11 Feb 2015

Transfer-Alert: 'Unbelievable' £20m LFC-target wants to sign for a 'bigger' club. Liverpool?

During the January transfer window, Liverpool were heavily linked with a £20m-move for unbelievable' West Brom star Saido Berahino, who reportedly prefers LFC over Arsenal, and is allegedly 'desperate' for a move to Anfield. Thankfully, the Reds didn't spend big-bucks on the youngster, but he still wants a move, and he's given another strong indication that he'll leave the Baggies in the summer.

When asked recently about his future, Berahino told ESPN:

"If I can keep them [West Brom] in the Premier League and score as much goals as I can, I'm pretty sure the fans wouldn't mind me pushing on and moving on to bigger things"

Berahino's interview irritated Tony Pulis, who dropped him for West Brom's weekend clash with Burnley. Explaining his decision, Pulis barked:

"He [Berahino] is on the naughty chair. For Saido, the most important thing is to go out there and perform, rather than talking about it. He's still got a long way to go."

Pulis's ire is understandable - Berahino's comment was ill-advised, and if, say, Raheem Sterling made a similar remark, there'd be blood on the streets. That said, the youngster's public declaration that he wants to move on does not (IMO) signal at attitude problem, which is the way the media are (predictably) presenting the issue.

Like Sturridge before him, pundits in the media are currently constructing the 'attitude problem' narrative, even though there's arguably nothing to support that spurious line of thinking. Indeed, according to new Baggies signing Darren Fletcher:

"It was all in good fun. He is young, he said something and he will learn from it. I know from being in the dressing room he loves West Brom and he wants to do well here."

Pulis clearly wants to keep Berahino, but in a recent interview, he also conceded that money talks. He told the BBC:

"Everyone is available in every shape and form [but] we've had no offers for Saido. He is scoring goals and has been a pleasure to work with"

Scoring goals? Not lately:

* No goals for West Brom since January 10th.
* Between October 28th and January 1st, went 11 games without a goal.

West Brom reportedly want £20m for Berahino, but is £20m a fair price? Absolutely no chance. Alas, grossly inflated transfer fees are par for the course when it comes to British players, and it's a massive risk (IMO) to spend £20m+ on someone with such limited Premier League experience.

It's easy to see why Brendan Rodgers is interested, though. With his pace, power, and finishing ability, he probably sees sees Berahino as Daniel Sturridge mk2, and he's probably hoping that the youngster will come in and have a similar impact on the team.

Of course, the major difference is that Sturridge cost a comparative pittance; Liverpool will have to pay through the nose to land Berahino, and in my view, he's just not worth it.

Author:


29 comments:

  1. 10m if BR is in love with him but not any more than that. IMO

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  2. Have we not done with this already? Ok then - no

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  3. The £20m fee to Liverpool is so we can recoup lost money on the two accademy players you cherry picked for £209k each.
    Looks like you took the wrong two players after all. Arf :)

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  4. Great win last night, great game, and a big pat on the back for mario

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  5. Jerome Sinclair & Yan Dhanda.
    Anyhow, we all know how LFC love to pay well over the odds for players like Andy Carroll

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  6. I don't see for a second what he would add to our team. It's like Rodgers said a couple of months ago, we need to focus on bringing on players who have arrived in the game now. Not a flash in the pan like this.

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  7. Good player Sinclair, would rather us give him some game time over the Borini.

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  8. Priority should be a top quality central midfielder and another goalkeeper. We need to do our best to replace Gerrard and need some competition for Mignolet, despite him improving alot over last few game, we need options in goal incase his form goes AWOL again.

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  9. Off subject. Have we all seen the video of the Unt. press officer as she has to hand Van Gs tactical documents to the press? Her face. Priceless!

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  10. In the weekend match vs Burnley he looked weak and uninterested Danny Ings was shuffling and huffing along with more hardcore work rate... So 20 mi is way off....(I have seen Saido few times only...)

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  11. No way, no way. At least Ings is modest... and will cost exactly £0, get him

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  12. Danny Inga over Berahino any goddamn day

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  13. We need another proven goal scorer too.

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  14. George Harrison over John Lennon!

    I'm kidding.

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  15. We need a GOOD keeper. Mignolet is better than he was a few weeks back, but he's still a well below average keeper.
    We need reliable CDs, too... and better strikers. Sturridge may be back on the pitch, but he's far from 'back'. So far, he's looking like Torres did after he came back from a long lay-off.
    The squad is a long, long way from being title contenders.

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  16. Great assist from Lallana yesterday Logs?

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  17. Linda Pizzuti over Yoko Ono..

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  18. Haha there's one I didn't see coming

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  19. His performances in recent weeks have no been of a keeper who is well below average, yes he was truly awful at the start of the year but has been solid since he has come back into the team and much better that' average', give him credit where it is due.


    Strurridge already looks better that Torres did after his lay off, heck Sturridge has already scored and been very unlucky with a few good attempts.


    The squad are good enough for top 4, the top two have superior squads without a doubt the others we can more than hold our against. We also have alot of young players which if we keep them will mean the squad will improve as they develop.

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  20. We have sinclair in the youth team for my concern, if BR looking for squad rotation system, origi come, sturidge fit, balo scores goal, and sinclair as a back up is more than enough.

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  21. He will not cost £0. If we where to sign him we will have to pay the tribunal fee which will be around the 5-8m mark, still considerably less than the 20m being touted around for Berahino though.

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  22. berahino......
    thank you but NO thank you

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  23. Wouldn't want him for 10m if I'm honest let alone the ridiculous 20m being banded about. Poor attitude and hardly setting the world alight (a lot of his goals are penalties). Personally would much rather take Ings at 5m than touch this guy. Lets be honest whoever comes in isn't going to be first choice so would be a big waste of money.

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  24. S Berahino(21) is a top class striker who if wad playing in better team would score more goals. He is ambitious and young, He is better than F Borini(23) and R Lambert(32) combined.


    In the summer B Rodgers should sell and ship out :


    I Aspas(27) permanently FD F Borini(23) Permanently FD
    R Lambert(32) FD L Alberto(22) Permanently AM


    And replace them with these three players and Berahino(21):


    1: S Berahino(21) Of West Brom for £15-£22M upgrade on F Borini(23) FD


    2: J S Rondon(25) Of FC Zenit Saint Petersburg for £10-£15M Upgrade on R Lambert(32) FD


    3: Y Bolaise(25) Of Crystal Palace for £4-£7M Upgrade on I Aspas(27)
    LW / RW


    4: J Montero(25) Of Swansea for £5-£8M Upgrade on L Alberto(22) RW/LW


    The likes of Alberto(22), Aspas(27), Borini(23) and Lambert(32) being shipped out and replaced by better class, mobile, pacey, quicker players that would suit system is way forward.


    As Berahino(21), Bolaise(25), Montero(25) and Rondon(25) will all excel at Anfield.

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