20 Sept 2013

Confirmed: €18m LFC target 'will' leave if he gets a 'good offer'. Should BR bid...?

Liverpool are reportedly tracking Anzhi Makhachkala star Lacina Traore, and according to his Agent, there is strong possibility that the striker will leave Russia during the January transfer window.

In November 2012, Traore's Agent Dimitry Seluk confirmed that Liverpool 'were on the list' of clubs who'd 'made contact about the possibility of a deal, and speaking to reporters this week, he noted:

"I can't deny that in the case of a decent proposal that suits both us and Anzhi, Lacina could still change club.

"The interest in Traore in Russia and Europe is quite large.

"Therefore, if we get a good offer in the winter I think the leadership of Anzhi will let him go".


In April, Traore described Liverpool as 'a good team', and revealed his love of the Premier League. He told Sky Sports:

"England is a great place to play, I am no different to any other player. It is a dream but I am happy here, although you never know."

Soon after, last night, Seluk - who also looks after Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure - told Russian newspaper Izvestia:

"I support the gradual development of players, and one day soon, Lacina will play in the Premier League"

In December, Manchester United legend Andrei Kanchelskis urged the 22-year old striker to sign for Liverpool. He told Isvestia

"Traore has all the attributes, height, technique, speed, in order to start playing in England. For Liverpool, he would be a great buy, especially given the current state of affairs in the team. If he receives offers from Premier League teams and especially from Liverpool, he has to go".

To be honest, I'm not convinced.

* The idea of having a 6'8 striker up front is not appealing, principally because it opens up the possibility of route-one football, which is seemingly the opposite of what Brendan Rodgers wants.

* Traore - who cost Anzhi €18m in 2012 - may be good on the ground, but the presence of such a tall striker on the field could have a psychological impact on team-play at times, i.e. with a massive guy up front who will win everything in the air, players will probably play more high balls as a result.

* The club has already gone the huge striker route with Peter Crouch, and although he did a good job for the club, he couldn't scale Sturridge/Torres-style goalscoring heights.

* Traore's goal record is creditable (18 goals in 42 apps for Anzhi), but this is the Russian league, which is not the greatest standard.

Having said that, Traore would give the club a completely different option up-front, which could be a positive thing, but would he be happy playing second fiddle to Sturridge, and possibly Suarez (if he stays)?



Jaimie Kanwar


9 comments:

  1. Seems like a bad idea to get involved with Anzhi on transfers again. Hope there are better ideas in the basket but he looks like he can be a good player for us.

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  2. I cant see this happening. Doesnt fit the make up of the team. Yes he would be different option for attack, but to utilise his strenght and power up front we would need players around him set up to play to those strenghts.
    Looking at our signings and style of play, he wouldnt get that. To me it would be a mixed message when it comes to the playing style we have been developing over the last year. To ship out Carrol pretty much from day one, and then sign this guy a year later is taking a step back IMO.

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  3. I would rather get Michu from Swansea.

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  4. I don't think he'd be the player that will be joining us, his strengths are not exactly what LFC would aid with their play. Rather get an out and out striker who's proven as well.

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  5. We should target Willian in january if he struggles for game time at Chelsea. They just have so many attacking players.

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  6. What we need is another attacking central mid-fielder.

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  7. Robbie Fowler said on TV he thought he was rubbish after LFC played Anzhi.

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  8. No thanks, somewhat clueless when it comes to being involved in the team's approach play and not all that tidy on the ball either. I don't think his strengths are too good to ignore his weaknesses, especially when it comes to fitting into our team. He is not even a Crouch, who was a big guy who was quite tidy on the ground.

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