16 Oct 2013

Transfer Snag: LFC want €12m Brazilian who's 'happy' to leave, but is it too late?

Over the summer, several sources - including Sky Sports Italia and Italian football show SportItalia - claimed that Liverpool put in a bid for Brazilian midfielder Jorge Luiz Frello Filho - aka Jorginho - who currently plays for Serie A side Hellas Verona. New reports suggest that the Reds still want Jorginho, but it looks like Arsenal are now in pole-position to sign the youngster.

According to Italian newspaper Tutto Sport last week:

* Liverpool, Everton, Chelsea and Man City remain interested.

* There's a possibility that Jorginho may leave in the January transfer window.

There's a new development today, though, with reports in Italy claiming that:

* Jorginho's reps are currently in London to meet Arsenal for discussions over a proposed January move to the Premier League.

* Arsene Wenger is readying a €12m bid for the Brazilian midfielder.

In a July broadcast of Italian sports show 'SportItalia', journalist Alfredo Pedulla - formerly of Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport - confirmed that Liverpool had put in an €8m offer for Jorginho. Soon after that, Pedulla further claimed that:

* Verona President, Mauricio Setti, is willing to sell if the price is right.
* The asking price for Jorginho is €10m.
* Setti met with Liverpool reps in London to discuss the transfer.

Jorginho can play in several different positions (attacking midfield; Defensive mid; Central-mid playmaker, and Right wing), so Rodgers' interest is hardly surprising. Additionally, with 73 appearances in the last two seasons, the Brazilian has a good level of experience for his age, and his great form last season helped Verona to win promotion to Serie A.

After the collapse of the Mkhitaryan, Costa and Willian deals, some Reds fans will not be appeased by bargain-basement signings from the lower reaches of Serie A. However, if Jorginho ultimately signs for Liverpool, and has a similar impact to fellow Brazilian Coutinho, the doubters will quickly be silenced, I'm sure.

When asked this week about his future at Verona, Jorginho made it clear that he's open to a move away. He told reporters:

"If it's true that there is interest [from other clubs] I will be more than happy [to leave]."

Alas, if Arsenal are on the scene, it looks like the Reds will probably miss out. The Gunners are in the Champions League, and with their current scintillating form, and the allure of Wenger/Ozil/London etc, it'll come as no surprise if Jorginho ends up at the Emirates.





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29 comments:

  1. His stats looks good this season:
    scored-3 assist-1 in 7 matches..
    but we still need a marquee signing who can have big impact in first team.
    I'd prefer matic and jackson martinez.

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  2. Except that with Wilshere, Ramsay and Ozil in the team he probably wouldn't get a game for the gunners. He's not an enforcing deep lying DM (which Arsenal could do with) who would oust Flamini either. Could go either way if there is real interest

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  3. i dont want him hughes is better,anyway i think young players look at wich club will give more opportunities

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  4. We don't need a marquee signing IMO, we need a good player that get's the job done.


    Jackson Martinez is a beast!!!


    And Matic also!

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  5. He plays in Serie A top flight Italian football for a shit team yet that is playing well due partly to him and they sit in 5th so I guess he must be quite talented. Question is with Allen, Hendo, Lucas, Gerrard and Coutinho all playing centrally, is there room for him?

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  6. I think so. There is no creativity in our midfield. Jorginho might bring in that.

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  7. I would rather have we signed Rakitic 25 (A)(R)CM from Sevilla, he has very good stats 4 goals 3 assist in 8 games(Primera Division) playing mainly from CM and is valued around 13-15 m £(6 goals, 7 assists in 16 apps 13/14, 12 goals, 16 assists in 53 apps 12/14 all competitions) We are seriously lacking a strong mobile creative goalscoring midfield player and he would be a good replacement for Gerrard or Coutinho as CM or AM. Has a knack for scoring from set pieces, something we'll lack when Suares leaves.

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  8. If he goed elsewhere, he goes elsewhere. Fine by me. Just another Aspas signing

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  9. Think it's a bit too early to condemn the player as another "Aspas".


    Or do you mean price-wise?

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  10. I do feel as well that for the money we payed for Aspas we could have surely found a better alternative.

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  11. In seasons 12/13 and 13/14 he has scored and created more than Gerrard and Coutinho combined.

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  12. What I mean is that it's pointless to spend a "small" amount several times buying might be players like Aspas and this guy, hoping that they will come good in the end when you can add all of those "small" amounts together and get yourself a decent player with a proven track record or at least talent.

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  13. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmB4qj37sI8

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  14. What I'm curious to see is how club managements reacts to where we are in the standings in January:


    Let's assume we are in the Top 5 with a fighting chance at Top 4...


    Is the idea going to be:


    1. "Let's get another player or two in here to push"


    2. "Let's keep going with what's working and not tinker with the team too much"


    In my view, we should always be looking to get better... but I do understand the second point.


    I think we can always use depth, especially up front... look at what's happened with Coutinho out; playing players in the 10 role not suited for it.


    If we can bring in another CAM, a DM to complement Lucas, and a wide player, I think that would put the team in a prime position to make a run.


    My other wonder is if we go after a player used to the Champions League, will he take the risk and come to us without any guarantee of the CL next season?

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  15. From an Aspas perspective, I think he was brought in to specifically play in the League Cup and early FA Cup games, while giving Sturridge and Suarez a breather from time to time.


    I feel bad because in the pre-season, he was playing his natural striker role and playing well (albeit against lower competition). In the few games he's played this year, he's not played in that natural position and has struggled with that as well as the physicality of the league.


    I consider it more of a Borini than an Aspas. Similar situations between the two and Borini was first. He gets the naming rights! :)

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  16. Good point.


    I think we should always look to improve. Our squad is thin on the wings and we lack that quality of the bench. Who do we have coming of the bench that is capable of grabbing a winner or influence the game? No one.



    So far only our two main strikers have scored. We need our midfielders and wingers to provide them more support.


    IMO after the hectic December schedule, if we are still in contention for a top 4 finish (even if we are not) we need to strengthen the squad. 2 good players would be such a boost.


    We had to adapt a different formation because we did not have adequate cover for the AMC position, we are lacking.


    Let's bring an attacking player this Jan. I know we have funds since we put big bids for Willian, Costa and Mikh.


    A class midfielder is also needed. Some people are refusing to accept that Gerrard is not the same player as he was. We need to freshen up our mid. Cabaye anyone?

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  17. Not sure I like Cabaye that much... but I think you're definitely going down the right path.

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  18. Cabaye is hardly an
    improvement to our midfield. He's looks good in a team like
    Newcastle but is not a prolific goalscorer or assist maker(6 goals 2
    assists in all competitions 12/13), no way near Gerrard(13 goals 15 assists all comp 12/13) and he's 6
    years younger. And we definitely don't need an other midfielder who's
    even smaller than Aspas. ;)

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  19. Looks a decent player, but I'll not lose too much sleep if we miss out on this one. Coutinho looks technically better for me. It would obviously be great to have another player like this to add strength in depth, but I feel we need a different profile of player such as the Costa, Mkhitaryan, Erikson etc with more of a physical presence. Also how many midfielders do Arsenal require?....

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  20. Enough with the newbies! Lets get a solid established attacking mid with pace, skill assertiveness......we have a lot of young up and coming guys already and need to nuke Allen and get a force at midfield not a gnat.......

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  21. Like who? Those players are gold-dust!

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  22. It's easier to get a pile of assists if you are feeding Suarez and Sturridge than if you are feeding Papa Cisse!


    But we'll have a closer look at him on Saturday...

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  23. And then he gets a ligament strain, or loses form, or drops a jar of mayo on his foot, or his dog gets run over and he can't get out of bed for a month, and you've wasted your whole transfer budget and your squad is composed entirely of gap-toothed local lads, crumbling veterans with moustaches and 1000-yard stares, and incongruous Latinos who seem to come and go as they please.


    We need a proper squad before we can risk dropping big bucks on one-off signings!

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  24. The defending in that video of Rakitic is pretty comical most of the time, it's hard to tell how good he is!

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  25. In most of those videos everybody looks like Messi(including Messi ;) but when you look at the stats it's a great feat to have created so many goals, assists, keypasses for a team that finished 9th in Primera division. http://squawka.com/news/2013/08/21/should-liverpool-target-playmaker-who-created-more-chances-than-mata-cazorla-transfer-scouting-report/2013082118294

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  26. If that happens, you'll still have the players you have now. I'm not saying buy one, sell four. I'm saying buy one. The current situation is always the fallback scenario.

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  27. I would rather have Grenier(Lion). He's 22 and much stronger.

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  28. Yeah it is impressive -- some very good players in that team overall, despite their average showing in the league.

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