21 Mar 2015

€30m Double-Deal? Liverpool chase €10m star who 'controls Neymar and Ronaldo'

With Glen Johnson almost certain to quit Anfield this summer, Liverpool continue to be linked with replacement right-backs, and the latest player on the Reds' radar is Villareal star Mario Gaspar.

According to reports in Italy and England this week:

* Liverpool are considering a summer bid for 24-year old Gaspar as part of a €30m double-deal with Luciano Vietto.

* Villareal are willing to sell for €10m [£7m]

* The Reds scouted Gaspar during Villarreal's recently Europa League defeat to Sevilla.

On the 3rd of March, Spanish newspaper Marca hailed Gaspar as 'Neymar and Bale's nemesis', and in a press conference soon after, Villareal boss Marcelino made specific reference to that. He told reporters:

"Mario is a player who controls Neymar, Bale, and Cristiano Ronaldo, and stops them playing at an elite level"

Some info about Gaspar:

* Right-footed right back.
* Current contract expires: 2019
* 171 appearances for Villareal.
* 15 apps for various Spain youth teams.
* 6 goals/10 assists.
* No injuries in the last five years.
* Averages 40 games a season.
* Passing accuracy: 74%
* Key passes: 16 in 32 games (League/CL)

* Describes his approach to the game as follows: "My mission is to defend. If I can then help attack, then great, but my first priority is to defend".

74% passing accuracy for a defender is not the greatest, but it may just be that Gaspar spends a lot of time in the opposition half, and consequently loses the ball more often as a result of trying to be ambitious in attack.

Indeed, stats generally tend to show that players in attacking areas have lower accuracy than those who spend most of their time in defence/midfield. For example, Luis Suarez never got out of the 70s when it came to passing accuracy, but that didn't inhibit his effectiveness.

Whatever happens, it looks like the death knell is sounding for Javier Manquillo. The Spaniard hasn't started a Premier League game since December, and more often than not, he's on the bench and/or not even in the squad.

If Manquillo can't make the breakthrough with Flanagan out injured, and Johnson struggling to be a regular starter, then he's never going to make it, especially if Liverpool bring in yet another right-back this summer.

Author:


19 comments:

  1. I didnt think Manquillo was too bad when he did play maybe the 343 just doesnt suit him or maybe if the club had paid 20 million for him like they did Lovren he would be playing

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  2. no more southcoast geeezers5:36 am, March 21, 2015

    As long as we sign vietto first and jaun cazares

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  3. I have been very impressed with Daryl Janmaat. Would not mind if we tried for him.

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  4. But Lovren isn't playing regular

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  5. true but more than Manquillo

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  6. Are you his agent? Look he's average and will go to West Ham if anywhere

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  7. It's like Candyman- keep saying it and he will appear

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  8. no more southcoast geeezers11:22 am, March 21, 2015

    No iam a football purist and i no top players when i see them my frend veito and cazares are top young players that would be ideal for the way lfc play and if u cant see that you dont study footbball properly.. as rapha bennitez says "fact"

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  9. As Gene would say -Bull

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  10. Yeah I thought in a 4 at the back Manquillo and Moreno gave us good balance however I think he just doesn't have enough going forward to play the WB role for us. He's not the quickest either and I wouldn't be surprised if he was sent back to Atletico at the end of the season

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  11. no more southcoast geeezers12:46 pm, March 21, 2015

    GeNe u drinkn to much red bull stop it

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  12. I was calling for his sig last summer. He's definitely the style that we need on the right, but he may or may not be available for a reasonable price since he just signed. Like Lovren.

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  13. Yeah i reckon hes gone unless BR decides against a back 3 for next season.

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  14. Nevergonnacrackthesouthcoastgeezers

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  15. Arbeloa doesnt go forward in his first season but ended up in real Madrid. Manquillo is very young.

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  16. He didn't play wingback either... What's ur point?

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  17. Redboondocksaint10:37 am, March 22, 2015

    What do you guys rate on ️️maybe getting the likes of Charlie Austin? He has scored 15 goals in BPl and 3 assists in a team that is almost destined to go down. If they do get relegated we can get him for as little as 10m . He is English and only 25 and has atleast adapted to the premier league.

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