13 Feb 2014

Great News: Agent confirms £25m Brazilian 'will play in the Prem'. Next stop LFC...?

Despite signing a new deal recently, defensive midfielder Fernando Francisco Reges - a transfer target for Liverpool - is still likely to leave Porto this summer, and his Agent has confirmed this week that more than one Premier League club is in the running for his signature.

In December, Portuguese newspaper A Bola claimed that Liverpool had 'made contact' with Fernando's Agent, and earlier this week, Portuguese newspaper Jornal Record claimed:

"Record knows that Fernando's Agent has maintained contact with Liverpool, who are preparing an offer for the end of the season"

When asked last night about a summer move to the Premier League, Fernando's Agent, Fabio Araujo, told RTP:

"Fernando will play in the Premier League. Manchester City are a strong candidate, but they are not alone in the race."

This clearly suggests that there are other teams competing for Fernando, and based on recent reports, Liverpool may be one of those teams.

Known as 'Polvo' (the Octopus) by Porto's fans, Fernando's contract new expires in June 2017, and contains a £25m buyout clause, though as I argued on Monday, this is clearly part of a strategy to ensure that Porto don't lose him on a Bosman this summer.

This type of player is clearly needed at Anfield - Lucas is increasingly injury prone; Joe Allen is not a dedicated DM, and Steven Gerrard can't go on forever. Rodgers might feel, however, that with Gerrard now in a deeper role, another dedicated defensive midfielder is not a priority, but in my view, that way of thinking is a mistake.

If Liverpool qualify for the Champions league (which seems a certainty at the moment), the club will need top quality players to share the extra workload, and Gerrard cannot play 50+ games a season.

At the age of 26, Fernando is approaching his prime, and with 12 major trophies to his name (including four league titles, and a Europa League triumph), the Brazilian is a winner. He may have a £25m buyout clause, but the Reds should be able to afford that after the Champions League cash-influx kicks in.

Yes, I'm talking like LFC have already qualified for the Champions League, but short of a catastrophic collapse, I can't see the Reds dropping out of the race now.



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11 comments:

  1. Mr. Kanwar, that quite a bold statement in the last paragraph. Lets hope you get it right...

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  2. City were close to signing him in January and apparently already have a deal in place for the summer window.

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  3. Seems like a good player even though i have not seen a lot of him : powerful/athletic, smart in his defensive intervention and technically at ease with the ball no wonder city is looking at him, exactly yhe type of player we need.

    From the pieces of interviews i've read he want to come back in the brazilian squand and unless he play regularly he won't, may be a chance for us to sign him.

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  4. Apparently City were in for him and a team mate of his in January, where I read this source from I cannot remember, if what I speak is true I can't see us competing with them financially in the summer

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  5. Short of a catastrophic collapse? We're only 3 points up on Spurs and still have Everton on our heels.


    I think we are the favorites to get 4th, but I wouldn't go so far as to say it will take much to drop to 5th or 6th.

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  6. Is anyone else getting a feeling of deja vu or have I asked that already?

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  7. It's funny how people always can imagine us dropping points but never the teams behind us or above us. We will win the league I tell you.

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  8. eric seriously if we do win the league, i will fly to you and i will buy a round of beer for you! i wouldn´t go so far to say we will win the league, i´m already afraid jinx it by saying we will get 4th this season! but your certainity makes me extremely happy! this is the best season in the premier league i´ve probably ever seen, and i just dont want it to end!

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  9. It's called a "hope for the best and expect the worst" mentality.


    And since the three teams ahead of us have all spent major money on bonafide players whether in the summer and/or winter windows, it's not a stretch to assume that we'd drop points before them.


    In my opinion, the there's the top two teams (Chelsea and Man City), and then teams 3 through 6 are relatively interchangeable this year.

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  10. 25m on a player Lucas keeps out of the Brazil team is never the answer.

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  11. If Man C are serious about him can't see us getting him.

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