1 Dec 2014

Mega-Deal: LFC free to sign 'unique' Real Madrid star for £64m. Swap for Sterling?

Despite the arrival of Lazar Markovic and Adam Lallana, Liverpool are still struggling to score goals from midfield, and the £46m duo's paucity in front of goal is currently being compounded by the utter failure of Coutinho, Sterling, Henderson, and Balotelli to regularly chip-in with goals. Rodgers is currently considering a move for another attacking midfielder, and 'unique' Real Madrid star Isco is on the club's radar, but to sign the Spanish maestro, the Reds will need to pay an execrably extortionate price.

In September, The Independent claimed that:

* Arsenal and Liverpool are planning to make January offers for the 22-year old attacker.

* Liverpool have dropped their interest in Barca star Pedro to make Isco the club's number one target.

This followed a report over the summer in Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, which claimed:

"The imminent arrival of James Rodriguez at Real Madrid means Isco could be leaving the club, with Milan and Liverpool favorites to sign the midfielder"

Well, according to the Express this week:

"Liverpool are in with a chance of landing Real Madrid star Isco after being informed that £64million will be enough to secure the Spaniard's signature"

£64m?! After seeing that ridiculous figure, I had to check the date to see if it was April Fool's Day. I think it's safe to categorically state that Liverpool will never pay that kind of fee for Isco, or indeed any player, and it's doubtful that any club in world football will shell out that kind of money for a player who's barely a first-team regular at the Bernabeu.

For the right price, Isco - who cost Madrid €30m last summer - is a good option, but even if Real are willing to sell, I doubt Liverpool have a realistic chance of signing him. Unless, of course, the Reds offer Madrid target Raheem Sterling in part-exchange...

One thing's for sure - Reds fans would love to see Isco at Anfield. I recently conducted a site poll asking fans if Liverpool should sign him in January:

* 12300 visitors participated in the poll.
* A whopping 78% of voters selected were in favour of the deal.

Isco's stock seems to be rising at Madrid, and after the club's recent victory over Barcelona, Ancelotti hailed the attacker's 'fantastic' performance, and outlined how he has improved this season. He told reporters:

"Isco looks like he has been playing here a long time. He has just as much quality on the wing as in the centre, but the defensive work he is doing on the wing is very important. When we are attacking he can go where he wants and he is very good at choosing the right place on the pitch."

There is huge competition for places at the Bernabeau, but is it any different at Liverpool? If Isco comes to Anfield, he'll have to compete against Lallana, Sterling, Coutinho, and Markovic, not to mention Sturridge, who - after the arrival of Balotelli - may occasionally play out wide.

When it comes to direct competition, Isco would be up against Lallana and Coutinho for the number 10 role in the side, and of the three, you'd have to fear for Coutinho's chances of regular game-time, especially given the Brazilian's form struggles this season.

Do Liverpool need Isco? Is he a better option than Lallana and Coutinho in the number 10 role?

Author:


73 comments:

  1. They'll want Sterling for a swap plus money.
    I keep coming back to this but has anyone been watching Jordan Ibe this season?


    If so please explain why he was Loaned out and Markovic brought in whose done NOTHING?


    Watch the leaks for the internal wrangling coming out in the coming weeks.
    FSG are not going to give BR any money given what he's done with it.


    Who are these people on the transfer committee ?

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  2. ISCO FOR 64 MILLION POUNDS I,D SAY NO WAY HE IS NOT WORTH THAT MUCH,IF LFC HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY THEY SHOULD GET A NEW KEEPER LIKE NETO,ANOTHER ATTACING PLAYER LIKE PEDRO WHO CAN PLAY ANYWERE ACROSS THE MIDFIELD AND HE CAN DOUBLE UP AS A FALSE NO.9,AND A DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDER LIKE CABAYA.

    IF WE TOTAL UP THOSE THREE PLAYERS IT WOULD COST LFC 60 MILLION POUNDS.

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  3. Can he play in goal or as a DM?

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  4. we can have him for 64m,thats nice of them has he got a twin we can buy

    as well and we will round it off at 120m

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  5. We need someone who can score goals
    rather then create some

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  6. and we need some players to stop goals

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  7. last season showed its not important stopping goals

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  8. for 64m i should imagine so

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  9. its not important as long as you score more than the other team, if you don't im afraid its a vital requirement for a win

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  10. whats 64m among friends seppy,rodgers has already blew 200m so another 64m wont matter

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  11. At the same time?

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  12. Has anyone looked at where we'd be if we hadn't conceded any goals ?

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  13. LOL @ Gilly ...if I don't laugh I'll just get depressed about it

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  14. If you were Isco or Pedro et al would you want to come to Liverpool or would you be attracted to Liverpool while we have Brendan Rogers?

    This is why I believe that Sanchez didn't come to Liverpool...lets be honest ...Wenger, Van Gaal , Mourinho, Pellegrini are all Highly Respected Managers.

    It's reflected in the players they are able to attract...Rogers is NOT in that class.
    In fact Koeman has more International Managerial pedigree and gravitas than Brendan Rogers.

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  15. The Markovic signing looks weirder by the minute. We have a quality winger with immense potential waiting on the wings and we buy a similar if not worse player for 20 million. If we had got a star winger then maybe but this makes no sense. Similarly, the Lallana signing can be said the same. We have Suso, Teixeira and even Luis Alberto who just came in the summer before and we spent 26 mil on him and he is not a guaranteed starter. Why sign Alberto and Lallana when you already have Suso and Teixeira. That is 46 million right there and I am pretty sure we could have gotten a star player with that money.

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  16. Isco for Sterling?


    That would be like daylight robbery. Sterling is on a different level to Isco but unfortunately for Sterling Rodgers believes his best position is out wide.

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  17. I love Sterling a lot but that is just not true. Isco is just magnificent. Sterling is not on that level yet.

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  18. Because, this so called transfer committee is a shambles...and they are incapable of agreeing.
    I can see the sense in getting Lallana but not Markovic.
    There is no way he's a better player than Jordan Ibe is at the moment.
    There must be some kind of power struggle going on behind the scenes

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  19. You need to look into the transfer committee and who is making the decisions

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  20. well it is Xmas

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  21. Maybe the problem is they agree too easily i am stunned at the players that were bought.

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  22. the players we have bought look like they have been stunned with a tazer

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  23. I like Lallana a lot and he is a good player but are you honestly telling me that Suso, Alberto and Texeira would not be able to fill out the same role as a squad player like Lallana is doing. When you spend so much money on a player than you would expect him to start every or most games but that is just not happening. So, why buy and take such a big risk when you have not one, not two but three players at your helm.

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  24. Oh and that is why Madrid want Sterling and will let go of Isco?


    Sterling > Isco. FACT!

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  25. Sorry but Isco is definitely as good as if not better than Sterling at this moment in time

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  26. Logan no I can't have that did you watch what he did to us in the CL game ?

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  27. Yes with Sterling being wasted out wide!

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  28. I actually laughed out loud at that one gilly

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  29. Apparently Isco was for sale for 20 million odd pounds in the summer window and we got Lallana well there is another massive mistake which a few people noticed esp. when we forked out 25 mill for Lallana.

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  30. well spotted greg ...he was ...but Brendan and the committee know what they're doing don't they ?

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  31. Indeed and even considering we had three other aspiring players ready to burst on the scene if given a chance.

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  32. Sid i reckon Rodgers had a real want to get this guy he was never going to sell on at more than we paid this is totally ridiculous.

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  33. How is that a fact? It is not a 'fact' in any way, shape or form. In terms of overall goals/assists, Isco has outperformed Sterling last season and this season (so far).

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  34. you are right It is not fact but an opinion.
    I think Gerrard is better then Lampard but goals and assists suggest otherwise
    so goals and assists are not the ultimate measure of how good a player is

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  35. Septimus worked on a couple of committees in sporting clubs and although it was voluntary and by no means big business youd be surprised at the stupid ways they arrive at decisions.
    A lot of the time its trade offs you like this and will vote for theirs if they vote for your idea i dont know how this one works but its not effective.

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  36. Sterling is only is still only 19, 3 years younger than Isco. Sterling is one of the best young talents in the world and is exactly why Madrid want Sterling.

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  37. I didn't say goals/assists are the 'ultimate' measure of how good a player is. I used stats to refute the contention that Sterling is better than Isco.

    Facts are far more persuasive that someone's opinion of how good a player is. An attacker's primary role is to score/create goals. It doesn't matter how good attacking player X is (subjectively) perceived to be - if he has 50% fewer goals/assists than player Y, then there's no way he can credibly be labelled a 'better' or more effective player.

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  38. What does age have to do with anything? You emphatically state something as a fact when you have zero evidence to back it up. It is categorically not a fact that Sterling is better than Isco.

    Plus, Sterling is untested outside England, and has done nothing on the European/international stage. He is a promising player with potential, not some world-beater. The hype is ridiculous.

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  39. Indeed Greg I can imagine...The people making these decisions in this so called committee need to in the public light and not allowed to just blame Brendan Rogers if they are making player purchases. I'd like to know if Ian Ayre is on that committee, as he really needs to be moved on.
    I remember his antics around Hicks and Gillett he's accountable and has managed to hang on. When FSG took over and got enough experience they should have moved Ian Ayre on as well

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  40. The hype is ridiculous you say? Sterling is very tough little player. La Liga will be a walk in the park compared to the EPL. Madrid want him and Sterling will only get better.

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  41. Once again, you're blindly making assumptions with nothing to back them up. You don't know that La Liga will be a 'walk in the park' for Sterling, or that he will 'only get better'.

    There are plenty similar players in the past who've been hyped out of all proportion and ultimately ended up failing in the long run.

    And yes, the hype is ridiculous, and embarrassing.

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  42. The physicality of La Liga compared to the EPL is like day and night. Sterling will flourish in La Liga.


    Madrid are always keen on English players


    Bale, Mcmanaman, Owen, Beckham and Woodgate.


    Selling Sterling to Madrid would be a massive mistake for the LFC. He is our best player.

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  43. Can't believe some people saying sterling is better than isco. he ripped us a new arsehole when he played against us and if you had watched all the liverpool games you would know sterling is overhyped, he does one good thing and 5 bad things. im not saying hes shit by any means but to suggest he's even similar to isco is completely absurd and real don't want to ship him out that's why they put a 64 million price tag on him.

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  44. i think they buy the shoot magazine and stick pins in blinfolded

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  45. i stated several months back that i couldn't see the point of the lallana signing .....

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  46. What amazes me is Brendan went through so much hassle to get this guy and even did some shady things to do this and after spending a fortune and our team is desperate need for attacking impetus, he is left on the bench. Why would you waste your entire summer for a squad player.

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  47. good point sep....axe br..send him back in wales:)

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  48. Raheem Sterling at 1st team level in the EPL - Goal/assist every 2.82 games.

    Isco at 1st team level in La Liga - Goal/assist every 2.82 games.



    Sterling is younger and plays in a far more demanding league than Isco. NOW WONDER MADRID WANT STERLING!!!

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  49. This is the most Ludicrous (and I am just been nice) comment I have ever heard. EPL is exciting and entertaining but La Liga been walk in a park is far fetched!!!! Rethink and think again Por Favor!

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  50. Why are you repeating yourself?

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  51. did you see what zamora did to us in the prem haha

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  52. Because it is the truth. Madrid will pay good money for Sterling and it would be absolute madness to sell Sterling anytime soon.

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  53. the only way there levels differs is sterling is shorter ...i like sterling logan but come on stop putting coal on the hype train

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  54. love him..........get a grip sid

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  55. as oppossed to being wasted down the middle in this Liverpool set up

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  56. apologies accepted

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  57. he must like the hotels in Southampton

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  58. Of course we need a player like Isco, there are very few teams in the world who would say they didn't need a player of that calibre, however if he were ever to to be up for sale we would be at the bottom of a very long queue

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  59. Sterling last season compared to this season? Like two totally different players. Rodgers this season as usual knows better.

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  60. I'd have to agree with Logan about it being a walking the park. Physically it would be far easier and most teams that play Real just rollover anyway.

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  61. Isco rated at £64m:-) Man Utd overpaid for Angel Di Maria.Now Real Madrid think another desperate/retard3d club will pay a similar price for Isco.
    The domino effect of stupidity in the transfer market.

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  62. Isco is a much better option in the number ten role than anyone that currently plays for us.


    That said, I guffawed uncontrollably when I saw the number. But if Sterling wants to do an Owen, I can think of worse things than a swap deal.

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  63. Isco would be a major upgrade on what we've got at the moment. He can play anywhere across the midfield so there would definitely be room for him.
    The price quoted is laughable though. Probably the 30 million euros Madrid paid for him would be about fair

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  64. Isco is a tremendous talent, but Real have no incentive to let him go.

    I thnk if we're going to look at any Real player, it should be Jesé. His injury problems could swing it for us. Very promising player.

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  65. Getting Isco would indeed be great. What I find total BS here is who the hell says we have to sell Sterling? We need to sell Balotelli, Markovic, Johnson and Lucas to help offset the added cost a bit. The truth is, we have less than a 1% chance of this rumor ever seeing the light of day. His named was mentioned this past summer on this site and that was BS back then like so many rumors.
    I would however be thrilled to death by signing Alex Song so we don't have to have Lucas or gerrard playing as a DM. I would be much happier with Song and Can with the latter learning from the former. This too should have happened in the summer instead of diddling around and getting beat to the punch by West Friggin Ham United! Really?
    Our front office should be deeply ashamed of themselves.......

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  66. I am tempted to sneak a takeover at Liverpool to negotiate a swap deal involving Isco and `Sterling, knowing that Sterling will get homesick and return after one season, even if it is to Newcastle. We'd still have Isco and I'd get to touch the 'This is Anfield' sign.

    A well-timed video of Isco rapping Catalan independence rhymes on Christmas Eve should be enough incentive for Real to let him go. Jesé is welcome to join, too.

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  67. Apparently Song is on 140k a week. No way Ian Ayre is going to sanction that contract for a player that is going to be on the bench behind Gerrard, anyway.


    (Don't mention Lallana and Markovic and Can and and and...)

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  68. Unfortunately the Catalan language is known for being impossible to rhyme. The spirit of non-conformity amongst the Catalunyans (natural rebels that they are) is so great that it means that they physically can't rhyme without causing a severe arrhythmic irritation of the phrenic nerve.

    If Isco tried to spit some Catalan fire, he'd likely combust in a hicuppy ball of flames.

    Fear not though; I'll get you a 'This is Anfield' sign for Christmas and you can hang it over your toilet.

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  69. Yes Ayre is on the committee not sure what he adds it certainly would not be assessing player talent though.

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  70. I will have lost all faith in BR and FSG if Isco is signed for the swap of Sterling. He's been performing greatly in the last few games, and if Isco is brought in and does poorly.. well then we're 64 mil poorer

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