Liverpool continue to be linked with a summer move for Manchester City defender Micah Richards, a player Brendan Rodgers reportedly believes is a 'perfect fit' for LFC's squad.
Liverpool have seemingly been tracking Richards for a while now:
July 2013: The Mirror reported: "Brendan Rodgers is keen on a summer move for Manchester City defender Micah Richards. Liverpool have made an enquiry."
31 Jan 2014: Sky Sports claimed: "Manchester City have turned down a bid from Liverpool to take Micah Richards on loan to Anfield".
15 April 2014: Several reports claimed that Liverpool 'have been cleared' to sign Richards this summer, with Brendan Rodgers 'expected' to put in a £7million offer.
Speculation continues to intensify, and reports today claim that:
* With Bacary Sagna set to sign, Richards is now 'surplus to requirements at City.
* Rodgers is waiting to 'capitalise' on the situation with a £7m bid.
Richards is a good player, and the £8m drop in valuation since last summer is enticing, but he has a shocking injury history:
* Nine different injuries since 2008.
* Only 20 appearances over the last two years.
* Averages just 26 apps a season over the last nine years.
Why take the risk when there are plenty of players out there without significant injury histories? Have LFC learned nothing from the Daniel Agger/Philipp Degen situations?
Richards - recently described by Manuel Pellegrini as an 'important' player for City - can play at right-back, or centre-half, and this versatility clearly appeals to Rodgers.
However, Liverpool already have Andre Wisdom, an equally flexible (and powerful) defender, who can also play in two position. Why not just develop Wisdom, and put the £7m towards another player?
If LFC sign Richards, it will be a massive mistake (IMO). Yes, £7m is comparatively cheap, but that injury history simply cannot be ignored.
Liverpool have haemorrhaged money on a whole raft of duff players over the last two years, and this is another waste (IMO). If the club is so desperate to lose money, just keep Glen Johnson, and use the £7m to keep paying his £120k-a-week salary.
At least Johnson is fit most of the time.
To be fair, there's always a chance that Richards' injury woes are finally behind him, but is it a risk worth taking?
Author: Jaimie K
Liverpool have seemingly been tracking Richards for a while now:
July 2013: The Mirror reported: "Brendan Rodgers is keen on a summer move for Manchester City defender Micah Richards. Liverpool have made an enquiry."
31 Jan 2014: Sky Sports claimed: "Manchester City have turned down a bid from Liverpool to take Micah Richards on loan to Anfield".
15 April 2014: Several reports claimed that Liverpool 'have been cleared' to sign Richards this summer, with Brendan Rodgers 'expected' to put in a £7million offer.
Speculation continues to intensify, and reports today claim that:
* With Bacary Sagna set to sign, Richards is now 'surplus to requirements at City.
* Rodgers is waiting to 'capitalise' on the situation with a £7m bid.
Richards is a good player, and the £8m drop in valuation since last summer is enticing, but he has a shocking injury history:
* Nine different injuries since 2008.
* Only 20 appearances over the last two years.
* Averages just 26 apps a season over the last nine years.
Why take the risk when there are plenty of players out there without significant injury histories? Have LFC learned nothing from the Daniel Agger/Philipp Degen situations?
Richards - recently described by Manuel Pellegrini as an 'important' player for City - can play at right-back, or centre-half, and this versatility clearly appeals to Rodgers.
However, Liverpool already have Andre Wisdom, an equally flexible (and powerful) defender, who can also play in two position. Why not just develop Wisdom, and put the £7m towards another player?
If LFC sign Richards, it will be a massive mistake (IMO). Yes, £7m is comparatively cheap, but that injury history simply cannot be ignored.
Liverpool have haemorrhaged money on a whole raft of duff players over the last two years, and this is another waste (IMO). If the club is so desperate to lose money, just keep Glen Johnson, and use the £7m to keep paying his £120k-a-week salary.
At least Johnson is fit most of the time.
To be fair, there's always a chance that Richards' injury woes are finally behind him, but is it a risk worth taking?
Author: Jaimie K
Why don't we sign a glass figurine while we are at it? How many more people are we "linked" with that make no sense? How about very citizen in Europe and Latin America?
ReplyDeleteGet him on a pay as you play contract but blind him with legalese first so he doesn't know what he is signing.
ReplyDeleteRemember when he looked really impressive? Such a pity with him. His injury woes are too much to take on. He wouldn't be on pittance as well unfortunately. Perhaps his injuries are similar to Gerards and if he doesn't train but just plays he will be ok. Too many ifs there though I think.
ReplyDeleteOne of the best English fullbacks. On his day brilliant player. If LFC could get him for 7m and he has put his injuries behind him it would be a master signing. But as JK says it's a risk. No point us having opinions we have to trust LFC Medical boys as I'm sure BR will also.The club will be aware of his history and I'm sure he will have more than normal medical before a decision was made.
ReplyDeleteRichards would be a squad player if we signed him, so that would possibly mean that we could manage his physical condition.
ReplyDeleteI really think Liverpool and Southampton will pull off something fishy with Lallana deal to address the 25% sell on clause due to Bournemouth.
Bundle in other targets at a slightly inflated price and reduce Lallana price to reduce sell on money due to Bournemouth.
Real Madrid willing to pay 100m for Suarez. Anybody think the club can resist that? Ominous. It will be down to Suarez possibly but you would think LFC will sell at that price.
ReplyDeletejust develop Andre Wisdom to back up Johnson, dont waste money...
ReplyDeleteI like this plan.
ReplyDeleteNot with these gung-ho Americans.
ReplyDeleteHow could John Henry show his face around the cigar club after losing his prize asset to an evidently superior man (in this case Florentino Perez)?
hope your right but I have a feeling he might be going.
ReplyDeleteWisdom is not equal to Richards firstly and if the trainers can get him fit and keep him fit then he would be a bargain!
ReplyDeleteSince Rogers has come in, Agger and Gerrard have remained fit! Even Sturridge has been out there for longer proving that his methods work!
I would like Richards there uneven if it is a £7m gamble!
I wouldn't worry as there is no real indication whatsoever (other than random speculation) that BR actually has any interest in MR at all. It is far more likely that Caulker is a target than MR. Most likely his agent drumming up press and interest.
ReplyDeleteEvery signing is a risk. Juan Seba Veron came to Man United as one of the best midfielders in the world. See how that worked out. Richards is strong as an ox and has the stamina of a derby racehorse. The one thing I'm not so sure about is his technical ability needed to fit into our playing style. But if he comes in for 7 million and we get something similar for Johnson I'd rather have him than a player who lashes out at supporters on social media.
ReplyDeleteThat was a good piece. I completely agree.
ReplyDeleteJohnson himself is a liability at the back. spends most of the time camped up front. Give him a more attacking role.
ReplyDeleteWe have to look at this with a wider view. Albeit Suarez has said he is loving life with Liverpool, it was only last season when he was kicking up a fuss about wanting to join Real, when they opted for the muted Bale that seemingly was happy if the move came off or did not, for most of the time. It was only till the very end just before the Bale deal was done we found that he actually wanted to go. Suarez is a south american player, and for a player of that region to turn down an approach from Real is unlikely. The figure being branded around is 100mil, should they bid that amount I don't think we can or will turn it down. Just hope our spending goes more to plan in comparison to Tottenham should this deal go through.
ReplyDeleteWhy? If we buy him, it shows to Suarez that we mean business, he wouldn't be bought to replace Suarez as he isn't a striker, so why would Suarez go?
ReplyDeleteI always thought that yes, he made the penetrating runs, but his final decision was all wrong, he ran to the byline and then had a shot on goal instead of cutting it back.
ReplyDeleteLatest rumour has it that City will force Richards to see out his contract in order for City to meet their homegrown player requirements under new financial fair-play rules.
ReplyDeleteAnd lest we forget Andre Wisdom may very well be coming back too
ReplyDeleteAgree, every signing no matter the price or player is a risk.
ReplyDeleteGood example is when we signed Fernando Morientes who did well in Spain but did not last longer than one season in England.
I'm dealing with the what if's like you did regarding certain signings being made. You said that if we had spent better then we may have been talking about winning the title instead of 2nd.
ReplyDeleteI'm saying would we have finished 2nd had players like Borini or Assiadi not scored vital goals against teams around us that took points off them. Those signings by Rodgers or the committee helped us in way............... It's all spin one way or another.
I read that Sissoko didn't make a mistake in defense according to stats............... That's his job isn't it? I remember him getting a run of games when Flanno was injured and also replacing Flanno at times so as a squad player he did his job........ Bizarre that hey?
If Rodgers had of got his own way on certain players then Players like Victor moses surely wouldn't of come. As it happens, he came did little and will go back without being stuck on our wage bill. Does this mean BR is a failure in the transfer market? No, it means he had to work with what he had instead of 1st choice targets. There were 5 top targets in 2 windows that slipped through the net. How can he sign the players that you crave when clearly the money wasn't going to be spent on them. One of his targets was going to go to spurs over us so it wasn't the fact we couldn't offer champion league football either.
If players like Victor moses are the only players on offer do you turn them down knowing you have a thin squad or throw your toys out the pram and risk getting the sack?
It is really easy for me................... How can he spend money he has no control over?????
Mourinho and Klopp both signed Sahin and i'm pretty sure he cost Madrid more than he did us.
Does that make all 3 managers poor in the transfer market?
I personally thought he had to go once he spoke out against Rodgers but that doesn't make Sahin a waste of money.
Your not convincing me so far with your facts. Until we start sliding down the table playing dire football with big money flops stuck on the wage bill i'm really not going to see your point 1 bit.
Benard for 19milliion but Shaqiri is available for 15. Clearly Shaqiri is the better value for money.
ReplyDelete