Liverpool continue to be linked with a summer move for Porto star Juan Iturbe (currently on loan at Serie A side Hellas Verona), and it the Reds seem to be stepping up their interest in the 20-year old attacker.
According to the Daily Mail today:
"Scouts from Liverpool, Chelsea, and Tottenham are poised to watch Juan Iturbe on Monday [May 5th]".
The story so far:
Nov 2013: The Daily Express reports: "Liverpool are keen on signing [Iturbe] after his season-long loan in Serie A finishes in the summer"
Dec 2013: Portuguese newspaper A Bola claims that Liverpool are considering a €16m January bid for Iturbe.
Dec 2013: Verona boss Andrea Mandorlini hailed Iturbe's 'incredible quality', and outlined the attacker's strengths on the field. He told Tutto Mercato: "Iturbe [is] good enough for the big clubs. [He has] amazing quality and is a good guy. Iturbe's strengths are technical quality, impressive speed, and game intelligence. He's a great player"
Mar 2014: Sky Sports Italy journalist Gianluca Dimarzio claimed that lots of 'big European clubs' are watching €30m-rated Iturbe, but insisted that Liverpool 'want him the most'.
Mar 2014: In an interview with Tuttosport, Hellas Verona President Maurizio Setti enthused: “He [Iturbe] will certainly end up at a top club. We want to keep him, but no Italian club has the economic capacity to buy him. If a set of circumstances allowed for him to stay in Verona then it would be another dream come true"
Apr 2014: Italian newspaper Corriere Di Verona claimed that the Reds are still monitoring the Iturbe.
Apr 2014: When asked soon after about Liverpool's interest, Iturbe - nicknamed 'El Messi Paraguayo' as a result of his dual Paraguayan/Argentinian citizenship - told Sky Sports Italia: "Liverpool and italian clubs on me? I would like to stay in Italy for all my life. But let's see what will happen"
Iturbe's stats for the last three years:
2013-14: 6 goals/4 assist in 31 apps (so far)
2012-13: 3 goals/2 assists in 18 apps.
2011-12: 6 goals/2 assists in 32 apps.
At present, Coutinho and Sterling aside, Liverpool have no quality first-team attacking midfielders. The likes of Moses and Alberto don't really count as they've contributed nothing this season, and will probably leave in the summer (or in Alberto's case, be stuck on the bench again next season).
Even if Suso returns, LFC still need (IMO) at least two more attacking midfielders with similar or better quality than Coutinho. The Chelsea game exposed the paucity of the club's squad strength, especially in attacking areas, and that needs to be addressed in the summer.
Author: Jaimie K
According to the Daily Mail today:
"Scouts from Liverpool, Chelsea, and Tottenham are poised to watch Juan Iturbe on Monday [May 5th]".
The story so far:
Nov 2013: The Daily Express reports: "Liverpool are keen on signing [Iturbe] after his season-long loan in Serie A finishes in the summer"
Dec 2013: Portuguese newspaper A Bola claims that Liverpool are considering a €16m January bid for Iturbe.
Dec 2013: Verona boss Andrea Mandorlini hailed Iturbe's 'incredible quality', and outlined the attacker's strengths on the field. He told Tutto Mercato: "Iturbe [is] good enough for the big clubs. [He has] amazing quality and is a good guy. Iturbe's strengths are technical quality, impressive speed, and game intelligence. He's a great player"
Mar 2014: Sky Sports Italy journalist Gianluca Dimarzio claimed that lots of 'big European clubs' are watching €30m-rated Iturbe, but insisted that Liverpool 'want him the most'.
Mar 2014: In an interview with Tuttosport, Hellas Verona President Maurizio Setti enthused: “He [Iturbe] will certainly end up at a top club. We want to keep him, but no Italian club has the economic capacity to buy him. If a set of circumstances allowed for him to stay in Verona then it would be another dream come true"
Apr 2014: Italian newspaper Corriere Di Verona claimed that the Reds are still monitoring the Iturbe.
Apr 2014: When asked soon after about Liverpool's interest, Iturbe - nicknamed 'El Messi Paraguayo' as a result of his dual Paraguayan/Argentinian citizenship - told Sky Sports Italia: "Liverpool and italian clubs on me? I would like to stay in Italy for all my life. But let's see what will happen"
Iturbe's stats for the last three years:
2013-14: 6 goals/4 assist in 31 apps (so far)
2012-13: 3 goals/2 assists in 18 apps.
2011-12: 6 goals/2 assists in 32 apps.
At present, Coutinho and Sterling aside, Liverpool have no quality first-team attacking midfielders. The likes of Moses and Alberto don't really count as they've contributed nothing this season, and will probably leave in the summer (or in Alberto's case, be stuck on the bench again next season).
Even if Suso returns, LFC still need (IMO) at least two more attacking midfielders with similar or better quality than Coutinho. The Chelsea game exposed the paucity of the club's squad strength, especially in attacking areas, and that needs to be addressed in the summer.
Author: Jaimie K
I couldn't possibly being to judge if this guy is the right quality or not, but he's the type of player we should be going for. Maybe someone like Lallana is a better option given his level of experience and proven ability in the Premier League. I'd guess that Rodgers is lining up as many options as he can and will approach the players in priority order. If he's even a small step up from Coutinho then, given his age, I think it would be a good buy, but I'm not sure Iturbe would be our number one target.
ReplyDeleteI don't think we need two quality attacking players, it would be over-kill. A fully fit team and a quality new signing means someone like Coutinho, Henderson or Sterling end up on the bench. I think that's appropriate, those guys need to fight it out against quality competition and we absolutely need some degree of quality backup for when injuries and suspensions happen. A second player of that quality becomes too much, we just don't need them. If we buy one attacking midfielder and bring Suso and Borini back then we've got the depth we need. Any further purchases in midfield means someone like Allen or Lucas become surplus to requirements, potentially not playing many minutes at all in the whole season, and that starts to become a waste of salary and potential transfer fees. I certainly wouldn't object to us buying quality and then letting those guys go but at the same time I think they offer plenty to the team and are good enough for the roles they currently fill.
Absolutely, BR (and his mysterious committee) need to act carefully in the transfer market. We don't need any panic buys!
ReplyDelete19 gol for 3 season...hahaha good player.Only good skill dribble the ball.
ReplyDeleteIt could be another frustrating summer for Liverpool. The world cup is like a giant spanner in the works. Players could lose or gain market value, get injured, not want to negotiate until the tournament is over ... it's not going to help us at all. We need to get our transfer targets sorted out immediately i.e. right now. I expect Rodgers and "the committee" (I picture a group of untrustworthy geezers sittings around a smoky poker table discussing player transfers like they are just pieces of meat) will already know who they want and in fact some approaches will already have been made. As soon as the last club game is done, even if the window isn't open, they'll be on the phone to managing directors, owners and agents. We do NOT have time to sit around and dally over fees. What's good is that the past couple of windows have set the tone. Liverpool will not be held to ransom, we won't pay over market value and we keep our star players if we want to. If nothing else that sets us up to be hard negotiators so that if we do have to give in a little bit and pay a bit more, at least we don't get totally fleeced.
ReplyDeletePerhaps it will also mean we won't get the players we want/need.
ReplyDeleteThere can be a fine balance between not being fleeced and being too stingy
After last night and considering his previous performances, I would love to see Feghuli at anfield!
ReplyDeleteI do not think the World Cup will be that big of an issue when trying to get deals done. That is why players have agents who are at the beck and call of the players.
ReplyDeleteLucas has recently said the following
ReplyDelete"I know Stevie is playing in my position and doing very, very well," said Lucas.
"So that's why I'm working hard and maybe looking - not towards another position - but maybe another way I can help, and still play beside Stevie. Because I know him being in the team in that position, my chances will be limited."
The problem for Lucas is that he is not suited to a more advanced role. If we sign another box to box midfielder like Hendo then chances are that Lucas will fall even further down the pecking order. I would not rule out a CM being added this coming summer.
The Valencia player we have been heavily linked with lately is Dani Parejo.
ReplyDeleteI know, but he's kinda sh1t;-)
ReplyDeleteCosta's gone to Chelsea for only 35 million and we're going to pay 30 mil for a relatively unproven player. Nah, not us, not again.
ReplyDeleteI would not say he is totally sh1t but doubt we will sign him when there are better CM's out there.
ReplyDeleteMourinho just questioned hazard's commitment, perhaps time to put in a cheeky bid.
ReplyDeleteA bad tradesman always blames his tools, and lets face it Chelsea fc is full of tools to blame:-)
ReplyDeleteProblem = Wages.
ReplyDeleteDepressed me to see the quality of subs brought on against us by Chelsea. Bit sure that'll be sorted. Iturbe, Shaqiri, Konoplyanka, Rakitic... Take your pick. Iturbe and one or two others from that list would be golden!
ReplyDeleteOMG! He hasn't has he!??
ReplyDeleteYes. But what goals! In one he dribbles it from the half way line!! LOTS of potential. Worth a punt I reckon. Especially with Rodgers to help develop and bring it out..
ReplyDeleteThe graveyard for strikers!
ReplyDeleteHopefully we'll see the end of the Committee when Rodgers signs his new contract. (It's not HIS committee, it's FSG's) Rodgers has said he'll sign a new contract but he wants more control over transfers.
ReplyDeleteHehehe!
ReplyDeleteobviously we need another CM, i think our possibilities are very limited atm
ReplyDeleteWhen you say "attacking midfielders" do you mean players who play purely through the middle, or anywhere in the "3" of a 4-2-3-1, so to speak?
ReplyDelete