4 Dec 2014

Price Crash: LFC free to sign 'incredible' £20m star who's 'like Kaka' for just £10m

Liverpool are reportedly 'keen' to sign Inter Milan midfielder Mateo Kovacic, who is allegedly available for a knockdown fee.

Liverpool were linked with Kovacic over the summer, and sccording to the Express today:

* Inter Milan 'have told Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool' that they can sign Kovacic for just £10m.

* Inter are willing to sell to to finance moves for Liverpool's Fabio Borini and Lucas Leiva.

When asked this week about Kovacic's future, Inter Sporting Director Piero Fassone conceded that there's a strong chance the coveted 20-year old may leave. He told Corriere Dello Sport:

"I've learned that no player is off the market in football. Sther clubs have more appeal than us, and if a big club arrives, it would be right to make him happy"

Kovacic doesn't appear to be in any hurry to leave the San Siro, and a promotional event this week, he hailed Inter as a 'great club', and directly addressed rumours linking him with a move away:

"I'm glad that other clubs are looking at me, but I'm happy at Inter. I would like to extend my contract. It is looking good and we still have plenty of time to sort it all out this season."

Some info about Kovacic:

* Versatile: Can play as a deep-lying mid, attacking mid, wide left.
* Current contract expires in June 2017.
* This season: 5 goals/2 assists in 17 games.
* 19 apps for the Croatian national team.
* His idol is Robert Prosinecki, to whom he is often compared.

Kovacic is certainly higly regarded. Last season, Croatia legend Zvonimir Boban raved:

"He has talents that could make him even better than me, and he is an incredibly serious professional for someone his age. He is a complete talent that can still grow — he has incredible potential."

In a recent interview with Radio 105, former Italy managerial legend Giovanni Trappattoni outlined Kovacic's main qualities:

"If left free to invent up front, Kovacic can be very dangerous. He isn't a director like [Andrea] Pirlo, he's more like Kaka and Seedorf. He tends to dribble, has a lot of technique and great acceleration. He's a class player"

Inter legend Javier Zanetti is also a fan of Kovacic, and in an interview last season, he compared him to one of the world's greatest players:

"With the exception of Ronaldo, [Kovacic] is the most promising. He has enormous skills; now he just has to confirm that potential, to grow up"

Inter reportedly rejected a £20m bid from Barcelona over the summer, so it seems unlikely that they'll now let one of the club's biggest talents leave for £10m less than that.

However, if Kovacic is really available for £10m, then it's an excellent price, and makes much more financial sense than spending £20m on Lazar Markovic.

Signing experienced players should be LFC's priority, but if promising young players are available for reasonable prices (£10m for Divock Origi, for example), then the Reds should take a serious look.

Plus, if it gets Fabio Borini off the books, then so be it. As for Lucas - he is playing well at the moment, but his time at Anfield is up, so if inter make a good offer, then the Reds should snap it up.



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8 comments:

  1. I doubt 10m is a likely offer, most likely somewhere in the mid 20s is more likely, and therefore wouldn't take him, but, if its true, then 10m isn't a bad deal

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  2. If Lucas is 'playing well at the moment' then why is his time at Anfield up? If Gerrard retires or his role is reduced, Lucas can continue for several more years. Why just succumb to Rodgers expelling an experienced player and replacing him with what will most probably be another transfer flop? Rodgers needs to be pressured.

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  3. Lucas should only go if we're guaranteed of getting someone better in. Like Carvalho.

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  4. Lucas is, arguably, the best defensive midfielder we have, with perhaps Allen and Can able to play a similar role. We need to learn from the Suarez sale debacle, and have someone of equal, or preferably greater ability (and inevitably, value) in place to take his place. We can ill afford to be indecisive and quibble over trifling details.

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  5. Kovacic is a quality young player so If he's really available for £10 then by all means snap him up if we can.

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  6. you can suck my....for 10mln, kovacic's price is about 50mln euro and he is not for sale!!!

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  7. For the same reason Johnson's time should be up. They're the past, not the future. Like Lucas, Johnson may have a decent game every now and again, but overall, he's not (IMO) a player who should be a regular first-teamer. Squad player, yes, but I doubt he'll want to do that.

    For me, Lucas is a limited player overall. He's good at specific defensive things, but he's also too slow, mistimes too many tackles, and gives away lots of needless free kicks. Plus, he offers absolutely nothing going forward. That's not a prerequisite for a DM, but he isn't very good at direct forward player, and starting attacks from deep, either.

    LFC can do better in that position.

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  8. That he is, opening his mouth so he can change feet.

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