Liverpool seem to be ramping up their interest in MK Dons youngster Dele Alli. Brendan Rodgers recently made a personal scouting trip to watch Alli play, and the Reds boss also sent the club's chief scout to run the rule over the promising midfielder.
In the first week of January, The Mirror reported that:
* Liverpool are 'closing in' on signing 17 year old Alli.
* Brendan Rodgers made a personal check on the youngster during the League One side’s FA Cup draw at Wigan on Saturday.
According to the Daily Mail this week:
"Liverpool chief scout Barry Hunter watched him [Alli] in action at the weekend. [Rodgers] instructed his colleague to run-the-rule over the 17-year-old who scored in the 3-2 victory over Shrewsbury Town".
Dons boss Karl Robinson admitted that he'd spoken with Rodgers about some of the club's rising stars:
“I know Brendan quite well and we speak about different players all the time. He was at the game today, but you’ve seen Dele and he’s special. He did bits of magic [and] I’m very proud of his development.”
Some info about Alli:
* 6'2
* 2 goals/2 assists in 17 apps for MK Dons so far.
* Made his debut at age 16 in 2012.
* 9 apps for the England U17 side.
* Top scorer for the U18s last season with 17-goals.
* Signed a three-year professional deal in the summer of 2013.
* Personal motto: "Don't practise until you get it right. Practise until you cant get it wrong".
Alli is very highly thought-of at MK Dons, and in September, Robinson insisted that he is 'one of the best young players in England, and claimed that he is 'worth millions'. He told the Milton Keynes Citizen:
“I’ve seen him do things in training that I’ve never seen before. I’ve seen nothing like Dele before. The kid will be one of the best. He’s on another planet compared to some other players.”
Like Rodgers, Robinson seems prone to effusive, overwrought praise, and he regularly heaps exaggerated praise on the 17-year old. It may be genuine, or he may be trying to raise his eventual transfer fee, which given the fact Alli is English, will probably be massively inflated anyway.
Newcastle United are also reportedly weighing up a bid for Alli, and like Liverpool, they sent scouts to watch the player in action.
Liverpool are bursting at the seams with young talent, and the arrival of yet another teenager seems, to me, like overkill. However, Alli seems to have great pedigree, and the club lacks - even in the youth ranks - big, tall, combative midfield players, so he would bring something different to the table.
Author: Jaimie K
In the first week of January, The Mirror reported that:
* Liverpool are 'closing in' on signing 17 year old Alli.
* Brendan Rodgers made a personal check on the youngster during the League One side’s FA Cup draw at Wigan on Saturday.
According to the Daily Mail this week:
"Liverpool chief scout Barry Hunter watched him [Alli] in action at the weekend. [Rodgers] instructed his colleague to run-the-rule over the 17-year-old who scored in the 3-2 victory over Shrewsbury Town".
Dons boss Karl Robinson admitted that he'd spoken with Rodgers about some of the club's rising stars:
“I know Brendan quite well and we speak about different players all the time. He was at the game today, but you’ve seen Dele and he’s special. He did bits of magic [and] I’m very proud of his development.”
Some info about Alli:
* 6'2
* 2 goals/2 assists in 17 apps for MK Dons so far.
* Made his debut at age 16 in 2012.
* 9 apps for the England U17 side.
* Top scorer for the U18s last season with 17-goals.
* Signed a three-year professional deal in the summer of 2013.
* Personal motto: "Don't practise until you get it right. Practise until you cant get it wrong".
Alli is very highly thought-of at MK Dons, and in September, Robinson insisted that he is 'one of the best young players in England, and claimed that he is 'worth millions'. He told the Milton Keynes Citizen:
“I’ve seen him do things in training that I’ve never seen before. I’ve seen nothing like Dele before. The kid will be one of the best. He’s on another planet compared to some other players.”
Like Rodgers, Robinson seems prone to effusive, overwrought praise, and he regularly heaps exaggerated praise on the 17-year old. It may be genuine, or he may be trying to raise his eventual transfer fee, which given the fact Alli is English, will probably be massively inflated anyway.
Newcastle United are also reportedly weighing up a bid for Alli, and like Liverpool, they sent scouts to watch the player in action.
Liverpool are bursting at the seams with young talent, and the arrival of yet another teenager seems, to me, like overkill. However, Alli seems to have great pedigree, and the club lacks - even in the youth ranks - big, tall, combative midfield players, so he would bring something different to the table.
Author: Jaimie K
About time he got players for the first team NOW, is this another 'moneyball' signing.
ReplyDeleteWe have plenty coming through for the future, plenty!!!...................how about 2 players for today???.
ReplyDeleteTo hell with moneyball..
ReplyDeleteNow I am almost certain, we 'll not buy anyone on Jan. I don't think FSG is going to insert any further money. With this current squad, if we qualify for CL, FSG 'll invest part of the additional earnings; if we don't FSG 'll invest part of the Suarez sale money (He 'll leave surely).
ReplyDeleteIt's not a bad strategy actually & from a business point of view, any sensible businessman 'll do similar, unless he has the abundance of Oil or mafia money. Actually, this make me sad thinking the huge amount wasted for garbage British players during KK era. Football ignorant Yanks came with certain investment calculations for a certain period, with good wills & quickly released major part of their plan, only to be robbed then by incompetent management. Now they have tighten the screw.
There had been so many rumors, but I feel, if we go for just 2 more purchase - Ma 'Villa & Salah, we 'll certainly finish among top 4 & that's worth additional 50mn earnings. Just if somehow FSG could manage another 23-25mn?
Why havent we made an offer for Matta, Chelsea are looking to get rid of him, at least try, if not then Cabaye.
ReplyDeleteWe are playing well but we need a couple more good midfeilders shit ill even take Arda Turan along with MVilla.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with buying players for the future. I'm sure we would all like to see the kinds of players walk through our doors that Arsenal have. But without losing them. But this should not affect what we are trying to do right now to improve the team right now. The two should be unconnected for the most part.
ReplyDeleteYou'll "even take Arda along with MVilla"? How magnanimous. Wouldn't life be great if making signings was as easy as you put it. It's not though.
ReplyDeleteInvesting in young players can be quite profitable.
ReplyDeleteThat is why we have the English Premier League Fantasy Football game :-)
ReplyDeleteClearly real football transfer just ain't that easy...
I am wondering how much of this scouting around the lower English leagues is driven by the quota of British born players required in the squad. Does anyone have knowledge of how close we are to being out of quota?
ReplyDeleteUsually when I see these stories it's followed by a shake of the head. We do have a lot of young promise on our books, 80% of whom will never put on the jersey, or at least not straight from the academy. We are crying ou for established players.
ReplyDeleteHowever I have seen this kid a few times and he does look like the real deal. I'm sure lot of "young talent" are signed with their potential sell-on value in mind, not their potential to make the first team, its the nature of the modern game, but every so often talent will force its way out into the first team dressing room, and i think Dele Alli has the qualities to do this.
He is playing on and off in a tough league for a good team (at that level) and at his age thats not easy. I would like to see us land him and will watch his progress with interest if we do.
But lets focus on the BIG issue and sign an established DM and an AM if possible (though it sounds like Gerrard is now our new dedicated DM)
Exactly, one can be independent of the other and if we dont sign players in this window it's not down to us recruiting young talent, its simply because there's nobody available out there, or there's no substantial money available.
ReplyDelete"Almost Certain", that says it all, end of story.
ReplyDeleteNo but making a bid is, not like all this bullshit we read about, like LFC are looking at him and him and they have sent scouts to watch him.
ReplyDeleteSeriously BR knows who he wants so ask for the money and make a genuine bid and if theres no money then stop then stop all the bullshit rumours and say so.
So yes it is quite simply really if funds available, how much, identify where to spend it (should know by now) and make a real offer.
Next time read it mate, i said make an offer how difficult is that once he knows if he has funds which im pretty sure this would have been discussed earlier, then make an offer.
ReplyDelete