29 Jun 2014

Anfield Exit: LFC willing to sell 'perfect' attacker for £12.5m. £10m offer received. Accept ASAP?

It's fair to say that on-loan Liverpool striker Fabio Borini endured a disappointing debut season at Anfield. Injuries aside, the Italian didn't quite click in Brendan Rodgers' tactical set-up, and only got to play his favoured central striker role once in twenty appearances for the Reds. Things seem to have changed for the better this year, though, and Borini seems to have found his level at Sunderland, who are reportedly preparing a permanent bid.

According to the Daily Mail:

* Sunderland are planning a £10m offer for Borini (£8m with £2m in add-ons)

* Liverpool will sell, but want £12.5m for the 23-year-old.

Sunderland boss Gustavo Poyet is a fan of Borini, and in a recent interview, he told Sky Sports:

"If we stay in the Premier League I would keep him. Fabio is the perfect character to have in a group of players, professional, he cares, he gives everything - the perfect professional".

With Liverpool in the Champions League, Borini - who cost the Reds £11m in 2012 - will probably want to stay at Anfield, and his agent is convinced that he will be at LFC next season. He told reporters recently:

"After the season returns Borini to Liverpool, where he is one of Brendan Rodgers favourites. You should talk to him about a possible sale, but I do not think that is the intention".

Poyet's glowing words confirm what Reds fans already know: Borini is a top-class professional with a great attitude, but has he done enough to secure a future at LFC? Sunderland stats for this season:

* 7 goals/2 assists in 32 apps.
* Goal ever 4.5 games.
* Shooting accuracy: 36%
* Passing accuracy: 75%
* Key passes: 14
* Crossing accuracy: 20%
* Successul dribbles: 16
* Tackles: 15
* Interceptions: 19

Stats: OPTA

To be honest, I'm ambivalent on this issue. If Rodgers decides to sell, great, but if Borini ends up staying, the stats suggest that the he could be decent squad player. After another year of Premier League experience, he should - in theory - be more equipped to make an impact for LFC, but with Rickie Lambert now in the squad, I don't see where Borini fits in.

Unfortunately, the harsh truth is that Borini is only ever going to be a squad player for LFC; he just doesn't have what it takes to be a regular starter, so perhaps it's better if Liverpool cash-in now. £10m is a fair transfer fee, and there's no guarantee that a similar offer will be forthcoming in the future.

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35 comments:

  1. Jamie do you think the lallanna deal will even happen its been a while now maybe tottenham have hijacked it.

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  2. Sunderland may still want Borini. I would keep him but if he goes then Shaqiri would be my pick to replace him.

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  3. Got to say this vote must be close... Even though I personally think Borini has some talent and should be given a chance, if we can recoup what we paid for him it should be wonderful. Especially if the belgian wonderkid is coming :)

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  4. I like Borini's attitude and his loan spell at Sunderland was pretty successful. His positioning is good and he has developed a knack of scoring important goals in big games. He has plenty of time on his side to improve his game, but it's unlikely that he will be able to do that at Liverpool. I'd say a deal for around £10 million would be to the benefit for all parties. On another note, Ochoa just turned in another eye-catching performance between the sticks for Mexico v Holland. Pulled off a string of reaction saves, and is impressively agile. Someone should give that guy a contract.

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  5. Borini will stay if he is willing to fight for a place. With Suarez most likely to leave should have the guts to battle it out!

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  6. Love Fabio, fella has a lot of quality and will probably have a great career... But I don't think he's yet shown enough to suggest he really deserves significant game time at Liverpool atm... And if £12m approx could be taken and put towards a top quality attacker, we've surely got to take it?

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  7. Borini will rarely get games in Liverpool. Suarez (or his replacement if he leaves), Sturridge and now Rickie Lambert are ahead of him. He should move to Sunderland or another team to enhance his chances of playing

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  8. Muhammad Ibrahim8:59 pm, June 29, 2014

    We should cash in Borini and use that money to buy Firminio

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  9. I can't see us keeping Sturridge, Suarez (or his replacement), Lambert, Aspas & Borini. Aspas or Borini should go and I'd opt for Borini to leave as he's transfer would bring surely bring more than a potential Aspas one. Plus I still have hope for Aspas, he clearly has talent, just needs confidence.

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  10. I voted to keep, basically for the reasons poyet said. Useful squad player with a great player who will keep others on their toes in training however I am equally ambivalent on the issue. If he stays great, if he goes meh

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  11. I would say it's the opposite. Borini could potentially be a very useful squad player next season. He will be a better player for being at Sunderland and has the potential to make some kind of impact on the first team. Aspas on the other hand only had one years top flight experience at celta Vigo before joining us. That's not that promising for a 26 year old. On top of that he's played practically no football in the last 12 months so he certainly won't have improved. Aspas should definitely be moved on this summer, at a couple mil loss if necessary

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  12. Yeah I get your argument. It's just that if we can really get £10M for Borini I think we should go for it, as I suspect he he would still be 4th in the pecking order if he stays.

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  13. Found his level? You ungrateful scousers know nothing, we put the league on a plate for your lot and you still choked, be more grateful and you may be liked a bit more.

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  14. Rather get some much needed money (with all our spending) than keeping someone we might not really need nor use.

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  15. Thanks for stopping by. Your insight and wisdom is noted and appreciated as such. :)

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  16. I was then going to say that maybe Southampton hijacked it... but well, that wouldn't exactly work now would it? :)

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  17. Hello there JK, i've been a silent reader of this site for years. Now i've finally built up the courage to sign up and join the discussion! Loooking forward to having great debate with yourself and the regular posters on here.

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  18. I say keep him only if we envision playing him in a central striker role. He seems to be a good poacher, but he doesn't provide enough playing wide to justify starting him over someone else. If we can get 10m now and can't find a way to play him in his best position, we should take the money and invest in someone who can play that position.

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  19. Peter Panofield9:38 pm, June 29, 2014

    First thing is borini for 10 mil very good bizness

    Secondary I think liverpool already had a deal in place to sell Suarez at least a month ago

    The amount of spending doesnt add up and we havnt got defenders yet.

    Liverpool will spend 60 mil tops net

    So watch this space

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  20. Thanks for visiting for so long - much appreciated :-)

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  21. Where the hell is our bid for sanchez he shuda be our first transfer target.
    cum on brendan see the sense id even go up to 40 million for him hes at another level compared to what we have and what we are being linked to plz plz sign ynwa

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  22. Welcome to the family Sir!

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  23. Didn't vote..and I think LFC should wait to see what the bid for Suarez is. If we get a huge bid for Suarez: > 80M pounds, then I think we sell him. If Suarez stays, the I say keep him. Then we'll have 4 strikers which ought to be enough.

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  24. For 25M and a rumoured 100K a week (surely not!) I wish Spurs did hijack it...

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  25. We don't like new blood around here, son.

    Sick 'em, boys!

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  26. If we sign Origi we'll have a bunch of fringe strikers so some of them will have to go. Lambert is first choice on rotation, Origi will train hard to earn a spot ... it leaves Aspas and Borini in no-mans land. I'll be interested to see what Rodgers does. Maybe he'll keep them all and just use who he wants. Still, it's a better problem to have than not having enough players. I'd say there will be some late outbound transfers because Rodgers will want to asses his squad only once they are all together. Borini and Aspas will be given at least some part of the pre-season to convince the manager that they deserve to stay.

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  27. upgrade required..........

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  28. Hey Jamie maybe you could write an article on gordon stratchmans view about there being no morality in football

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  29. We have only spent 39m so far. Champions league cash would be 30m and increased revenue from TV etc this year. I don't see it as a definite sign.

    We have a bit of deadwood to sell off as well. Aspas, Reina, Assaidi (10m ish total) , plus possibly Borini, Suso, (15m) and talk of Agger (8m) or Lucas (8m) being sold as well. Theres 25 - 40m right there.

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  30. I bet you are a legend at Football Manager.

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  31. Poor Hendo, his contribution always gets forgotten.

    Hendo is also a good English signing imo. Growning season by season.

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  32. If anything another loan spell would be enough. Borini is still learning the ropes as far as being a top class striker goes so theres still potential to be unlocked. IMO we should keep him to develop with the squad as well as helping with squad depth for carling and FA cup matches.

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  33. Lallana had his medical friday

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  34. B Rodgers should sell F Borini(22) for 12M to Sunderland, take 10M upfront and then 2M in add ons and bonuses.

    B Rodgers should also ship out these players this summer which would bring him in another 25M:

    GK: B Jones(32) GK: P Reina(31) CB: S Coates(23) CB: K Toure(33)

    RB: M Kelly(23) DM: L Leiva(27) RW: O Assaidi(25) FD: I Aspas(26)

    And then B Rodgers should use the 35M and 10M extra to bring in these 5 class quality mobile physical defensive reinforcements:

    1: CB: D Lovren(24) Of Southampton for 10-16M

    2: CB: B Indi(22) Of Feyenoord for 8-11M

    3: RB: S Aurier(21) Of Toulouse for 7-9M

    4: LB: R Bertrand(24) Of Chelsea or B Davies(20) Of Swansea for 6-9M

    5: GK: Guillermo Ochoa(28) on a Free Transfer

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  35. you could say he deserves a chance hes done everything right on loan, like assaidi has. borini is at a good age, id possibly loan him out again or good squad player, bit of a fox in the box

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