Hamburg sporting director Oliver Kreuzer has confirmed that Liverpool and Arsenal are interested in signing exciting attacking midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu during the upcoming January transfer window.
Last week, Calhanoglu's agent, Bektas Demirtas, claimed that 'English clubs will approach HSV in December or January', and when asked about this possibility, Kreuzer told German newspaper BILD:
"Liverpool and Arsenal are interested.
"Hakan is not against prolonging his contract, but when Liverpool and Arsenal turn up at your doorstep the lad might reconsider.
"We do not have any interest in selling him, but every player has a price. "
Some info about Calhanoglu, ludicrously dubbed the 'new Mesut Ozil':
* Signed a 4 year deal with Hamburg in 2012
* 41 appearances for various Turkey national teams (youth level)
* Free kick specialist, and Juninho Pernambuco is his inspiration:
"He [Juninho] was a pioneer of the style of free-kick I am trying to achieve"
Calhanoglu is definitely amenable to a move, and confirmed this recently when he told Turkish media outlet DHA:
"My goal is to play at Hamburg and eventually join a club in England or Spain in the future."
Over the weekend, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger appeared to rule out a move for Calhanoglu:
"No, there are agents who take care of these names and have good relationships with many media. The name [Halcanoglu] is out there, but there is no truth to it."
This would seemingly leave the way clear for Liverpool to make a move, but is it a good idea? Calhanoglu is inexperienced and untested outside Germany, but his creative output is creditable for a 19-year old:
* 2012-13: 14 goals in 31 apps for Karlsruhe
* 2013-14: 5 goals/4 assists in 23 apps (so far)
Hamburg have allegedly slapped a £15m price tag on Calhanoglu's head, which is clearly ridiculous, and it's highly unlikely Liverpool would pay even a third of that price for an untested teenager.
The Reds need impact players in January, and that means older, more experienced additions to the squad. For a fair price, though, would Calhanoglou be worth a punt? He's 20 in February, and Reds boss Brendan Rodgers has proven in the past that he'll spend money on similarly-aged attacking players (Alberto, Coutinho etc)
Author: Jaimie K
Last week, Calhanoglu's agent, Bektas Demirtas, claimed that 'English clubs will approach HSV in December or January', and when asked about this possibility, Kreuzer told German newspaper BILD:
"Liverpool and Arsenal are interested.
"Hakan is not against prolonging his contract, but when Liverpool and Arsenal turn up at your doorstep the lad might reconsider.
"We do not have any interest in selling him, but every player has a price. "
Some info about Calhanoglu, ludicrously dubbed the 'new Mesut Ozil':
* Signed a 4 year deal with Hamburg in 2012
* 41 appearances for various Turkey national teams (youth level)
* Free kick specialist, and Juninho Pernambuco is his inspiration:
"He [Juninho] was a pioneer of the style of free-kick I am trying to achieve"
Calhanoglu is definitely amenable to a move, and confirmed this recently when he told Turkish media outlet DHA:
"My goal is to play at Hamburg and eventually join a club in England or Spain in the future."
Over the weekend, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger appeared to rule out a move for Calhanoglu:
"No, there are agents who take care of these names and have good relationships with many media. The name [Halcanoglu] is out there, but there is no truth to it."
This would seemingly leave the way clear for Liverpool to make a move, but is it a good idea? Calhanoglu is inexperienced and untested outside Germany, but his creative output is creditable for a 19-year old:
* 2012-13: 14 goals in 31 apps for Karlsruhe
* 2013-14: 5 goals/4 assists in 23 apps (so far)
Hamburg have allegedly slapped a £15m price tag on Calhanoglu's head, which is clearly ridiculous, and it's highly unlikely Liverpool would pay even a third of that price for an untested teenager.
The Reds need impact players in January, and that means older, more experienced additions to the squad. For a fair price, though, would Calhanoglou be worth a punt? He's 20 in February, and Reds boss Brendan Rodgers has proven in the past that he'll spend money on similarly-aged attacking players (Alberto, Coutinho etc)
Author: Jaimie K
Shouldn't pay more then we paid for Alberto.
ReplyDeleteShouldn't pay anything at all...pass on him. You can tell January is close when every 'new (tour hero here)' has a highlight reel floating around the web.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't say we wouldn't pay one third of that on an unproven player after paying half of that for Alberto. Not sure about this though. I wish we'll use our current league position to go in for the real cream of every country like Draxler. I'm fine with buying the young and talented but there are some at established clubs who would have more of a direct impact. Maybe try for DeBruyne on loan in stead and save our cash for the summer.
ReplyDeleteI know this player. I can see how these days he can get to 12m. We have to get him, he will be the best.
ReplyDeletehe got an assist vs spurs, I might be wrong but I think he has 2 or maybe even 3 assists from the bench so far, which isn't bad at all. really think rodgers needs to give him a game. maybe against Cardiff? who knows
ReplyDeleteNow, De Bruyne can come instead, but no loan fu** it. Only buy. Hakan though has pure quality in him. for m it's hard to say him or De Bruyne. But realistically do we have a chance with getting De Bruyne?
ReplyDeleteI don't see it as a risk as such. with gerrard and sturridge being injure i think alberto could work anywhere in attacking midfield. leave sterling right wing, and have coutinho or alberto in either AMC or AML. henderson can play side by side with allen.
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing wrong with little bits of rotation and players that are bought need to be intergrated into the squad at somepoint and given chances otherwise you've just wasted money.
I'd also like to see Aspas given another go because I think he is a good player. He's been heavily criticized yet he's had little time to adapt. Imagine if saurez was injured or banned for some reason while sturridge is still out. we then have to put aspas in as the striker and hows he going to do if he isn't played at all up until that moment.
I think one change isn't a massive risk and as we're at home to cardiff I think that would be an opportune time to test players, it doesn't even have to be a full game, maybe just one half.
Volland from Hoffenheim Germany looks a better prospect scores regularly and cheaper too and helps the clubs lack of width.
ReplyDeleteDont see them spending big on another CAM Suso will be back and Coutinho is a fine player.
You may be right that Alberto is being saved for FA football...but it would be a mistake to start him cold there. He should get some playing time with Suarez and Coutinho before FA football starts. Same with Aspas if it is BR's intention to use him to spell Suarez in FA Cup games.
ReplyDeleteThing is I'd quite like to have a decent FA cup run. It's not as important as the the league of course but it's nice as a supporter. I just feel if something similar happened like when we drew Man United in the league cup the idea of saving them for the FA cup goes out of the window. Our home form is good enough I think atm to make one or two changes especially against teams like cardiff. If we were away to cardiff it would be a different matter entirely.
ReplyDeleteAll I'm really trying to say is that I'd hate to see good talent sit on the bench and stagnate.
I wouldn't buy DeBruyne now if only to make him more hungry. Here's a player who wants to play at the world cup so he needs to be playing regular football. However, coming to us on loan also presents him with a challenge to earn a contract at Anfield. That gives him options and negotiation power towards Chelski and Mourinho. He uses us, we use him and if we can work it out and if he works for us we can buy him in the summer. Buying him outright now would give Chelsea funds to spend, would make him comfortable at a new club and would put all the risk with us. The way I see it, if we can players with something to prove on loan in January, we should do it. It worked with Sturridge and Coutinho.
ReplyDeleteRogers doesn't play players to keep them happy, that's obvious. He plays them because they own their position in the hierarchy. It's not a problem as long as players understand it, and work to dislodge their competitors and earn their place in the team. So Alberto has some work to do to displace Henderson or Coutinho; injury inevitably will give him a chance at some point, he has to be ready to take it.
ReplyDeletenah i want that gu xhaka from mogledback or what ever their name is hes a swiss international that played for basle along with shakiri.
ReplyDeletei`ll luv to see salah and shaqiri wear d reds jersey in january
ReplyDeleteYes, pls. I rate him better than Salah. Besides his visions, he is a setpiece specialist. We only have SG and Suarez as our specialists. We need someone like him.
ReplyDeleteKarlsruhe played in the 3rd highest German league in 2012/2013. So don't get too excited ...
ReplyDeletebetter player in Germany Liverpool should be looking at. Julian Draxler @ schalke Max Mayer, Schalke Max Arnold Wolfsburg or klassen at Ajax
ReplyDelete