Liverpool defender Tiago Ilori seems to be having quite an impact on loan at Granada, and the Spanish club's Sporting Director is so impressed with the Portuguese's performances that he's hinted at a permanent move in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Ilori has made only two appearances since his loan spell, but that is seemingly enough to convince sporting director Juan Carlos Cordero that a permanent deal is a good idea.
Speaking to reporters yesterday, Cordero hailed Ilori as a 'calm' defender with 'pace', who 'moves the ball well', adding:
"He has come in and fitted into the team very quickly. When the end of the summer comes we'll see if he is wanted by the Liverpool first team or if they want to sell"
Ilori signed for LFC on September 2nd 2013, and it would certainly be a a bit of shock if a £7m player ended up leaving the club without ever making a first team start.
In my view, if Granada match or increase on the £7m Liverpool paid for the defender last summer, the club should do the deal. Signing Ilori was clearly a mistake, for the following reasons:
* LFC already had four senior central defenders on the books, so it was obvious he wouldn't get any game time.
* * Competition in the squad is a good thing, but fighting against FOUR established centre-backs is unhealthy competition.
* Did Liverpool really need to buy Ilori over the summer? Was it an essential purchase? No. Like Luis Alberto, it was £7m down the pan for absolutely no discernible benefit to LFC.
Of course, there's always the possibility that one or more of LFC's central defenders could leave this summer. Daniel Agger could leave, but if that happens, I can't see Rodgers putting all his trust in Ilori, who has zero Premier League experience.
Rodgers will go out and buy another experienced, top-class central defender to replace Agger, and the unhealthy competition situation will arise all over again.
Additionally, if the opportunity arises, it's possible that Ilori will want to move. Thus far, his Anfield experience is disappointing to say that least, and if he's getting regular game-time in La Liga, that may sway things for him.
Ultimately, if LFC sell or loan-out Ilori again, it will just further underline the ineffectiveness of Rodgers' performance in last summer's transfer market.
Author: Jaimie K
Ilori has made only two appearances since his loan spell, but that is seemingly enough to convince sporting director Juan Carlos Cordero that a permanent deal is a good idea.
Speaking to reporters yesterday, Cordero hailed Ilori as a 'calm' defender with 'pace', who 'moves the ball well', adding:
"He has come in and fitted into the team very quickly. When the end of the summer comes we'll see if he is wanted by the Liverpool first team or if they want to sell"
Ilori signed for LFC on September 2nd 2013, and it would certainly be a a bit of shock if a £7m player ended up leaving the club without ever making a first team start.
In my view, if Granada match or increase on the £7m Liverpool paid for the defender last summer, the club should do the deal. Signing Ilori was clearly a mistake, for the following reasons:
* LFC already had four senior central defenders on the books, so it was obvious he wouldn't get any game time.
* * Competition in the squad is a good thing, but fighting against FOUR established centre-backs is unhealthy competition.
* Did Liverpool really need to buy Ilori over the summer? Was it an essential purchase? No. Like Luis Alberto, it was £7m down the pan for absolutely no discernible benefit to LFC.
Of course, there's always the possibility that one or more of LFC's central defenders could leave this summer. Daniel Agger could leave, but if that happens, I can't see Rodgers putting all his trust in Ilori, who has zero Premier League experience.
Rodgers will go out and buy another experienced, top-class central defender to replace Agger, and the unhealthy competition situation will arise all over again.
Additionally, if the opportunity arises, it's possible that Ilori will want to move. Thus far, his Anfield experience is disappointing to say that least, and if he's getting regular game-time in La Liga, that may sway things for him.
Ultimately, if LFC sell or loan-out Ilori again, it will just further underline the ineffectiveness of Rodgers' performance in last summer's transfer market.
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Author: Jaimie K
No chance of him being sold as he is potentially exceptional, he has everything including electric pace!!!......................he is a Liverpool class player all day long!!
ReplyDeleteNo chance are they selling. Another year on loan and then replace Kolo would be ideal though..
ReplyDeleteI think the team are performing better/at a higher level than perhaps BR would have expected at the beginning of the season and he may have thought to provide the summer recruits with more opportunities. However seeing that we're in the mix at this late stage of the season he's not prepared to take the risk. Next season with more competitions there will need to be some changes. I don't know that Toure will play much, nor Sicknote, which means Llori will no doubt get some more experience along with Coates (sicknote II if he's still there).
ReplyDeleteno no no no no there is no chance selling him he can be pure class is few seasons and next season he can fill the void of injured players
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid I must disagree. I think they are more likely to sell Toure or Skrtel and bring LIori back. He also seems very versatile, which is a trait Rodgers clearly appreciates.
ReplyDeleteSilly to suggest selling Ilori. Obviously Liverpool won't be loaning any more players to Granada with the sporting director making comments that are inappropriate. Ilori is our player who was deemed not yet ready for a top team in the Premiership so was loaned out to get game time. He is skillful and fast so may make a great right back or replace one of our four centre backs next season. Alberto is also a great talent who hasn't yet got a fair chance and I'm confident he will prove to be a very astute buy.
ReplyDeleteWhy would we want to sell Ilori?
ReplyDeleteToure's contract ends next season. One of Skrtel or Agger will be moved on so there was nothing wrong with securing the signiture of a very talented and highly rated young CB for pennies who will be lining up next to Sakho in the near furture...
Toure has a year left on his contract, he will play next to no part after this season. Agger is injury prone and both him and Skrtel are approaching 30.
ReplyDeleteIlori has done well in a very short time at Granada, Sakho and Ilori will most likely be out future CB pairing. If Kelly can get fit I'd love to see him back at RB with Flanagan as cover (I know Flanagan has been playing well but I've always considered Kelly the better player). Left back is a position that troubles me, I would play Enrique when fit certainly but long term Robinson hasn't looked good enough on loan.
I think for the first time in a long time we are buying players with the anticipation that our current first team players will either get too old, be injured etc. Previously we have just waiting until the last minute to replace our players. (Eg. Carroll and Suarez for Torres, Aquilani for Alonso)
Granada don't have the money for a permanent move despite what the director says. If you aren't Barcelona or have the suffix 'Madrid' then it is likely the economic situation of you club in la liga is not the greatest.
Agreed!!
ReplyDeleteIlori, Suso, Borini, Assaidi, McLaughlin, Robinson, Ibe, Coady, Ngoo................all on-loan now, should be good for all of them to get minutes on the pitch. Let's hope these lads fancy it next season in the CL?, what an incentive to do well this season!!!
ReplyDeleteWhy are we always assuming things??? Transfer shock??
ReplyDeleteGranada may well want him but there definately is no "Set to leave" here. He's on loan to get some game time.
ReplyDeleteIf he is as good as say... Skrtel in all areas of his game..plus his pace. Then we should hold onto him 100%. The only thing is his strength. He's very slim. Would he be strong enough? Maybe get him into the gym a bit like Sterling has...not too much though cause that pace could be so useful.
ReplyDeleteHe has to write in this manner, otherwise he'll be watching paint dry. JK likes making a mountain out of a mole hill. But he'll say its his opinion..yadda yadda. But his claims have no gravitas and are just assumptions (a true trait of a journo).
ReplyDeletePay £7 m for a young up and coming player, loan him and watch him develop in 2 seasons to a £15 m player...seems like good business to me
ReplyDeleteIf Granada put in an offer of 20mil ,yes sell....if not next season , wth more games in hand (champ league/ PL/ LC/FA) ..he can get xp playing giving 1st team a chance to rest ;) YNWA
ReplyDeleteAgain this is a purchase for the long term.
ReplyDelete1 Getting game time today isn't important it the future that counts.
2 Competition is a healthy. With Agger and Sako injured the club really only has two senior central defenders. Had we not signed Illori I would would said it was negligent.
.3 Yes his purchase was absolutely critical to the long term ambitious of the club. Once more a clear sign that the club is in good hands that a ambitious and planning for long term success.
.4 United have Jones, Small ing, Vidic, Evans, Ferdinand. That 5 central players. If we are planning for future we would do the same. So we could buy Illori for 7 million now or 20 million in a few years. Thus his purchase makes absolute sense.
Sell?!?!? Ilori is young and has huge potential... you dont sell him. We got him for a bargain at £7mm. I'd love to loan him to an English side next year... If not, sell Skrtel and keep him and Toure and let them alternate at RCB.. He should be ready to be the 1st choice RCB by the 2015-16 season..
ReplyDeleteGood player on the evidence so far, and looking forward to seeing him develop into a first team player over the next three or four seasons. Not sooner than that I don't think. He's certainly not ready for the premier league yet. He is still raw tactically, sometimes panicky, and his heading is poor, so poor actually that I'd be surprised if he was ever better than average in the air. But maybe a loan to a Premier League team next year would be good.
ReplyDeleteA nice theory, but this very rarely happens at LFC. Give me some examples of the club buying mid-priced young players and them developing to the extend they double their original fee. Raheem Sterling is the exception. Over the last 10 years, who else?
ReplyDeleteBut in the last 20 years have we really had a manager that has let youth players wean their way into a team. After Pongelle left he was sold at a higher price to Athleico, Alou Diarra the same, Insua, Mikel San Jose, Kakanilic, Tom Ince, hell even Gabriel Palette was almost sold for 10m quite recently.
ReplyDeleteAs much as I love Rafa, for giving me the chance to see my beloved team lift the Holy Grail in my life time (so far). He wasn't brave enough to bed in young talent, he thought of his reputation, so young promising players were dismissed, for experience. After Roy Evans left, academy player never really pushed on, as their was no faith in them.
BR give a lot of hope to these players, when he put 16 yr olds on the bench or gives the a quarter of an hour here and there. Because we haven't given them some opportunities in the past, we don't see the fiancial increase in value.
Jamie, are you mad, why would we sell a young player who is proving why BR was willing to pay £7m in the first place?
ReplyDeleteAgger is going and Ilori is his replacement. No way we going to sell him.
ReplyDeleteIllori is going to be a top player. BR said at the time he bought him that he is one for the future; that obviously hasn't changed, hence the reason he was sent on loan. He was not bought to offer competition to the other 4 centre halves. While he is miles better than Kolo Toure, BR wants to gradually ease him into the team but not before he gains experience at a top level. The young lad has loads of potential and will make some people look silly later on.
ReplyDeleteBR did say Illori cost nothing near the 7m being branded about - he would know, don't you think? Illori's purchase was a common sense thing and a no-brainer due to his undoubted qualities as a young, versatile player. He'll now develop into the top player most of us anticipate him to be in a couple of years.
ReplyDeleteI'd rather have a prospect for the future than 7m to spend on potentially worse players... whose deals might break down in the last hours... e.g konoplyanka, salah, etc.
ReplyDeleteWhen u look into it we have centre backs who are nearing the end of their career and potentially could be sold this summer. Look at what youth and speed and great man management has done for our attack, we need to continue doing more of the same in defence so selling a quick cb prospect thats getting praised by his loan club would be foolish.
no sense as skrtel ,agger,kolo in two years what's thier age.will have only kelly,ilori,sakho who are young one's.
ReplyDeleteSell him? No way. I see Skrtel taking him under his wing and Lori a'm choring
ReplyDeleteSure they can buy him. For 30 million they can. Seriously I don't know what's wrong with these managers from lower teams. If they have a half decent player he should cost more than Messi but when big clubs loan them a player they start unsettling them as soon as they play a half decent match. I was firmly against the signing of Ilori as well as Alberto and I still am but since they're here now, we should at least give them a chance to break into the first team. Not for them but to get a return on investment if we can.
ReplyDeleteBR has said in the past he is a player for the future. I'm sure when he said it he didn't intend for people to think 6months was the future he was talking about.
ReplyDeleteGive him a season or two and you can count toure and probably agger gone.
Typical logic that if they aren't dominating now they are useless. Patience
isn't Ilori on a 5 year contract at LFC? Seems a bit hasty to be judging him a failure already. he could become a first team regular in one or even two years from now and still repay that investment. why does he have to have an instant impact? Our CBs are not young and Toure will have maybe one more season in him. Rather than have to shop for an experienced player to replace him we will have Ilori ready to go, maybe with a couple of seasons of regular La Liga playing time under his belt. It seems like a good plan to me, I don't get why you think it's a problem.
ReplyDeleteI trust br knows what hes doing if we had it your.way we would have bent sissko and jelavic playin for us
ReplyDeleteThe red mass have spoken, Ilori is expected back!
ReplyDelete