK for centre back positions, say either Agger or Toure get injured, Kelly or Skrtel can play there.
ReplyDeleteThey've been talking about us getting a marquee signing and £33M is what you pay for a marquee signing. if we get Muriel and Eriksen we will have possibly the most deadliest attack in the premier league. that will be sturridge(pace and deadly), Suarez(3rd best in world), aspas(pace and deadly), muriel(pace and deadly) coutinho(Lionel messi and ronaldinho in 1) eriksen(world class). thats not even to mention sterling, ibe and alberto, mark my words, they will develop under rodgers well and will be world class players in 3 years. as time has gone on under the BR era, im starting to see his plan, we got so much players with flair, whereas before we had players who were effective like Kuyt but no so flairy.
£33M, isit too much to ask for?
YNWA
Absolutely, I've been saying this all along that our soft centre will be our downfall or BR's! Others have said not to worry we've got Lucas or Hendo. Sorry but none of these can cope with a Dembele or Diame running at them full tilt. In this window we let Wanyama go to the saints, we don't seem interested on Diame anymore, now Capoue! Others have said, Utd & Arsenal both have soft centres & still achieve. IMO they compensate brawn for speed & technique. In the middle we have NO SPEED, NO TECHNIQUE OR BRAWN. I agree 6 or 7th seems right I'll be more than happy to eat my words!
ReplyDeleteSturridge had "hot streaks" when he was starting consistently for Chelsea (under Villas Boas) and Bolton also.
ReplyDeleteNot much of a coincidence really...
Capoue has been my first choice central midfield option for over a year now. If I was a Spurs fan, I'd be a bit concerned that we'd be buying him alongside Sandro, Dembele and Paulinho though - looks like they're buying players just for the sake of it now...
ReplyDeleteNot sure about this guy, especially for the fee (I swear clubs just pull figures outta their bum these days) anyways, I think he's another Youtube player, never really heard of him till this window so I can't genuinely judge his abilities, however, I don't know many young South American's that have come from Italy and rocked the Prem. Similar but not the same level, look at Sanchez (now at Barca) Came from tearing up the Italian league and has not had the same impact in La Liga. Just saying
ReplyDeleteExcellent thoughts, exactly the way I summed up. I think, for back line we are fairly covered - if Skartel leaves, we get around 12m for another top quality CB, if he stays, can try to gain his 11-12 reputation, fighting with Kolo & I believe, at 23 & 6'4", Kelly can be developed into a solid CB. With his speed & physique, Wisdom can play as back up of Johnson. Some sort of agreement must have taken place for Cissokho, I guess the issue is buy out or loan? I am confident that we have a back up LB already.
ReplyDeleteMuriel is something of a calculative risk - you spend 20m for him & he can turnout to be a 40m player, or a 5m off-load in 2/3 years time. Last time we paid around 23m for another 23 years old turned out to be diamond (but with the poison) & the risk is worth taking.
Ericksen could be a good signing, but 15m+ sounds a bit risky for me. I actually would have gone for Granier for around 10m. Also, off-load Downing or not, we must try to get Capel for 6-7m; another potential 20m+ player in 2 years, if handled properly.
The sensational headlines are annoying on this site
ReplyDeleteSanches was over priced a bit (23m, I believe with just 1 year contract left) & was a squad player in a star studded Barca team. In Italy, he used to play as the main player. still 20+ goals in 50+ matches is quite good, considering he started few matches & played 90min fewer.
ReplyDeleteMuriel could be a perfect fit for EPL - solid, low centre of gravity & extremely quick. I think, in BR system he 'll play more responsible role (than Sanches in Barca) & could be a hit. We are out of CL & 'll have to take risks. Players like Higuan, Benzema, J Martinez or Lewandwisky 'll not come here.
Coutinho? he is doing ok (didnt play much in italy mind), although I do agree with you in general that there league isnt that suited to switching, imo due to the slowness of there game, which means players can look good there but not be able to handle the higher pace and pressured play here. Time on the ball is so much less in the prem.
ReplyDeleteagree m8 ,but i will not listen to the fsg love brigade if it dose,not that i do anway
ReplyDeletei would put my favouite three letter word as a reply ,but i am stopped from saying it ,it starts with l ends in l and has 1 vowel inbetween
ReplyDeleteBINGO
ReplyDeleteSoft? who gets pushed off the ball then? From what I've seen everyone can hold their own? Good technical players who entice tackles and win fouls, no huge bruiser in spains midfield
ReplyDeleteI for 1 don't like how it always seams to be women hes hitting ... think one of the big lads needs pull him aside give him a little talking to
ReplyDeleteEven before he came to us i was often wondering what teams were playing at not fielding him, the lads a bullet with a good touch too
ReplyDeleteLOL imagine if Suarez stays and this lad or whoever comes in and overshadows him **Dreams**
ReplyDeleteBernard the guy from Atletico Mineiro is a much better player with much more experience cost about the same has more experience than this guy ,i guess that's why Jamie 2 considers him a novice.
ReplyDeleteor a dam good hiding
ReplyDeleteFor u it might be stats, but as someone who follows serie A too, I have seen enuf to accept him to our club.. After all stats wont give everything, which is the reason why we have scouts who also watch games to select the player! :)
ReplyDeleteConvince Dortmmund to sell Levandovski to Bayern for an inflated price, get them to buy Suarez and the trade Borini plus money for Muriel, bring in Eriksen and Aulderweld from Ajax ,Papadopoulos from Schalke and see if we could find a decent left back from somewhere within the scouting network who is drawn to playing for one of the best supported clubs in the world. Get Skrtel off the books if you don't intend to play him too, not fair on the guy. If Napoli are interested give him a chance to play in the Champions League, lessen the wage bill too. C'mon Brendan Rodgers and team, get it done for the sake of the club and the fans. The Liverpool team are then going to have to step up this season and prove that they can challenge. The net spend if Downing goes is negative this transfer window, what is going on? There are three weeks to sort this out so we have a non-disruptive season. The powers that be at Liverpool may feel that there's no time to replace Suarez, but it's better he's not there rocking the boat from a medium to long term perspective. The Suarez era should end asap we have to move on.
ReplyDeletei read a article long long ago about his assault ( a women elder than him) charges were drop. How come suddenly it raised again?? same case or different this time?
ReplyDeleteTotally agree with that, who is guiding Sterling? Why is he ending up in these situations? You have to question what is going on in his head. He needs to re-assess who he hangs around with outside of football. He's now getting good money to be a pro-footballer, he shouldn't be hanging around places where these low lifes can drag him down to their level, he's got a life after football to enjoy himself. Wake up Raheem, you've got talent, don't let the pond life pull you under man.
ReplyDeleteI guess you didn't see our games against Villa or the Saints or Stoke last season. Not to mention the Baggies. All the games have one thing in common, ONE player waltz through from midfield to score- Benteke, Lakaku, Walters & Rodriguez.
ReplyDeleteNow be specific who can hold their own in the middle? Both Allen & Lucas give away deliberate fouls for that same reason, they can't hold their own.
Finally the big strong athletic Germans had a remedy for Spanish Tika taka!
different case
ReplyDeletethe club should be clamping down before he gets in serious trouble
ReplyDeleteNot convinced about this player. There are strikers not unlike Muriel in the Championship -- bulky head-down runners with decent pace -- who struggle to make the step up into the Premier League. Most of the players Rodgers has signed have a few more dimensions to their game. Costa would be better but it's clear he's not going to be available until late in the window, at best, and at a premium. Left-backs are ten-a-penny but strikers are really hard to get hold of right now. Will we see anything of Sinclair this season, perhaps? Or is it just too soon for him?
ReplyDeleteLFC HAVE LEARNT NOTHING FROM THE TORRES EXIT - SHAMBES MANAGEMENT - Mr HENRY
ReplyDeleteOFFLOAD STERING ??
ReplyDeleteWho he is hanging around with outside of football huh more like he is learning little bits here and there off Mr Suarez, his attitude is starting to spread already!
ReplyDeleteHow about calling AFC's bluff and asking for Walcott and £40m for Suarez?
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, stop shouting. Caps are used for EMPHASIS, not whole posts.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, what justifies your use of the word shambles to describe what has happened so far? Suarez hasn't got his way. Arsenal haven't bought a player for the 1p over £40m like they thought they would, and JH has stated, and so far has stuck to, a line which Levy and others have failed to emulate.
They are far from perfect, but shambles? You 'll have to give us some sort of reason why that's the case. Or else you're just another moaner
I assume you think Suarez will leave on 2nd Sept. Unless that happens you have a non point.
Strengthening ARSENAL by selling them one of the best players in the world would be a huge mistake.By letting him go we'd be sending this clear message to other clubs.
ReplyDeleteIf you really want one of our best players we'll talk tough to the media but in the end, whoever you want from us will go.Is that the green light we want to send to other football vultures with COUTINHO growing into a world class performer.
Another reason is selling a quality player to a direct rival most of the time (we got lucky with FERNANDO) has catastrophic results, think RVP.
THEO WALCOTT goes from boiling hot to freezing cold.A good level of consistency has always been his downfall.
FUNKDOC, you sound like a broken record.This is all you talk about big strong men.If you want to moan again about what i said hit me up directly.Don't take cheap shots that's weak!
ReplyDeleteYou have absolutely no right to tell me what to blog, the reason why I didn't respond to you was because I was mature enough to agree to disagree. That doesn't mean that I should back down on my opinions besides there are some who agree! You are no way that important & I do not need your approval to express my views!
ReplyDeleteHit you up directly! Who exactly are you? You make me laugh, as if I have you in mind every time I post a comment! Megalomaniac of the highest order!
ReplyDeleteSick of Suarez feeling sorry for himself we would have been in the champions league if he would have played a full season so it's his own fault not the club so play up and shut up
ReplyDeleteBacking down from what you believe, i don't expect (whoever shares your views i don't care) but being "mature" enough to agree to disagree means getting over the words exchanged in the past and not taking shots at someone.
ReplyDelete"Who exactly are you" a man who terminates fake doctors:-) You clearly have me in mind FUNKDOC because you indirectly had a dig at me.Somebody brings what i say to them into conversations i respond by telling them to be upfront and that makes me a megalomaniac.
Great reply and you get a gold star for using a big word.Now stop holding a grudge so we can move this on!
Suarez =£55m ...Jackson Martínez £35m and Muriel £20m and we are better off..
ReplyDeleteBernard sign for Donets for £22m
ReplyDeleteHey Jamie here is a suggestion, maybe we give Suarez to Barca for Sanchez and 20 mill and then get a decent holding midfielder and a left back as well just a thought. I will hate to loose Suarez but IMO he really has to go this has been a joke and we need to get someone in to replace him or we keep him and see what happens.
ReplyDeleteYou're not the only one to mention Man Utd or Arsenal as an excuse for not having a physical presence in the middle. Which is why I generalised my comments, by the way Phil Jones had often been deployed there!
ReplyDeleteIn any case I didn't respond to you because I WAS BORED & decided to let you have the final word. Great joke abt my username, Michael McIntyre watch out!! By the way does calling yourself beast make you feel you're living life on the edge by telling the girls you know He-Man!
Stop being so sensitive about the name it was a throw away line.It must be that time of the month with you.The BEAST comment, i'm clearly talking to a comedian on top form go and perform that quality joke at a show and see how many laughs you get.
ReplyDeleteListen FUNKDOC maybe you want to continue with these playground games but i have better things to do.The final word is all yours knock yourself out!