5 Sept 2013

Anfield Alert: Euro Giants plan January double-deal for £25m LFC duo.

In the space of a few weeks, Liverpool went from threadbare cover at the back to an embarrassment of defensive riches, and with no fewer than FIVE defensive players brought in over the summer, the Reds now have much needed strength in depth. There is a possible negative side-effect, however, and that is the possibility of too much competition. No matter what Brendan Rodgers does, it's probable that one or two of the club's defenders will end up frustrated this season, and according to Spanish newspaper Marca, that is precisely what Barcelona are hoping for.

According to MARCA today, Barca are already planning a double transfer swoop for Daniel Agger and £10m-rated Pepe Reina during the January transfer window.

Liverpool rejected a reported £15m bid for Agger during the recent summer transfer window, but with the arrival of Kolo Toure, Mamdou Sakho and Tiago Ilori, the Dane's long-term future is (arguably) slightly less secure.

When asked about Barca's bid last week, Agger didn't appear to rule out a move, and made it sound like it's up to Liverpool whether he stays or goes. He told Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten:

"It [Barcelona's interest] is a positive. It is a boost and for that I am pleased. I am not going to deny that. If a move doesn't happen that that's that. That's nothing I can dictate or decide. I have a contract with Liverpool for another three years and if they want to keep me, they will keep me."

Speaking to reporters last night, Barcelona legend Miguel Angel Nadal - nicknamed 'the Beast' during his time at the club - bemoaned Barca's failure to sign a new centre-half. He observed:

"Everybody could see Barcelona needed to sign a centre-back If you look at where Barcelona needed to strengthen, it was in defence. If you are talking about urgencies then perhaps you have to pay more."

Signing Toure, Ilori and Sakho is definitely the right move, but (IMO) their arrival will inevitably have an impact on Agger's first team chances:

* Like Agger, Sakho is a left-footed central defender, and it seems unlikely that Rodgers will regularly play two-left footed centre-halves.

* Sakho left PSG because he was no longer a regular starter. Would he come to Liverpool (in a world cup year) if he thought the same thing would happen?

If Rodgers has a choice, I believe he's more likely to risk upsetting Agger than Sakho. The Frenchman is the future of LFC's defence; Agger - as loyal a servant as he's been - is not, and it's probably inevitably that Barca will come in for him again in January.

The question is, if that happens, should LFC let Agger go?

Of course, everything depends on how the next three months go, but it's (arguably) more likely that Martin Skrtel will leave, and that is a the preferable option.

I don't think Agger will have a major problem alternating with Toure and Sakho, and, consequently, playing fewer games. He's acutely ware of his injury history, and how LFC have stood by him, and if playing a fewer games means Agger gets to extend his LFC/international careers, he'd probably be happy with that.



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41 comments:

  1. They can have reina, but forget agger I want him to stay,

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  2. This whole two left footer business confuses me.


    No one worries when a team plays with two right footed centrebacks, so why is it SUCH an issue to play with two left footed ones? If Agger and Sakho are the best two CB's and they can play well together, who cares what foot they are?

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  3. Agger said he is not going anywhere as long as LFC want's him. So this is a non starter!!! Let's focus on the season in front of us

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  4. Have you deleted my comment because I questioned two left footed players playing together, or is Disqus just buggy?

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  5. I cant see this happening, especially as he has JUST been made Vice Captain this season, i see him being the captain in the next 2-3 seasons once SG hangs up his boots.

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  6. id rather sakho toure type defense leave midfielders to play ball defenders should defend as priority agger though good isnt strong enough in imo

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  7. He would look rather stupid in another team shirt with YNWA on his knuckles IMO

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  8. I had that exact thought the other day. I think it's something we've brought up watching 2 right footed CBs as there are fewer left footed players in the world but surely it makes no difference? However the same goes for southpaw boxers. People think they only want use their left hand but there is no evidence behind this especially when most boxers are right handed and probably want to only punch with their right hand. Using 2 sports as an example ;)

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  9. There are doubts how long toure can last.. 1 year, 2 years, 6 months? He injured himself once he got tired, and admitted he lost mobility, so I'm really glad skrtel put in a good performance against manure. Sakho and ilori are young, so 4 CBs competing / rotating for 2 spots (BR might play 3 at the back for some games in Agger, toure, sakho, skrtel is very healthy competition I would think. What if one of them got injured like toure now? It's better to have more cover especially in the defensive end I feel..

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  10. it's more a case of 'who's left who is earning too much'...Agger, Reina are in the frame....

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  11. Unless Celtic come in for him

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  12. haha there is that!

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  13. Stop printing this shit already it's only a week since your last bucket of crap,

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  14. I hardly think we can be saying that Sakho is the future of defense. He's not even played a game yet!!!

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  15. Agree with Skrtel being the most likely departure in January, but I hope he surprises everyone and gets back to challenging for that starting role. Coates is going nowhere until he can prove his fitness, let's just have him at Melwood until the summer and see what happens. I think it's appropriate to manage all our players so we'll rotate within a limited scope and that includes Sakho, Agger, Toure and Skrtel. Ilori might see some game time in the cups, we should at least see how he fits in the team.
    The whole "two left footed CBs" seems a non-starter to me and comments below make plenty of good points. No one ever says anything about having two right footed defenders playing next to each other, I think it's totally irrelevant. Maybe having a left and right footed combination is the ultimate ideal, but it's probably low on the list of things that impact your defensive ability.
    Sakho and Agger are, on paper, our two best all-round capable defenders. Sakho and Skrtel are probably our two toughest defenders. Agger and Toure and probably the two most contained and least reckless defenders. Horses for courses and all that, and I do think we'll see 3 CBs at some point this season, and maybe even as our preferred defensive tactic. Interesting times ahead and plenty to feel good about.

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  16. transfer window is closed, so we make up stories for the january window instead to create click on my website. you sir get two thumbs down from me as your credibility goes down the drain

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  17. Difficult to justify selling your newly promoted VC half a season after he has been promoted. Still, Agger and Skrtel are 28-29 years old, and it might be worthwhile moving atleast one of them on while they still retain that sell on value. I'd let Agger go for anything around the 17-20m pound mark, and Skrtel for around 12-14m region. Wouldn't let them both leave though; not in the same transfer window.

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  18. I saw the suggestion on another site that Sakho could play in front of our defense in stead of Lucas. That could fit both in. Personally, I would be surprised if anyone leaves in January if we're still in the top four by then. We wanted strength in depth, we now have it so why give it up right away. If Agger falls out of the starting lineup (don't forget BR made him vice captain but then again, so was Carragher), he will just have to fight like Skrtel did. What happens in the summer is a different story all together.

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  19. Too early to predict who might go and who might stay. The season has barely gotten under way and the new recruits have not even touch the ball as a Liverpool player.

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  20. toure,agger and sakho first team
    skrtel and iloris bench then promote iloris over toure next season simple

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  21. does anyone else want lfc to play 3 5 2
    so more cb s play
    and suarez and sturridge and coutinho play in their best position

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  22. Aggers comments are correct for any player with more than 2 years on their contract, they will be sold if the club decides they want to sell them the Suarez saga proves this. Reina is on a 12 month loan so he won't be going anywhere in Jan (A pre contract may be agreed with Barca but we won't see the cash in Jan). To summarise the story it's likely Skrtel may depart next Jan for around £10m FSG will provide £10m and that will be the Jan transfer kitty!

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  23. I think we may see 3 5 2 a bit more this season. We have the players to make it work. Pity johnson got injured that was his most commited defensive display in red and if rogers has johnson going like that he must have a good hold on the players. Havnt seen this sort of team spirit since rafa,s early days. Toure looks like he'll run through a brick wall. Ilori may get a run at right back now but for the first time rogers has options all over the park and a lot of guys with something to prove. Really hope they can keep this momentum and really don't think aggar will go anywhere. Also I think rogers treatment of pepe,downers and suarez has left the squad in no doubt who the boss is. Good summer all around for rogers I'm really starting to believe in the guy.

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  24. With the 2 left footers thing, there might be something in it. Left footers always play on the left of the partnership, so they don't really learn how to play on the right, where as right footers (as there are more of them) often have to play on the right and left.

    I'm sure lefties will be able to learn how to play on the right but it might take some time

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  25. Sakho & Toure would make a very solid looking partnership: much better aerial capability for set pieces where we're weak - good combo of age and experience and both with speed to hold the 'Roger's high line'. Then rotate Agger in DM (great tackler and useful in distribution with occasional marauding runs forward) and ship Skrtel off to Inter. Nice.

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  26. The transfer window has just closed and we are already speculating about January (sigh).. You definitely bring up some interesting points Jamie , personally I do not see the big fuss about two CB with the same stronger foot as it has been proved on numerous occasions thats is possible.(you might argue that its probably not effective when you want your CB playing out from the back though, however i seen Belgium do it when Komp was injured, Vertonghan and Vermaleun did a good job and are both Lefties.) My biggest concern is that BR specifically stated that Sahko can/will be used at LCB or LB. I would find it strange if Dagger is dropped especially after BR gave him special praise and made him VC.This basically tells me that Dagger will remain at LCB and Sakho will be playing at LB , harsh on Jose as his been solid (always felt BR never fancied him) and Cissohko is out for a while .I think Sakho will slot in LCB in cup games giving Dagger much needed rest and allow Jose back on . Skrtle and Toure alternate at RCB and Ilorri brought in slowly . Problem solved ! what are we going to do when everyone is fit and ready though ??? (Kelly, Wisdom , Coates , Johno , Toure , Cissohko )

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  27. Agger is injury prone and whilst he's good coming out with the ball, he is not great defending. He made several errors in the Stoke game and Villa games. He's no Alan Hanson, by any stretch.
    When he's paired with Skrtl, he plays very well, but let's be honest, all CH fit, Skrtl would not even make the bench.
    Agger's days are numbered. I'd say that by Christmas, Sakho will be first choice ahead of him, with Toure, with Ilori being phased in over the next couple of seasons.
    All the pre-Rodgers fullbacks should be getting very nervous, too. Our defenders have been substandard for some years.

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  28. Can I just ask, does anyone know where Nacho went? He's no longer on the lfc.com site, he's no longer included on our wiki page and he's not in our squad list for this season even though there are 50 youngsters on there. Yet there is nothing to be found about him moving anywhere.

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  29. Ok let's try again. Does anyone know what happened with Nacho? His profile is not on the lfc.com site anymore, he's no longer included on the reserves page on wiki and he is not in our squad list for this season in spite of it containing the names of 50 young players, including some who have gone on loan. Yet no articles to be found about a transfer or anything like that.

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  30. testing one...two...three

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  31. There was an (inadvertent) hyperlink in your other reply which is why it got held back. Posts with links are automatically held for moderation (in case of spam, etc)

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  32. aaaahhh that makes sense

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  33. That's a good article. Pretty much what is been thinking myself! But I would hate to see The Dagger sold.
    See, you CAN write a good article!
    Lol don't be offended. That was a back handed compliment.

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  34. Boring already!!!

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  35. In something of a surprise move however, Liverpool let Nacho leave ahead of the 2013-14 season. The reasons for this are unclear.

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  36. JK,
    Agree we are tons deeper than we have in in forever. When all healthy it might get crowded but:
    Sakho can play cd and lb
    Cissoko can play cd, lb and defensive mid
    Ilori's alleged speed could enable him to be a mid along with cd
    Toure has been great but should not play 90 minutes
    Agger and Kelly (one of my fav's) have a history of injuries
    Skrtel was great vs mu but let's not crown him yet
    Glen J could play mid and rb
    Jose has played well despite passing issues.
    Wisdom can play anywhere

    All in, we have a very flexible team and all those options for BR help keep the team fresh when all the other tournaments we can play in start up.
    If we have to trade one out I would start with Coates, beyond doubt.

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  37. You are saying this because you haven't seen Mamadou in action. Those arrogant Qataris wanted to give some "Latin" look in their team (probably for the popularity of Latins in their native land) & spread obnoxious money for Brazilians & Arges. No way Alex can be starting over Mamadou & that's only reason he is leaving PSG, otherwise he was to be a 1 club player.



    This could be the signing of the summer - for a fee of 15m (figures are hobbling between 13-18m, I took the average), we have got a defender, who is in perfect physical shape for EPL & can play for 10 years at peak for us & France. He has the potential to be better than Desaily or even Thuram & I believe one day 'll lead France (& LFC if stays that long).



    Using 2 left footed CB is last thing that comes to my mind, pairing him with Agger. By the way, Mamadou isn't left-footed only, rather he is ambidextrous with a stronger left foot. & he is a monster in air, waiting to see what Benteke, Likaku, Ba or Carroll does against us now.

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  38. "You are saying this because you haven't seen Mamadou in action." Correct. Also, you never know what is going to happen, he not take to the premier league, he might hate the city, he might get an offer from Real next season. My point being, to say that someone is the future of the team before they have played a game is jumping the gun a little.


    I am not questioning his ability!

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  39. I find that really really strange. Maybe he asked to leave himself though. It can't be easy if the guy ahead of you in your position is Phil Coutinho and only two years older than you.

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