Liverpool FC may be riding high in the Premier League at the moment, but according to Anfield legend Ian. St John, the Reds need to sign 'better midfielders' to really push on. In recent weeks, the likes of Nemanja Matic and Jorginho have been linked with moves to the club, but Liverpool hero Jan Molby wants Brendan Rodgers to sign Bayer Leverkusen star Lars Bender, who is also wanted by Arsenal and Manchester United.
In his column for the Liverpool Echo today, Molby argued that Lucas is still performing '20%' below the required level, and urged the club look at Bender, who he describes as a 'younger version of Steven Gerrard'. He noted:
"I would like to see Liverpool add a player who is an all-round midfielder, and my suggestion would be Lars Bender.
"There are a lot of top players in Germany and I look at Bender and believe he is the real deal. For me, he ticks all the boxes".
€24m-rated Bender has made 150 appearances for Leverkusen - by Liverpool legend Sami Hyypia - and the 24-year old is absolutely integral to Bayer's superb form this year.
At the end of October, Bender signed a contract extension until 2019, and after committing himself to the club, he made it emphatically clear that he has no plans to leave. He told Leverkusen's official website:
"I want to be part of that story and make my own contribution to ensuring we can become an obvious and permanent member of the leading group. I am absolutely committed to Bayer. I feel really good at this club and it's great fun playing here."
Leverkusen sporting director Rudi Voller added:
"He [bender] more than fulfilled our demanding expectations and he has proved to be a great man both on and off the pitch in the truest sense of the word. Lars is somebody who can lead the way. A team needs a character like him to be successful in football."
Bender would be a fantastic signing for LFC, but would he leave when he just signed a 6-year contract extension? It's possible that the new deal is simply a strategic business decision to ensure a large fee if/when he's sold, but at the age of 24, there's no real compelling need for him to move on.
If/when Bender does decide to leave, Liverpool theoretically have an advantage with Sami Hyypia at the helm, but in reality, it doesn't always work out like that.
Let's jump three years into the future: Hyypia leaves Leverkusen; Rodgers leaves LFC. The Reds appoint Sami as the new Liverpool manager, and his first signing is...Lars Bender.
The Finn has already revealed that it's his 'dream' to manage LFC, so it's not totally unrealistic...
Author: Jaimie K
In his column for the Liverpool Echo today, Molby argued that Lucas is still performing '20%' below the required level, and urged the club look at Bender, who he describes as a 'younger version of Steven Gerrard'. He noted:
"I would like to see Liverpool add a player who is an all-round midfielder, and my suggestion would be Lars Bender.
"There are a lot of top players in Germany and I look at Bender and believe he is the real deal. For me, he ticks all the boxes".
€24m-rated Bender has made 150 appearances for Leverkusen - by Liverpool legend Sami Hyypia - and the 24-year old is absolutely integral to Bayer's superb form this year.
At the end of October, Bender signed a contract extension until 2019, and after committing himself to the club, he made it emphatically clear that he has no plans to leave. He told Leverkusen's official website:
"I want to be part of that story and make my own contribution to ensuring we can become an obvious and permanent member of the leading group. I am absolutely committed to Bayer. I feel really good at this club and it's great fun playing here."
Leverkusen sporting director Rudi Voller added:
"He [bender] more than fulfilled our demanding expectations and he has proved to be a great man both on and off the pitch in the truest sense of the word. Lars is somebody who can lead the way. A team needs a character like him to be successful in football."
Bender would be a fantastic signing for LFC, but would he leave when he just signed a 6-year contract extension? It's possible that the new deal is simply a strategic business decision to ensure a large fee if/when he's sold, but at the age of 24, there's no real compelling need for him to move on.
If/when Bender does decide to leave, Liverpool theoretically have an advantage with Sami Hyypia at the helm, but in reality, it doesn't always work out like that.
Let's jump three years into the future: Hyypia leaves Leverkusen; Rodgers leaves LFC. The Reds appoint Sami as the new Liverpool manager, and his first signing is...Lars Bender.
The Finn has already revealed that it's his 'dream' to manage LFC, so it's not totally unrealistic...
Author: Jaimie K
Starting to get tired of all these Media Scouting. What happened to all the players that would have made LFC better how are they doing in their respective teams. Willian, Dempsey, Gaston Ramirez, Ashley Young, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Erickson, Lamela, etc etc etc!! Yeah there a few that are doing well.
ReplyDeletePogba looks a beast of a player and Mata would add world class status to our creative department and also be a signal of intent for the rest of the PL and a psychological boost to the rest of the team. Just as Ozil has been for arsenal.
ReplyDeleteI for one enjoy speculating who may or may not be an option,, If you ask me between Matic and Bender it has to be Bender, he can play LM,CDM,CAM or CM.. Matic is quality at CDM but more versatily in midfield has always got to win over on just a rigid single position player..
ReplyDeletethink we should buy Will Hughes as he looks very talented. at about £8M I think he'd be worth going for. all of the championship hot property starlets, most of them, given a few years in the 1st team have exploded. Walcott hit 20 goals and 15 assits last season. and has had decent stats over the past few seasons. Bale is now world class. and Ramsey is on fire right now.
ReplyDeletewho knows, we get Hughes and in a few years after settling into the squad, he can be as good as gerrard once was.
"Let's jump three years into the future"...you've learnt not to come out with pie in the sky, if pigs will fly, cows jump over the moon speculation?
ReplyDeleteI've always wanted LFC to sign Lars Bender!!! That would be such an amazing signing for us!!!
ReplyDeleteHe looks good but too expensive for Liverpool.
ReplyDeleteHoping Brendan Rodgers will be managing us for a lot longer than 3 years
ReplyDeleteKevin De Bruyne.
ReplyDeleteAs a direct long term replacement to Gerrard i mean.
ReplyDeleteBender is more like a better version of Henderson and Lucas sort of combination.
Matic/Bender , Pastore/De Bruyne
Pastore/DeBruyne , Coutinho
Sturridge , Suarez
I would like to think that way long term speaking. About strikers and Suarez leaving i still don't have a clearer picture.
Also i'm about getting Montoya, a better LB, and if going for a better CB then i would give up only Sakho, or he will just get better and there will be no need.
Did your managerial application for liverpool get lost in the post Jaime?
ReplyDeleteIn today's world £20 Million is not too expensive for a club like Liverpool. Look at our main transfer targets this summer Deigo Costa,Mkhitaryan,Willian all are £20Million above players. We will get extra £20 or £25 Million from BPL TV rights from next year onwards. If we finish in top4 this season we can get atleast another £20 Million from CL next season even though if we knocked out in group stages like Manchester City, which finished last in its group last year, received 28 million euros from UEFA. So be optimistic. Future is Liverpool.
ReplyDeleteLove to see it happen, but think it might be a long shot. We really do need both a defensive midfielder and a box to box midfielder who can score goals. At the moment, all we have as a defensive midfielder is Lucas. Gerrard doesn't have the legs to play box to box, which is why most of his goals now come from penalties. Hendo has a fantastic engine, but we need someone who has that as well as finishing ability. Bender would be perfect in that position. Matuidi, Gonalons or Yann M'Vila would be my picks for a CDM.
ReplyDeleteIf only FSG were to give BR 50 million pound anything is possible. But most probably BR need to raise funds himself.
ReplyDeleteIf he gets Liverpool into CL , FSG will definitely reward him with a new contract.
ReplyDeleteIf I had to go for someone at Bayer Leverkusen, it would definately be Sydney Sam !!!
ReplyDeleteSorry but I don't agree. Matic is the one we need to go for. I would much rather have someone who is a great CDM (a position we deseperatley need filled) than someone who is good in multiple midfield positions
ReplyDeleteWell we can drop Khedira from the search...too bad...think tearing both ligaments will spell the end of a solid career.
ReplyDeleteThere's a great article on LFC finances on theliverpoolword. (Am I allowed to say that on another website). Very in depth, full fat facts.
ReplyDeleteBender would be great, and not just for the childish jokes- there someone mentioned it, but he seams like a summer sale. GENERALLY only fringe players move without hyperinflated fees. So I'm going g to keep banging my drum for El Shaarawy. Last season he was phenomenal, if he's dreamed to have the right mentality couldn't BR do what he did with Sturidge and Coutinio?
ReplyDeleteAnd completion from arsenal could be fended off as he would have little competition in our team, so he could get a run of games.
Don't see it at all happening....too many long shots....waste of air time...
ReplyDelete