In December, one of Liverpool's scouts flew in to watch Ivan Rakitic in action during Sevilla's 2-1 victory over Villareal, and with the Reds back in the Champions League next season, the Croatian star is exactly the type of player capable of taking LFC to the next level. Rakitic seems to be on the transfer wish-list of many Liverpool fans, and it appears that the coveted midfielder is definitely on his way out of Sevilla. Will he end up at Anfield, though?
Reports this week claim that:
* Liverpool, Man United, and Chelsea are all waiting in the wings to sign Rakitic.
* The 26-year old has a 'new stipulation in his contract' allowing him to leave for £25m, which is a £15m discount on his £40m buyout clause.
When asked this week about Rakitic's future, Davor Suker - the president of the Croatian football federation - insisted:
"I know where he [Rakitic] will be playing next season, but I can't say anything."
This suggests that a deal with another club is already be in place, but it could also mean that Rakitic is planning to sign a new deal at Sevilla.
In a recent interview, Rakitic provided an update on his plans for the future. He told Nogomia:
"A football player can never say with certainty that he will remain in his club. Such is the nature of our business. If there is no success, if there are no trophies, frustration grows. Everything has changed".
This doesn't sound like a happy player to me, and Rakitics's latest comments echo his views prior to the summer transfer window, when he told Sportske Novosti:
"The situation at Sevilla is not attractive. The club have asked me to say on. I told them that I want to see what they have done in terms of signings. We will see what happens in the summer."
Rakitic has already hinted in the past that he'd consider a move to Anfield. In an interview with 24 Sata last summer, he enthused:
"I'm flattered to be linked with a big club like Liverpool, and it fills me with pride. Something is developing, but at the moment there is nothing concrete."
Rakitic can play as a deep lying playmaker, attacking midfielder, and if needed, a defensive midfielder, and if Rodgers really is interested in the Croatian, then he'll bring quality and depth to the squad, and provide serious competition for Joe Allen, Jordan Henderson, and Steven Gerrard. Stats over the last couple of season are pretty impressive:
* 2012-13: 11 goals/10 assists in 42 apps.
* 2013-14: 13 goals/12 assists in 48 apps.
Rakitic is certainly well-regarded at his club. In November, Sevilla defender Daniel Carrico enthused:
"He is a different player with high quality. When you play with Rakitic you know that something good will come out of his feet. He's a leader, our captain, and he helps us a lot.”
I can't see FSG sanctioning £40m for one player, especially a central midfielder, but if the buyout clause comes down to £25m, then it's surely a no-brainer?
Of course, every top club in Europe will try and sign Rakitic, and given Liverpool's abject inability to pull-off big signings, I wouldn't hold out much hope of the Reds triumphing against the competition, even with Champions League football in place.
Author: Jaimie K
Reports this week claim that:
* Liverpool, Man United, and Chelsea are all waiting in the wings to sign Rakitic.
* The 26-year old has a 'new stipulation in his contract' allowing him to leave for £25m, which is a £15m discount on his £40m buyout clause.
When asked this week about Rakitic's future, Davor Suker - the president of the Croatian football federation - insisted:
"I know where he [Rakitic] will be playing next season, but I can't say anything."
This suggests that a deal with another club is already be in place, but it could also mean that Rakitic is planning to sign a new deal at Sevilla.
In a recent interview, Rakitic provided an update on his plans for the future. He told Nogomia:
"A football player can never say with certainty that he will remain in his club. Such is the nature of our business. If there is no success, if there are no trophies, frustration grows. Everything has changed".
This doesn't sound like a happy player to me, and Rakitics's latest comments echo his views prior to the summer transfer window, when he told Sportske Novosti:
"The situation at Sevilla is not attractive. The club have asked me to say on. I told them that I want to see what they have done in terms of signings. We will see what happens in the summer."
Rakitic has already hinted in the past that he'd consider a move to Anfield. In an interview with 24 Sata last summer, he enthused:
"I'm flattered to be linked with a big club like Liverpool, and it fills me with pride. Something is developing, but at the moment there is nothing concrete."
Rakitic can play as a deep lying playmaker, attacking midfielder, and if needed, a defensive midfielder, and if Rodgers really is interested in the Croatian, then he'll bring quality and depth to the squad, and provide serious competition for Joe Allen, Jordan Henderson, and Steven Gerrard. Stats over the last couple of season are pretty impressive:
* 2012-13: 11 goals/10 assists in 42 apps.
* 2013-14: 13 goals/12 assists in 48 apps.
Rakitic is certainly well-regarded at his club. In November, Sevilla defender Daniel Carrico enthused:
"He is a different player with high quality. When you play with Rakitic you know that something good will come out of his feet. He's a leader, our captain, and he helps us a lot.”
I can't see FSG sanctioning £40m for one player, especially a central midfielder, but if the buyout clause comes down to £25m, then it's surely a no-brainer?
Of course, every top club in Europe will try and sign Rakitic, and given Liverpool's abject inability to pull-off big signings, I wouldn't hold out much hope of the Reds triumphing against the competition, even with Champions League football in place.
Author: Jaimie K
Get him...isn't he in his last year of contract? ??
ReplyDeleteThis is a BR player. He's smart, has leadership ability, can play a variety of positions when called upon and appears durable. What's to decide? Just get him.
ReplyDeleteWell looks like we are getting Lambert, good decent pro but really hope this deal is a sweetner to get lallana or we have a big signing like rakatic/pedro coming in. We def need a couple of statement signings, prob be after the world cup before we see any big deals.
ReplyDeleteTrouble is as much as I applaud our principles of sticking to a strict valuation limit, when players like this become available we could easily be blown out the water by likes of bayern/barca/real madrid, We need signings like this to show other teams in europe that we are back in the big time.
ReplyDeleteIt is his inconsistency that makes him a problem. Which GJ shows up on match day?
ReplyDeleteI read 4M...still...why this guy? There are better options. Please don't tell me 32 year old Rickie Lambert is a better option than 24 year old Jordan Rhodes.
ReplyDeleteReally like him, but 30 mil is a definite deal killer and 25 mil makes me want to look at other options. 20 mil means I take a serious look but probably still go with Shaqiri. Besides if Pochettino wants him, then he'll get him. Maybe that means Eriksen becomes available?
ReplyDeleteThis is the one player I really wanted. I don't watch a lot of European football these days and even i picked him up on my radar.
ReplyDeleteYep, I'm well aware. I don't think it is likely we will outright replace him this summer though, so a younger player who can give him a kick up the arse might be the way to go, Maybe one of Flanno, Wisdom or Kelly could do it.
ReplyDeleteI'm not buying this speculation that we will pay over for Lambert to compensate for paying under for lallana. That's called fraud.
ReplyDeleteWhy is my comment waiting for approval? Is it because I used the word fraud?
ReplyDeleteActual great news about Suso from The Guardian: "The 20-year-old Spaniard spent last season on loan with the La Liga side Almería and has been offered to Sevilla on a similar basis."
ReplyDeleteThank the heavens!
Ricky Lambert??? Why sell Carroll? Torres will jump with the quickness
ReplyDeletePlease NO! £8-10million? I hope this is a smokescreen rather than a sweetener.
ReplyDeleteIf @ 25M we need to get up off our ASS and GET GOING. Other top tema like Chelsea are acting and we are just rumoring (not a real word). Get on with it, especially for this guy!!!!!!
ReplyDelete100% agree my friend...........should be dead obvious...........
ReplyDeleteWe should see Rickie Lambert signs for LFC before the arrival of anyone on this list,. If the price is really 4 mil pounds as suggested, I think that's not too bad a deal. What do you guys think?
ReplyDeleteInter/Napoli may pay up to that amount for Lucas and ad for Glen Johnson maybe West Ham can be duped again...
ReplyDeleteWatch us get the lot of em lol, are you honestly telling me after watching how we played last year, hearing its likely Suarez will stick to his word and stay, those players aren't going to want to come to the club, all those players will complement the ones we have and vice versa its looking promising to everyone ... even players people
ReplyDeleteI actually think its a great deal! Cheap option who is still an experienced goal scorer but isn't "past it" (like for example eto'o). Won't necessarily expect to play every game, but still has plenty in the tank. In addition, he is nearing his last chance for a move to a "big" club (no offense to soton) Very solid 3rd option Striker. Not an every day starter, but dependable if needed for more than a game or two at a time.
ReplyDeleteI think it's a great deal. He's still young enough to contribute and he'll add a bit of experience and local knowledge to the dressing room. I think Rodgers will have picked him for his attitude, not just his skills. He'll be 100% at training and will bring great energy to the team. He'll score goals when he plays and we have plenty of games to cover. He'll rotate with our existing strikers, not just provide cover.
ReplyDeleteThis spells the end for either Borini or Aspas, I wonder who Rodgers prefers ... if we believe his recent comments we wants Borini back in the team so it's Aspas who would go. It would be totally pointless to have more than 4 strikers in the squad.
It's a bit over the top but maybe if those figures were a bit more reasonable it would work. A couple of extra million here and there for Lambert and Lovren and just the flat 20 million for Lallana would work out nicely.
ReplyDeleteSouthampton fans will be livid if it all goes through, and they should be. Maybe they'll refuse one or two of these deals because at the moments it's like every player on the team is potentially going somewhere.
BBC says 4m...where does 8-10 come from?
ReplyDeleteBarca already said Sanchez is not for sale.
ReplyDeleteIt's the Southampton special, they all have to have the same cut, like they all have to wear the same uniform. He'll get a different barber in Liverpool, don't worry.
ReplyDeletehttp://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11669/9330945/premier-league-liverpool-close-in-on-southamptons-rickie-lambert
ReplyDeleteI think I can understand why Rodgers bought Alberto and loaned Suso. He possibly sees Suso as a fantastic prospect, and would rather let him develop as much as possible before he's ready to be a first team regular. Suso isn't going to want to sit on the bench at Liverpool, so it's better that he go and play every week in Spain. While he's playing in Spain, he still owned by the club, and enjoying himself at the same time. If he's always on the bench for us, he'll get unhappy and leave. After he's done in Spain, it'll be like bringing back a new player :D
ReplyDeleteLambert for 4 mill is a good deal. You can be sure that he received glowing reports from the England boys in our squad so I don't see it as a risk at all.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand Alberto's signing!
ReplyDelete....And Alberto/Aspas can contribute though right? I honestly think he has got the makings to be either a new Silva or a step further in Iniesta. The boy rejected Real Madrid and Barca to sign for us and has indicated that he wants to play at anfield next season. All of this just so that he is used as a makeweight? Im sorry but unless its a loan offer, I don't see this deal as 'good'.
ReplyDeleteNow that would be a great deal. Brendan isn't stupid to just give away a gem like Suso.
ReplyDeleteWeeell.. now that Lambert is involved, it has slightly changed
ReplyDeleteIts pretty simple to be honest. Alberto's passing range at barca b has been likened to Xabi alonso. Now Brendan is giving the kid time to settle and adapt to the pace of the PL and also bulk him up abit. I have a feeling he is going to turn him into quite a deep-lying playmaker. Brendan loves that position lol. If you do not see what i am talking about .. then watch Luis Alberto vs Preston in Pre-season. :)
ReplyDeletefor 4million i like it. play the league cup and fa cup games and give others a spell and will know his place in the squad
ReplyDeleteRakitic is one player Liverpool should break bank for.
ReplyDeleteWell going by my explanation, maybe he was put in there as a stop gap to fill in for Suso?
ReplyDeleteSurely after that infamous corner kick vs Chelsea, Rodgers prefers Borini? He's been scoring great goals for Sunderland. A striking group of SAS, Lambert and Borini would be fantastic.
ReplyDeleteWe aren't that stupid. Liverpool are run by smart businessmen!
ReplyDeleteFor the Lambert naysayers, he's the breakdown. Figures are assumed.
ReplyDeleteLiverpool objectives:
1. Buy Lallana - but don't exceed £20m
2. Buy proven backup striker who doesn't mind bench-time
Southhampton objectives:
1. Sell Lallana - secure at least £25m (because of 25% sell-on fee)
2. Sell other players if it makes financial sense
Variable:
1. Rickie Lambert highest MV £4m -- 2 years left on contract, 32 years old, value dropping fast, signed for £1m (potential £3m+ profit).
2. Previous offer for Lambert in Jan 2014 from West Ham was £4m
If Lallana is £25m, then Southhampton fee is £18.75m (less sell-on fee)
Solution:
Sell Lallana for £20m
Sell Lambert for £4m with addons
Therefore total Southhampton fee = £19m
(with realised value appreciation for rapidly depreciating player)
Well that's that then
ReplyDeleteYes ive been reading that its sensible money for a good player who will add something different in attack.
ReplyDeleteMoreno has huge potential and i would be happy to get him but he is not the finished article and i see Carlos Rodriguez as a more sensible option.
ReplyDeleteYes they are. And that's one reason why the conspiracy theory is crap.
ReplyDeleteB Rodgers needs to bring these 7 key players to club this summer: In this order:
ReplyDeletePriority 1: CM: I Rakitic(26) Of Seville for £20-£26M ( Gerrard's Successor)
Priority 2: CB: D Lovren(24) Of Southampton for £10-£15M ( Agger's Successor)
Priority 3: DM: Y M'Vila(23) Of Rubin Kazan Or F Reges(26) Of Porto, one of these class mobile solid strong tough tackling enforcers for £8-£10M
Priority 4: GK: M Vorm(30) Of Swansea for £3-£6M
Priority 5: AM: A Lallana(26) Of Southampton for £18-£22M
Priority 6: LB: B Davies(20 ) Of Swansea, J Obita(20) Of Reading or A Moreno(21) Of Seville, one of these young Left backs should be brought for £4-17M
Priority 7: RW/ LWF: X Shaqiri(22) Of B Munich for £12-£16M
My own special definition of daft includes something that is technically possible but would clearly show eveyone involved in a very bad light.
ReplyDeleteAccording to his own interview on the LFC official website he always had that control which as JK has suggested all along clearly lays any blam efor past mistakes at his door. That said he does not have much else to be faulted for.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately probably every supporter of every club in Europe will be saying the same..
ReplyDeleteRumouring is a real word it's just you Americans never learnt to spell propery :-)
ReplyDeleteI agree we should try to get him but it will be very difficult against the more moneyed clubs and our appaent policy regarding what we are prepared to pay.
liverpools attack looks really nice for next season:
ReplyDelete.......................................sturridge
sterling...................................................suarez
......................................lallana
.....................henderson.............gerrard
bench:lambert,borini,coutinho,allen
squad: can, ibe
there are rumors barcaloena want cameron brannigan
ReplyDeleteif this is true and liverpool want to keep him it could accelerate
his rise to first team
i think brannigan plays in a role similar to allen , him and rossiter have had massive rise up the ranks and have both been chosen for the bench at times , rossiter was also voted young player of the year
ibe another academy player has recently been heavily praised by rodgers
i think like southampton we should give ibe,rossiter and brannigan all roles at lfc in the first team , this way we can spend on big players by reducing amount of players needed for squad , maybe our class 0f 14 it will be known ,
does jamie see rossiter ,ibe and brannigan or any of them playing in the first team next season?
yann mvilla is very overrated even his manager said so
ReplyDeletei would say carvalho,pogba , gustavo or even paulinho
are better options in that position
if rodgers plays the kid :
ReplyDelete.............................................sturridge /lambert
sterling/coutinho...................................................................suarez /ibe
..............................................lallana/brannigan
.........................gerrard/rossiter/allen .................henderson/can
looks liek a large squad to me
Lallana is this summer's bubble waiting to burst. I agree he is worth no more than £20M but you can see us splurging out £25M or over on this one. Lovren would be my pick from Soton. I would myself go along with getting Can as an across the field positioner.
ReplyDeleteY M'Vila(23) fully fit injury free and motivated is not over rated at all. If B Rodgers can bring him to club, him new chance. Y M'Vila(23) can get the form he had 3 years ago he will dominate centre midfield in Europe and in the Premiership. M'Vila(23) would cost club 8-11
ReplyDeleteCarvalho will cost 25-30M
Pogba will cost 20-30M
Gustavo 18-25M
Y M'Vila(23) for £8-£11M is much better for club and he will offer the back 4 better protection in front of them than any of the players you mentioned.
Totally agree
ReplyDeleteReally? Because I remember Balague referring to him as being in more of an Iniesta mould. Alonso and Iniesta a worlds apart. Why would BR want to change his natural position from being a no. 10?
ReplyDeleteBut Alberto has no PL experience, didn't get any this season and cost a relatively hefty £7m. I believe Suso is the better player out of the two, plus Suso was virtually a free transfer. I believe they both play in Coutinho's position as well.
ReplyDeleteI don't see why we'd shell out £7m for an inferior player. Clearly Alberto wasn't needed throughout the season either as he rarely even made the bench!
Don't get me wrong, I like Alberto. When I've seen him play, his passing seems crisp and incisive. I liked his reverse pass assist for Suarez's goal at White Hart Lane (he was nonchalantly looking the other way !). But I don't believe that he'll be able to develop until he gets game time. With LFC in the market for people like Can and Lallana, I really can't see that happening. So difficult to understand IMO...
Yes please Ivan, we even have someone to clean your boots.
ReplyDeleteHis name's Joe...
Can and lovren ok. Buy Di Maria or Pedro though. Shagirinot so good Lallana for 20m a bit ovverrated. Moreno for 20m also overrated
ReplyDeleteI'm just saying that he was a stop gap. I'm not saying my theory is entirely possible, even I have some doubts about it, but I'm just throwing it out there. My main point though is that I just think Rodgers would have rather see Suso get loads game time than sit on the bench.
ReplyDeleteThis would be a dream signing
ReplyDeleteSo you're saying that BR basically paid £7m to send Suso out on loan? :P
ReplyDeleteNot saying he definitely did, just another theory...
ReplyDeleteWhy not just buy the whole Southampton team.
ReplyDeleteFor all the players that you have mentioned, none of them is a guarantee to come to Liverpool (even though now we have Champions League to offer).
ReplyDeleteRakitic is already rumoured to be going to one of the Madrid clubs.
Sanchez and Pedro are not available. And even if they are, we'll probably face very stiff competition from the likes of United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Juventus.
Carvalho is priced in the 30 million pounds bracket. He plays in a much inferior league (Bundesliga is way more competitive than the Portuguese League) and has no CL experience. Can is three times cheaper, is the captain of Germany under 21 team and has played for a CL team consistently throughout his young career.
For a very long time we have been chasing shadows chasing unrealistic targets( read Mkhitaryan, Costa, Willian and Konoplyanka) and ending up empty handed. Just getting back into CL is no guarantee that we will get to pick the best players. Just look at Arsenal.
If you are getting rid of players on season loans and long recent injuries it makes bugger all difference.
ReplyDeleteAdd to that players like Alberto whose appearances were token at best.
Theoretically speaking then, Brendan has a load of faith in Suso! But I sincerely hope he does..
ReplyDeleteIs he as pacy as iniesta? Watch any of Alberto's highlights. Nothing he does strikes me as 'iniesta' type. He can spray the ball from left to right, slows the play down, and always looks to make the game simple. Sounds like a xabi alonso trait to me.
ReplyDeleteGame time is not the only method of improvement you know. Thing is fans wonder why he is on the bench constantly and comes on 2 minutes from time. But if he was given the run out and he hasn't got to grips with the premier league .. the same fans who wanted him to play would get on his back. Brendan rates Alberto very highly and I can also see why. He has the potential to become a star.
ReplyDeleteErr because he's better than Carroll. On lower wages, peanuts fee, and a scouser. What can Giroud do that Lambert can't? ask yourself that. Im fine with him being 3/4th choice.
ReplyDeleteAsk Balague. He said that LA is "A midfielder in the Xavi/Iniesta mould".
ReplyDeleteI disagree with the statement that Iniesta is fast. He has good acceleration over short distances, but he's no Walcott.
Oh I see. His 11 goals in 38 games for Barcelona B clearly came from playing in a deep-lying play maker role (like Alonso as you say). I must have been fooled when I saw him probing the final third like a trequartista in videos ;)
But how can he get to grips with the league if he only comes on for 2 minutes at a time? He needs to be playing at least 20 minutes an appearance if BR has so much faith in him. There have been numerous occasions at L4 where a match has been killed off in the first half. If BR really rated LA as highly as you say, surely he would've given him time in the 2nd halves of those matches?
ReplyDeleteAnd I don't wonder why he is on the bench, I wonder why he never even makes the squad most of the time.
because suso leaving on loan as part of the moreno deal. 25m is our FINAL offer. take it or leave it is our message. looks like they wont take it and that fine by us. plenty of quality stars out there. And on the Luis Alberto part, I think its more the positional problem. He fits in at Attackingmid/Left winger/False no.9. Since we purchased him our formation changed to 4 4 2 diamond. The only position he'd fit is in the attacking position either occupied by Coutinho or Sterling. Would you take off either of them mid game?
ReplyDelete