Ex-Barcelona star Victor Valdes continues to be linked with a move to Liverpool, but is there any truth to the rumour that he's agreed a one-year deal with the Reds?
Liverpool have been linked with 'exceptional' Valdes several times over the last year:
2013: The Mirror, claimed that Brendan Rodgers was planning a summer move for Valdes, and that Barca would listen to offers 'of around £16m'.
Feb 2014: Spanish newspaper Sport claimed that LFC were negotiating with Barca after submitting an offer for Valdes.
Apr 2014: The Guardian claimed: "Liverpool will attempt to shore up their decidedly porous defence by replacing the occasionally flappy Simon Mignolet with Víctor Valdés ".
Sep 2014: Multiple reports claim that transfer talks are ongoing; Valdes has agreed personal terms with the Reds, and is set to sign a one-year deal.
In his pre-Aston Villa press conference today, Rodgers directly addressed the Valdes issue. The following is a verbatim exchange between LFC's boss and one a journalist:
Q: "With regards to Victor Valdes, is that still happening? Is there a chance of him coming in?"
BR: "It's the first I've heard of it".
In my view, this probably means that Liverpool are definitely in for Valdes. Prior to signing Mario Balotelli, Rodgers publicly stated the following:
"I can categorically tell you Mario Balotelli will not be at Liverpool"
With this in mind, it's hard to take at face value anything Rodgers says about transfers (!) If it is true, though, it's disappointing. Valdes has amazing experience; he's a real winner, and although he seems to be maligned by some Reds fans, he conceded only 0.8 goals per game in 500 appearances for Barcelona, which is an excellent record. By comparison, Mignolet in his debut season conceded 1.28 goals per game.
A player with Valdes' history - and winning mentality - will be a massive boost for the squad, and to get him as a free agent - when only a year ago he was valued at £16m - would be another major transfer coup.
Author: Jaimie K
Liverpool have been linked with 'exceptional' Valdes several times over the last year:
2013: The Mirror, claimed that Brendan Rodgers was planning a summer move for Valdes, and that Barca would listen to offers 'of around £16m'.
Feb 2014: Spanish newspaper Sport claimed that LFC were negotiating with Barca after submitting an offer for Valdes.
Apr 2014: The Guardian claimed: "Liverpool will attempt to shore up their decidedly porous defence by replacing the occasionally flappy Simon Mignolet with Víctor Valdés ".
Sep 2014: Multiple reports claim that transfer talks are ongoing; Valdes has agreed personal terms with the Reds, and is set to sign a one-year deal.
In his pre-Aston Villa press conference today, Rodgers directly addressed the Valdes issue. The following is a verbatim exchange between LFC's boss and one a journalist:
Q: "With regards to Victor Valdes, is that still happening? Is there a chance of him coming in?"
BR: "It's the first I've heard of it".
In my view, this probably means that Liverpool are definitely in for Valdes. Prior to signing Mario Balotelli, Rodgers publicly stated the following:
"I can categorically tell you Mario Balotelli will not be at Liverpool"
With this in mind, it's hard to take at face value anything Rodgers says about transfers (!) If it is true, though, it's disappointing. Valdes has amazing experience; he's a real winner, and although he seems to be maligned by some Reds fans, he conceded only 0.8 goals per game in 500 appearances for Barcelona, which is an excellent record. By comparison, Mignolet in his debut season conceded 1.28 goals per game.
A player with Valdes' history - and winning mentality - will be a massive boost for the squad, and to get him as a free agent - when only a year ago he was valued at £16m - would be another major transfer coup.
polls
Author: Jaimie K
Valdes shouldn't replace Mignolet, as much as he should challenge him. He would replace Brad Jones, and possibly usurp Mignolet if good enough.
ReplyDeleteallen and can out
ReplyDelete..........................................balotelli
lallana................................sterling.........................markovic
..................................henderson......gerrard
moreno......................sakho...............lovren.........manquillo
................................................mignolet
i will take jockinthekops view that coutinho cant play because he played on wedensday for brazil
//////////////////////gerrard
ReplyDelete/////////////hendo////////lallana
sterling///ballo/////////markovic
with wingers going to the tip of the diamond from time to time as well as hendo and lallana. and the latter two going for the wings too.
that is lethal.
I highly doubt we are going to see this formation.
ReplyDeleteValdes is still injured and even if we do sign him in January he will still not be match fit.
ReplyDeleteSpot on NOT YOU. In addition L F C have got to make it 100 per cent clear to Sterling and Sturidge and especially Roy Stupid Hodgson that they will not be playing in the next England friendly - full stop. Raheem career is on the line at 19 trying to save a crap manager and very poor England team - who played rubbish this week as did my country Wales = really hopeless.6 players injured but only the Welshman will recover quockly cause they got more bottle in South Wales. TELL ENGLAND TO GET STUFFED
ReplyDeleteWe just have to accept it , that is how it goes
ReplyDeletebut i ma happy at least today rodgers made a stance vs hodgson
follow our rules you hodge
......................................balotelli........markovic
ReplyDelete................................................sterling
.....................................lallana................henderson
..................................................gerrard
borini might be better suited to that role then markovic
That is why I have my doubts about the deal. We should have pushed for Diego Lopez when he was available on the free and I am whole heartedly sure that he would have joined us ahead of Madrid. Even Romero would not have been bad and we can still go for him.
ReplyDeleteBut there are quality doubts about Borini. Marko can run in behind the slow defenders of Villa and can rip them to shreds. IMO, he has to play against Villa as a winger or a second striker.
ReplyDeletehate hate hate AAAAGHAAGHHH!!! kill em alll blood blood blood. Hate aaaaaa!!!
ReplyDeleteYes, but flow is the key word, speccialy for Lazar and Raheem, they will cover two or three positions each.
ReplyDeleteI think Lallana could replace Allen and do his job well.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's just BR's round-about way of hinting that reporters ought to let the team focus on playing the matches in front of them rather than engaging in pointless speculation about theoretical future events.
ReplyDeleteHeadline says BR reveals the truth about Valdes but the article totally contradicts that so really we know nothing more than we did prior to the Rodgers interview.
ReplyDeleteWith regards to should Valdes be coming in, I discussed my point of view after a very similar article last week on this site
You would think Hodgson would've learned by consistently injuring Sturridge and took it easy on him in training. We're just lucky it wasn't worse.
ReplyDeleteHeadline is a bit too journalistic...
ReplyDeleteCouldn't agree more!
ReplyDeleteFor a one year deal it's a no brainer, if for no other reason than the effect his vast winning experience will have on the squad. Big Champions League away game, Victor Valdes sat next to you in the dressing room, I bet Moreno and Manquillo would say "yes please!"
Sturridge, Can and Allen out. My team for the villa match
ReplyDelete----------------Mignolet---------------
Manquillo Lovren Sakho Moreno
-----------------Gerrard---------------
---------Hendo---------Lallana------
----------------Coutinho---------------
--------Sterling---------Balotelli-----
Time for Balo to shine...
This is the exact team i would be putting out. Hence Lucas for Lallana Johnson for Manquillo and Enrique for Moreno
ReplyDeletewhat is markovic role in the team ?
ReplyDeleteif we persist with diamond markovic has no role unless he plays as a second striker wish he did at belgrade
he cost 20m he should atlest make some impact this season he is not to be wasted aka ryan babel
Well the diamond brings us more success than two holding midfielders.
ReplyDeleteMarkovic will get his chance.
Winger(left or right), second striker or tip of the diamond is his role.
ReplyDeletewhen markovic is clearly an ambitious guy from his interviews he wants regular football now , like i said this future tag ruins a player like babel
ReplyDeleteif sterling 19 is good enough so is markovic 20
rodgers should give him his chance sooner rather then later
Jaimie re my removed post, with all due respect, you advocate this site as being about critical realism yet you are not in any way open to it yourself.
ReplyDeleteI'm not trying to be antagonistic but surely as long as I'm not being rude or offensive, I should be able to give an honest opinion if I find a headline misleading
Rodgers knows what he is doing.
ReplyDelete...........................................Mingo
ReplyDelete.............................Lovro..................Sacko
......Quillo............................................................Moreno
...........................................Stevo
.......Hendo..........................................................Lanno
.................Marko..........................................Sterlo
............................................Balo
The site is for discussion about football (and related stuff), not for moaning about the nature of articles or headlines (this is stated clearly in the guidelines above the comment box)
ReplyDeleteIf you have a complaint about the site, you're welcome to email me. People don't want to wade through petty complaints to follow and/or engage in discussion.
if allen is out this is the team id like to see ...lots of skill and pace ...we play better on the ront foot
ReplyDeletei make it 5th behind wisdom
ReplyDeletei agree lazer talks the talk lets see waht he can do
ReplyDeleteare you being semantic
ReplyDeleteLoco.
ReplyDeletewhy cant tino play its not like he walked to Brazil ...there is a big i
ReplyDeleteIf Valdés can fully recover from his injury, he'll be a major upgrade on Mignolet. Obviously he is far more comfortable with the ball at his feet than Migs (few can claim to be better in that regard) but he is crucially more commanding and has the experience of major competitions. Mignolet's reflex saves are outstanding, but I think he is 2nd best to Valdés in all other regards, provided Valdés has sufficiently recovered.
ReplyDeleteOn a one year deal this is something with very little downside and potentially a massive upside.
All managers throw a curve ball?
ReplyDeleteClown
ReplyDeleteYes, but I'd honestly start Borini in front of Lambert. I mean, he's been DEVASTATING off the bench. Even for England.
ReplyDeleteYou read my mind :P What am I cooking for dinner tomorrow?
ReplyDeleteyolo
ReplyDeleteCan't believe a word out of his mouth and frankly that's how it should be. Fans are owed nothing until the deal has been agreed. Leaking the details before that just puts the deal in jeopardy or gets people unnecessarily excited. Speculation and rumours are for the press, not the manager.
ReplyDeleteSturridge should be sent to England with a folder of instructions on how he should be managed during training. Like a note from his mum. It's obvious they don't know how to deal with him and Liverpool would be within their right to start complaining that the player is being mistreated.
ReplyDeleteIt'll be like one of those undercover Dispatches/Panorama specials about abuse in care homes.
ReplyDeleteYou'd have grainy subtitled footage of Hodgson shouting "You've had enough? I don't think you've had enough! Don't you dare answer me back Daniel! 15 more laps awound the training gwound,"
"Tonight on Panorama, we reveal the VermFacts about what really goes on behind the scenes at the England camp ..."
ReplyDeleteIt's a team of Australians!
ReplyDeleteFair Dinkum mate.
ReplyDeleteThey'd never run a VermHat story.
ReplyDeleteThe people, or sheeple as I call them (cool guy), couldn't take the 100 proof dose of truth I'd be injecting into their eyes via the televisual syringe.
Wake up, people!.