Liverpool are reportedly set to hold talks with Napoli at the end of the season to discuss the possibility of signing Swiss duo Gokhan Inler and Valon Behrami, both of whom are defensive-minded midfielders.
According to The Mirror today:
* Liverpool are planning a swap deal for the duo involving outgoing goalkeeper Pepe Reina.
* Transfer talks are scheduled for the end of this season.
* Napoli value the Inler (29), and Behrami (28) at a combined £15m.
Reina is reportedly valued at £6.5m by the Reds, so if this deal goes through, Liverpool could conceivably get both players for around £9m, which would be great business for two massively experienced international players.
Inler has been linked with Liverpool several times in the past:
* 2009: Rafa Benitez considered signing the Swiss star as a replacement for Xabi Alonso, but according to reports at the time, the £18m fee for his services proved to be a deal-breaker.
* 2010: Roy Hodgson pursued the midfielder as a replacement for Javier Mascherano, a move that would've made sense considering the former Reds boss worked with Inler during his time managing the Switzerland national team.
* 2013: Dino Lamberti - Inler's Agent - confirmed that Liverpool tried to sign Inler. He told TMW: "Liverpool wanted to sign him [Inler] as part of the Napoli deal for Dossena. I do not know if the offer was his [Benitez's] idea or the other manager's [Hodgson], but the deal didn't go through because of the transfer fee"
Switzerland boss Ottmar Hitzfeld is a huge fan of Behrami, and in October 2013, he raved:
“Valon is a world-class player. I can’t imagine our team without him. He wins an incredible number of duels, is very secure with the ball and very fast. He managed to play with very few fouls, which is an indication for his high class playing level.”
If the Reds pull off this double-swoop, then surely it will be game over for either Lucas or Joe Allen? Even with Champions League football, it's doubtful the squad can support Gerrard, Henderson, Allen, Lucas, Behrami, Inler, and Coutinho (when he plays centrally).
In any event, I can't see Liverpool signing both players. One or the other, perhaps, but not both. Of the two, who is more suited to LFC...?
Author: Jaimie K
According to The Mirror today:
* Liverpool are planning a swap deal for the duo involving outgoing goalkeeper Pepe Reina.
* Transfer talks are scheduled for the end of this season.
* Napoli value the Inler (29), and Behrami (28) at a combined £15m.
Reina is reportedly valued at £6.5m by the Reds, so if this deal goes through, Liverpool could conceivably get both players for around £9m, which would be great business for two massively experienced international players.
Inler has been linked with Liverpool several times in the past:
* 2009: Rafa Benitez considered signing the Swiss star as a replacement for Xabi Alonso, but according to reports at the time, the £18m fee for his services proved to be a deal-breaker.
* 2010: Roy Hodgson pursued the midfielder as a replacement for Javier Mascherano, a move that would've made sense considering the former Reds boss worked with Inler during his time managing the Switzerland national team.
* 2013: Dino Lamberti - Inler's Agent - confirmed that Liverpool tried to sign Inler. He told TMW: "Liverpool wanted to sign him [Inler] as part of the Napoli deal for Dossena. I do not know if the offer was his [Benitez's] idea or the other manager's [Hodgson], but the deal didn't go through because of the transfer fee"
Switzerland boss Ottmar Hitzfeld is a huge fan of Behrami, and in October 2013, he raved:
“Valon is a world-class player. I can’t imagine our team without him. He wins an incredible number of duels, is very secure with the ball and very fast. He managed to play with very few fouls, which is an indication for his high class playing level.”
If the Reds pull off this double-swoop, then surely it will be game over for either Lucas or Joe Allen? Even with Champions League football, it's doubtful the squad can support Gerrard, Henderson, Allen, Lucas, Behrami, Inler, and Coutinho (when he plays centrally).
In any event, I can't see Liverpool signing both players. One or the other, perhaps, but not both. Of the two, who is more suited to LFC...?
Author: Jaimie K
Neither thank you. Lucas will get back to his best by next season so why spend money on squad players. We need to be turning our current first team players into squad players not buying another dozen cheap players that'll hardly play.
ReplyDeleteDon't think we'll get 28/29 year old signings. Maybe just Ashley Cole as the 1 experienced signing. Even Lucas is going to find it hard to break into the Gerrard / Allen / Henderson / Coutinho circle.
ReplyDeleteBob, you obviously do not know how mediocre Lucas truly is until Liverpool signs a proper DM in his place.
ReplyDeleteWhen he was managing Switzerland in 1995?
ReplyDeletei would love to see fernando reges or william carvalho or lars bender....no more squad players required for us next season
ReplyDeleteI just wonder what some journalists are on to come up with rumours like these.
ReplyDeleteBehrami failed at West Ham. Why on planet Earth would Rodgers be interested in signing a player that clearly is not good enough for Liverpool.
dont think King Luis will be happy to see us signing second rate players. we need to improve the squad. right now our team is lacking a quality LW, LB, back-up forward and 2 midfielders, one AM and one holding Midfielder.
ReplyDeleteLB - Ashley Cole would be fantastic cover, and on a Free Agent i dont see why not. Flannagan has been exceptional at full-back and has the eye for the killer pass, something which BR is trying to develop in the players. our team is very english right now and adding Cole would be another boost to our squad. FREE
CM- Adam Lallana has been absolute quality for Southampton, and i think at Liverpool he would be absolute world class. 10 goals/9 assists from 37 games is excellent for a PL midfielder. he has enhanced the reputation of Southampton, and we need players technically gifted like him. his price would probably be between the £15-20M boundry but hes turning 26 soon and will be in his prime years for LFC. i would swap allen all day long for Lallana, and if he could be involved in the deal, great, if not LFC should pay the fee for a top performing PL and International player. £18M
AM- Roberto Firmino has been the standout performer of all the leagues in terms of upcoming talent. last season it was Henrik Mkhtiryan, this year its Firmino. 20 goals/15 assists in 31 games is amazing. not to mention he is 22, playing for one of the lower teams in one of the top leagues in world football, and a midfielder. i think with Lallana and Firmino we have got our desired midfield goalscorers who will also provide assists for our strike force. Firmino will be a world beater in a few years and hes already displaying potential beyond his young years. £18M.
ST- Loic Remy, although he is very much a 1st team striker and we need a back-up striker, the fact Remy is up for sale for £8M is just too good to be true and we need to snap him up. Sturridge and Suarez are our 1st choice but playing in the CL next year, PL, Fa Cup and League Cup, there will be times when Sturridge is tired or even Suarez and having an immediate replacement who can score goals is vital to our tilte push next season and CL quest. hes proven himself in the CL, PL and French Ligue 1. and he also has crucial attributes and like strikers instinct and lightnening pace. these will suit BR style football perfectly. £8M
total: £44M
sell Aspas for £8M, Borini for £10M, Assaidi for £5M, Reina for £5M, that gives us £28M. if we added Allen to the list it would be £38M.
going into next season with this squad
-------------------------------Mingolet
Johnson----------Skrtel--------------Agger-------Flanagan
---------------------------------Gerrard
----------Firmino/Coutinho-------------Lallana/Hendo
-------Sterling/Remy------------------------------Suarez
-----------------------------Sturridge/Remy
and then the squad can be re-assessed at January.
YNWA
Firminho recently signed a new contract, and is out of bounds. I'm pretty sure Lallana will cost more than that purely because he's English. I'd be happy with Remy and although I don't like Cashley, he'd be a decent signing.
ReplyDeleteFirmino only signed a new contract for 2 extra years. Hoffenheim are a selling club and that was purely to get a bigger fee. if someone came through with £18M i think they would accept as it represents a massive profit of £16M on there behalf. Lallan a might cost more, but it should not be more than £25M at max. if thats the case i would still go through with it, although there are plenty £25M midfielders for us to buy, but not english with PL experience. if we happened to part ways with Kolo Toure as well, signing Dejan Lovren would be a good signing also
ReplyDeleteDo you think Southampton are just going to get rid of their players that easy? They are a club on the up.
ReplyDeleteLallana is a very good player but anything over 20 million would be overpaying for him. They will not accept anything less than 25 million. When a bidding war breaks out for him then the price will rocket over 30 million. In that case they can keep him.
Toure's contract runs to 2015 so doubt we will be getting rid of him with one year left.
The upcoming Summer transfer window has become too unpredictable. A lot of players this season have proven their worth. To illustrate, we may no longer need a fullback because Flanagan has done well and Kelly and Wisdom should return and improve, Agger has regained his place in the team and Sterling has proved he is a consistent first team player whereas 6 months ago most of us would have liked a senior signing to come in and directly replace him for a bigger impact. In addition, Gerrard occupies DM now, so Lucas and Allen on the bench boosts the squad in terms of depth, and Henderson is now one of the best midfielders in the league.
ReplyDeleteYes, Lallana is better than Allen in most aspects but Lallana will be overpriced. You've also quoted 10M for Allen and 8M for Aspas and IMO no club is going to pay that. There's no point in trying to directly replace Coutinho or Henderson. Under Rodgers, Shelvey, Allen and Sahin have all tried to replace Henderson and have failed.
The only thing I agree with is Remy, because of his record and price. He would be a better option than Borini and Aspas to get the job done in the absence of SAS. Having said that, I'd like Borini and Suso especially, to return to the club. I just think that things are way too unpredictable this time around and not as definitive as you often make them out to be, but it's some good thinking nonetheless.
I don't understand some pundits. That Venezuelan dude on ESPN press pass said that we can't try to just simply out-fire city, because city have defensively improved, and we are still defensively suspect to their awesome attack. Well, how the hell then, did Arsenal, with all their good players out, hold city to a 1-1 draw, while having one okay striker up front, and having a recently shambolic defensive line at the back? If a downward spiralling Arsenal can do that at their home ground, then a bloody on-fire Liverpool at home are perfectly capable of beating Citeh.
ReplyDeleteI see people are jumping back on the Lucas is crap bandwagon.
ReplyDeleteLucas is a good solid player. There are not many in the premiership that can do his job better then him.
My only issue I have with Lucas is that I believe he is as good as he is ever going to get.
Even if we get another Def Mid player in, I would still keep Lucas as you can not challenge on multiple fronts without cover.
Lallana is on of those few players I would get, even if he cost £25mil.
ReplyDeleteHe is young, technically very good, hard working, inventive, not scared of taking players on, has an eye for a goal, is used to playing in an attacking team and whilst some say he is not proven in the Prem as this will be his first season, he will not need time to get used to like any other foreign player.
Why not have Shaw too whilst Soto are giving their best players away. They have no need or desire to sell those players unfortunately.
ReplyDeleteYou mention all good players apart from Johnson. Really? Why on earth would we want him?
Don't get me wrong, I'd sign him, but not for 25M because the position is (arguably) not a priority for the club. It's not even a potential Gerrard replacement as he occupies such a deep role now. 25M for a player with no guarantee that he will push Coutinho or Henderson onto the bench, it's hard to say that's worth it.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, totally agree about Lucas.
I like Lucas because he has a specific role in the team and everybody knows that if it was anyone else other than Gerrard occupying his position he would be straight back into the 11.
ReplyDeleteIt's inevitable that he will be sold but we should keep him for the next few years, at least.
If Spurs played Sandro who has a similar defensive mindset to Lucas I'm sure they would have had a much better chance against us.
Mediocre. He is a Brazilian international and until his most recent injury was almost a sure thing starting for Brazil. His job for both teams isn't to score nor create goals, its to take angles from his opponents, make hard tackles, quick outlets for both defense and midfield to reestablish and start attacks. All of which he performs admirably and is recognized for what he does not by just one but SEVERAL coaches that get paid MILLIONS to make these decisions because people like you and I are deemed to not no enough or have enough experience to do so.
ReplyDeleteSouthampton are pretty rich too, He'd have to force a move to come to us.
ReplyDeleteFernandinho, Sandro,Paulinho, Fernando Reges are all better than Lucas and are Brazilian. Even David Luiz is better, Ramires as well. Lucas is nothing more than mediocre. Stevie has surpassed him in the last 3 months. The difference in class was evident when he replaced Stevie against Spurs, our attack became slow because he always took one or two more touches before passing while Stevie makes one touch passes that make us tick and get us out of trouble. No Lucas please.
ReplyDeleteSouthampton are in a bit of trouble financially. We could take Schneiderlin or Ward Prowse from there. Shaw wouldn't be attainable and Lallana,Rodriguez have hit their ceiling I think.
ReplyDeleteFair enough, there are greater individuals than Lucas but that specified role he plays is appreciated and has been beneficial to the team.
ReplyDeleteJust because Lucas isn't your typical overrated Brazilian doesn't mean he isn't worth something. Lucas is a far more accomplished player than Sando and Paulinho is abhorrently overrated.
Lucas has been key in the past and has an important role to play in the future.
Inler is pretty good, and Behrami is decent.
ReplyDeleteBut if we want to swap players for Reina with Napoli, maybe go for Hamsik or Zuñiga. Hamsik has had a bit of a dip this season, and Zuñigo must be injured for now - but 2 top quality players. Thing with Benitez and his rotation of the squad is that it might unsettle some players - make them unhappy with less playing time. Hamsik for instance said he would never leave Napoli, that might change under Benitez.
Other than that, Inler is definitely worth a shout.
Sounds like paper talk, some journo dreaming up some players that Liverpool could bargain for. Doesn't match our transfer profile at all and we've already got Lucas and Allen committed the cause.Do either of these players make us better in the long term?
ReplyDeleteI cannot see how Sandro would have changed anything. We were over Spurs like a rash from start to finish. Their high defensive line was exposed time and time again and the game was over after the second minute.
ReplyDeleteShaw(18) would cost £25m and upwards, where as B Davies (20) of Swansea would cost 1/3 of that and is two years older.
ReplyDeleteN Clyne(23) Of Southampton is behind Chambers in the side and i am sure when we get in Champions league this season alot of players will be jumping to jump on the revival of our great club/ team.
I really think that if we buy a CM, we should buy Lallana.
ReplyDeleteHe wont be desperate to leave Southampton, but given the fact we're a nice (probably) Champions League showcase for English players, I think he could be persuaded. I think he could play in Hendo's position, in Coutinho's position and wide in certain formations.
I also think having a British core tends to help squad cohesion and togetherness. Not saying we should go full Dalglish, but we don't want to do what Tottenham or even Swansea have done and ship out a lot of the British players and bring in foreign players en masse.
I'm not a big flag bearer for England either, but I just think this can be important from a practical perspective. Most of the best teams in England in recent years have had a strong British presence. United's British core speaks for itself. Chelsea had Terry, Lampard, Joe Cole, Ashley Cole and a few others. City have had Milner, Hart, Richards, Barry and Lescott all contributing at different times.
I don't think this is likely, as both players are too old for the profile FSG looks for. Maybe a swap deal for one of them could be a possibility, and if so I hope it's Inler, who is really good. I haven't watched Behrami too much recently but I saw him turn out plenty for Lazio and West Ham and a few times at Fiorentina and was never impressed at all, I think he would be an absolute waste considering what we already have at our disposal. As someone mentioned below, Hamsik is the one we should we for if we look for any swap with Napoli. That dude is scarier than Skrtel and can play.
ReplyDeleteI thought chambers was behind Clyne but got a good run in the team due to injury? In fairness Clyne may be available due to how good Chambers looks but I doubt very much they will let Lalana go for anything less than stupid money.
ReplyDeleteYou accept that they are better individuals then go on saying that they are "abhorrently overrated"!! How does that work mate?
ReplyDeleteLucas has lost his place to a 34 year old SG and that says a lot about him. Look at our midfield without Lucas, rarely gets overrun. Look at the first half of our season when we got overrun in midfield quite often. What changed in the post december? Lucas out!
Don't think there's any truth in this whatsoever. When we were interested in inler a few years ago I thought he'd be a good signing but not now he's 29. Straight swap him and Reina maybe but no cash
ReplyDelete