Liverpool and Arsenal have reportedly been offered the chance to sign Brazilian winger Bernard Anício Caldeira Duarte (aka Bernard), who currently plays Ukrainian giants Shakhtar Donetsk.
According to The Mirror this week:
"Parties working on behalf of [Bernard] have contacted Arsenal and Liverpool about his availability, [and] would be available for just £19million"
Liverpool monitored Bernard prior to his move to Shaktar, and at the time, The Telegraph reported
"Liverpool are interested in Brazilian winger Bernard and have approached his club, Atletico Mineiro."
Despite only making 10 starts for Shakhtar since his transfer, and generally enduring a bit of a nightmare at the club, Bernard still made Brazil's 23-man squad for the upcoming World Cup, which suggests that Luis Felipe Scolari rates him highly.
When asked about his future this week, the Brazilian admitted that he's not enjoying life in the Ukraine. He told reporters:
"At Shakhtar I have played only 25 games so far. It's hard and complicated to be in a country where I barely play. I leave my future after the World Cup in God's hands."
Bernard's former team-mate, Ronaldinho, is a big fan of the youngster, and in an interview last season, the Brazilian legend enthused:
"He [Bernard] is a big talent. It's a pleasure to share in the moment when another star is born. I am happy and I hope he continues in this manner for many, many years."
It's easy to see what initially piqued Brendan Rodgers' interest; Bernard is basically Coutinho MK2:
* Young, Brazilian flair player.
* Lots of experience despite his age (97 games for Mineiro)
* Already a full Brazil international (10 games so far)
Like Coutinho, Bernard - described by Scolari as 'excellent' - is only 21 years old, and he may see the rising Reds as an attractive proposition. Additionally, he'd probably much more likely to get regular first-team football at Anfield.
£19m, though? Bernard may be an exciting player, but if that amount of money is to be spent on one player then it should (IMO) go on the finished article, i.e. someone experienced, who will go straight into the first team and make an immediate, game-changing impact.
To be fair, Coutinho did exactly that when he arrived at the club, and if Bernard did the same, I doubt many fans - myself included - would question the signing.
Author: Jaimie K
According to The Mirror this week:
"Parties working on behalf of [Bernard] have contacted Arsenal and Liverpool about his availability, [and] would be available for just £19million"
Liverpool monitored Bernard prior to his move to Shaktar, and at the time, The Telegraph reported
"Liverpool are interested in Brazilian winger Bernard and have approached his club, Atletico Mineiro."
Despite only making 10 starts for Shakhtar since his transfer, and generally enduring a bit of a nightmare at the club, Bernard still made Brazil's 23-man squad for the upcoming World Cup, which suggests that Luis Felipe Scolari rates him highly.
When asked about his future this week, the Brazilian admitted that he's not enjoying life in the Ukraine. He told reporters:
"At Shakhtar I have played only 25 games so far. It's hard and complicated to be in a country where I barely play. I leave my future after the World Cup in God's hands."
Bernard's former team-mate, Ronaldinho, is a big fan of the youngster, and in an interview last season, the Brazilian legend enthused:
"He [Bernard] is a big talent. It's a pleasure to share in the moment when another star is born. I am happy and I hope he continues in this manner for many, many years."
It's easy to see what initially piqued Brendan Rodgers' interest; Bernard is basically Coutinho MK2:
* Young, Brazilian flair player.
* Lots of experience despite his age (97 games for Mineiro)
* Already a full Brazil international (10 games so far)
Like Coutinho, Bernard - described by Scolari as 'excellent' - is only 21 years old, and he may see the rising Reds as an attractive proposition. Additionally, he'd probably much more likely to get regular first-team football at Anfield.
£19m, though? Bernard may be an exciting player, but if that amount of money is to be spent on one player then it should (IMO) go on the finished article, i.e. someone experienced, who will go straight into the first team and make an immediate, game-changing impact.
To be fair, Coutinho did exactly that when he arrived at the club, and if Bernard did the same, I doubt many fans - myself included - would question the signing.
Author: Jaimie K
19mn is a bit too much but if Sakho is worth 18mn with one year left in his contract, this guy is relatively cheap.
ReplyDeleteAlso, PSG buying Luiz for a 40mn is stupid but again one has to see what PSG got for Sakho. I reckon if Sakho was on a longer contract, he would have gone for minimum of 25mn so David Luiz is at least 15mn better than Sakho, if not more. Also, Luiz is at his peak and not a risk or 'potential' like Sakho.
Now I feel like Sakho is a bigger rip off than Luiz.
The guy is about 5ft, he'd get eaten alive in the Prem!
ReplyDeleteHave you ever seen David Luiz play?
ReplyDeleteNot if he's on the same side as Luis
ReplyDeletegood player i was hoping we sign him last year why not a international class player its not about size its about character and ability Messi is not exactly big player
ReplyDeleteNot at all, is he a striker? Bad jokes aside, all I am saying is that as overrated as Luiz is, he is still thrice the player Sakho is. Luiz with the ball looks like a footballer and Sakho with the ball looks like...,,meh...
ReplyDeleteI am not a Luiz fan nor I am a Rooney fan but I can tell that Rooney is 5 times the player Aspas is.
He could be a starter for Liverpool or Luis Suarez for that matter. If you know what I mean.
ReplyDeleteThrice the player of Sakho? You are going to have to do a whole lot more convincing than than what you just have to make me believe you.
ReplyDeletePeople said the same about Coutinho.
ReplyDeleteYeah at 5ft he can only be a starter, Ivanovic is mains. Even Luis wouldn't have room for a desert after that though.
ReplyDeleteWoah, audition time!! How about, no?
ReplyDeleteI am not sure where you are coming from really. Luiz always looks comfortable on the ball but still does some mad stuff. Sakho looks ungainly but has one of the best passing % in the league. Only the Arsenal CBs doing any better.
ReplyDeleteThere are still people who question Cout now. Bizarre. £19m does seem a bit steep and I imagine his wages would be quite high too.
ReplyDeleteYou know there is something about Ivanovic. Suarez got the ban and he came back like a house on fire. I recommend every player to taste Ivanovic. There is something about Ivanovic blood, magic potion.
ReplyDeletePeople like you said same about coutinho, mata and silva, but they took prem by a storm. The prem proven argument and the prem being so physical that small players would struggle to play in the league is a load of BS IMO!!
ReplyDeleteWhen we bought Joe Allen, his passing rate was compared to Xavi. Its a stupid stat.
ReplyDeleteIvanovic had a great season too. I might get Luis to bite me see what happens.
ReplyDeleteLet's not kid ourselves. We all know who won the player of the season.
ReplyDeleteStupid how? Allen's passing is very effective. Not going to make you get off your seat but effective. As a defender Sakho's passing should and is effective, he also make more passes in to the opposition half on average more than any of our other CBs. Judging a player on how he looks rather than how he plays is a bit stupid too.
ReplyDeleteJoe Allen passing is effective, how? How many assists or chances created? To be honest, I don't care as I am not a stat guy. I like what I see. Joe Allen with all his mastery in passing, is not a guaranteed starter and never will be. Sakho is a tidy player but looks very average. I always fear when he gets the ball and I would prefer Agger over him any day. I just don't think he was worth 18mn especially when he was in his last year of contract. If he doesn't improve next year, I wish he leaves. But again, just my opinion on what I see.
ReplyDeleteYeah no doubt I am just interested in this blood magic your on about.
ReplyDeleteBoth ways actually. Aspas, Assaidi, Alberto, Sahin and many more are examples of that argument being right.
ReplyDeleteEven Toure has a better tackle success rate than Luiz. Sorry but your claim of Luiz being thrice the player Sakho is unfounded.
ReplyDeletehaha, ok. Don't go bananas over my claims. You don't need opta to prove me wrong. I just think Sakho looks average (just my opinion) and won't be in a Liverpool shirt for too long unless there is some Henderson esque improvement.
ReplyDeletePerhaps it is the price that make people question Sakho so much.As for Agger when Frazier Cambel made him look like a statue it made me realise that at least last season he was not the player he once was.
ReplyDeleteAs for Allen it's not worth getting in to. I look at how often he picks up the ball under pressure and still gets a pass off, that he is always available for the ball and does a hell of a lot of closing down. It's the incisive parts that are missing to his game which is why Coutinho on his day is much better. Cout unfortunately cannot constantly keep that level up. Yet.
One word...
ReplyDeleteScapegoat.
I think wages would be on lower or average side but agent/signing on fees on the higher side. 19mn is too much I guess.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. There is still too much love of Rafa players for real objectivity.
ReplyDeleteJust a guess really but my thinking was that most players going over there were going for the spondoolies.
ReplyDeleteOnly £19m in todays market? Yes please, he'd be devastating with the rest of our attack and give us plenty of options to rotate
ReplyDeleteYou are the REAL STAR mate - inventing all kinds of crazy stories to kill the boredom of NOWT HAPPENING ON TRANSFER FRONT - Whats wrong with the Norwich winger ??
ReplyDeleteactually i wouldn't say sahin was a flop.And Sahin is about 5ft 10in according to soccer base.com so he is not a small guy almost same height as Suarez. Alberto never got a fair chance. Mata and silva were already making waves at valencia before moving to Premier League and did the same after moving to England.As for Aspas he never made the headlines even when he was in spain unlike bernard when he was in brazil.
ReplyDeletenot worth the gamble at 19m. 12m maybe..
ReplyDeletewithout having to check the necessary sources, i am sure that sakho has at least another two years before he gets the contract re-newel.
ReplyDeleteOh dear..
ReplyDeleteCoutinho did do exactly that but he only cost half that. Less even.
ReplyDeleteSpending on Rakitic ok. We also need a proper DM to spell SG and defenders with pace,size and skill waaaaaaay more than we need Bernard..................
ReplyDeleteBy the way, we should look long and hard at Deulofeu as an addition to our attack and competition to Coutinho. Would be 10 X better than the very disappointing Victor Moses. Every game he played at Everton, he seemed to bring real skill, energy and movement...............why not? Better than the munchkin Bernard............
ReplyDeleteif we buy him then i "feel" Suarez will go, i hope i am wrong! he looks a world beater on youtube.
ReplyDelete19 mil for bernard is a bargain compare to lalana and that dude is no where near bernard's talent.
ReplyDeleteLallanda £25m? This is cheap!
ReplyDelete