11 May 2014

'Penalty-Killer' to Anfield? LFC to make £5m offer for Dutch star BR hailed as 'terrific'

Liverpool are reportedly weighing up a summer move for Swansea City goalkeeper Michel Vorm, another of Brendan Rodgers' former players.

According to the Daily Mail this week:

"Liverpool are looking at a £5million move for Swansea goalkeeper Michel Vorm.

"The Holland international is wanted by Rodgers to increase competition for Simon Mignolet"


Vorm - nicknamed the 'penalty killer' - was linked with a move to Anfield last summer, and when asked in April 2013 about the possibility of a move to LFC, the Dutch stopper told Voetbal International:

"A reunion with [Brendan] Rodgers would be special. The collaboration was very good last season. My name is often mentioned in clubs, but I would only leave Swansea for one of the top clubs in England or abroad"

Liverpool legend Mark Lawrenson is a fan of Vorm, and in column for the Liverpool Daily Post last summer, he named the Dutch international as his preferred replacement for Pepe Reina. He said:

"Michel Vorm is one player who could fit the bill, but Rodgers will have to be careful going back and signing lots of Swansea players"

Vorm certainly has a lot or respect for Liverpool. After Swansea's 5-0 drubbing by the Reds, he described playing at Anfield as a 'privilege'; hailed the club's 'amazing supporters', but described the defeat as the 'worst' game of his career. He told ThisIsSouthWales:

"If you play like this then you don't deserve to play at Anfield. Our mentality was so poor, and we could have lost 10-0. I always want to win and I need to see more aggression and a better mentality."

Soon after, Vorm fired another warning to his Swansea team-mates after the club's 2-1 defeat to West Brom. He told reporters:

"Most of the other teams in the Premier League are physically stronger than us. The back four is not a problem, but the whole team need to do it. We have to add a physical element. You could see that we were better football-wise than the opposition, but we still lost.”

Vorm - Recently described by Rodgers as 'terrific' - sounds like just the kind of strong character needed at Anfield, and from what I've seen, he's a lot more vocal than Mignolet on the pitch. When he's not injured, Vorm plays every game for Swansea, and I doubt he'd move to Liverpool without some assurance of regular first-team football.

It all depends on Rodgers' intentions: If the idea is to get someone in solely to push Mignolet to improve, then Vorm is better off staying at Swansea. Just look at Brad Jones: his job is to provide competition, yet he hasn't made a single appearance in the league all season. And even if he plays well in cup games, there's no chance Rodgers will ever make him LFC's number one.

On the other hand, if there's a genuine opportunity for Vorm to replace Mignolet, with Rodgers willing to bench the Belgian if Vorm performs well, then a move to Anfield is good career move.



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16 comments:

  1. I'd like to see us go for Kasper Schmeichel on a free, but Vorm is known to Rodgers and can kick it out from the back. Not priority position, but we need strengthening there.

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  2. Rogers bring reina back.....dont need new keeper. Reina has very good ball distribution.mignolet lack of knowledge on ball distribution can be improved if reina ccomes back to offer him competition

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  3. Why are people still talking this nonsense! Reina wants to go to Barcalona or some other club but he certainly doesn't want to be at Liverpool because he spent all his time saying as much, pandering to media speculation on the subject & not giving 100% when he was playing for us so why would we bring him back?!?! Time you & all the Reina followers let it go & move on! I don't know which keeper we'll eventually sign & i can't say if Vorm's the answer or not but i know he's reliable & good all round. Brad Jones hasn't played because he barely offers Mig any competition & must be sold this summer along with Reina. We need a quality GK to push or replace Mig asap.

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  4. I have to agree with this one. Reina was desperate to leave for Barca. At least Suarez admitted it.

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  5. That may be so but not with more of the same. Mignolet is a good shot stopper too.

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  6. Yeah, can't say I know much about how commanding and stuff Vorm is. That is the kind of area we need Migs to improve or a new 'keeper to be superior in.

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  7. He's not. He's a shot stopper. We could give Stekelenburg of Fulham a shot. They're going down so he may be the best value for money option. Otherwise Muslera of Galatasaray. Both come with CL experience as well. Zieler, Adler and Ter Stegen would all be options too imo although the latter one seems all but sealed for Barcelona. Shame, since he's on a free.

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  8. Agree he is not coming back. As much as anything his relationship with BR appears to have broken down. There was clearly a link with Barcelons but whether he behaved badly or stopped working for the team etc is all speculation. You could equally suggest BR just wanted shot and jumped the gun by signing Mig and forcing Reina out. We just don't know the whole story but even if we did it would change nothing.

    I cannot say though that Mig looks worth £9m and would have to improve a lot to take us forward next year.



    Not sure if Vorm is the answer at 30 but as a transfer target he ticks all the boxes.


    He's cheap
    Known to BR
    Played for Swansea
    Has a nickname

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  9. Having a nickname is the most most important thing.

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  10. Of course.


    My only worry if we sign him is it might "condemn Allen to permanent squad player staus".:-)

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  11. Nah wouldn't want Stekelenburg. Magath said the main reason he dropped him is because he doesn't talk to his defence enough, so that seems like an out of the frying pan kind of situation.

    Adler has dropped some clangers this season and is injury prone for a 'keeper.

    Zieler would be good. I don't think we'll be spending more than £6mil though.

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  12. When are you writing the article in favour of signing Hulk then?

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  13. B Rodgers should bring in either: for £4-£8M


    A Mccarthy(24) Of Reading
    D Marshall(29) Of Cardiff
    M Vorm(30) Of Swansea
    T Krul(26) Of Newcastle


    The best GK out of the 4 this season was D Marshall(29), but A Mccarthy(24) is English and has potential to compete with J Hart for England No 1 Jersey in the next year or two if he is at right club.

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  14. I'm not sure BR is looking for keepers at all in fairness but I would see Stekelenburg as an upgrade to Jones and he is commanding in his box, not matter what Magath says :-) All the others are just too expensive if a goalkeeper is not a must fill position for Rodgers.

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  15. He probably wouldn't be a bad signing as a 2nd choice (good experience) but I wouldn't be too excited about getting the man who was part of one of the worse defensive units the Premier League has ever seen. Obviously you could argue that he was a victim of that ineptitude rather than part of it.

    I'd prefer to get someone who is up and coming or someone who is old but reliable (Schwarzer or Friedel kind of profile). Either of those should be reasonably cheap.

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  16. If Vorm can offer his services to us for another 8 years, then this is a welcome acquisition, will make us feel virtually stronger at the back. I have no confidence in Brad Jones so does the management, so whats the point in keeping a keeper who you are afraid to keep? ;)

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