8 May 2015

Anfield-bound? £10m striker close to signing after secret transfer meetings in Liverpool

It's over: the Memphis Depay dream is finally dead, but fear not! Liverpool reportedly have a stunning alternative lined-up, and although he's young, comparatively unknown, and untested outside the lower-levels of the Ligue-One, I have no doubt that Brendan Rodgers will soon be describing him 'outstanding', 'wonderful', 'superb', and 'terrific' (all in the same sentence).

According the French newspaper L'Equipe this week:

* Liverpool are in 'advanced talks' to sign Rennes striker Paul-Georges Ntep.

* The 22-year old is allegedly a 'priority target' for Liverpool.

* Ntep has visited Liverpool 'twice' in the last week to see the facilities and discuss a transfer.

* Rennes want a £10m transfer fee for Ntep.

So, Liverpool are not interested in Memphis Depay, who has 34 goals/assists this season (and international experience with Holland), but are interested in a striker from the lower-reaches of the French league?

That, in a nutshell, epitomises the current problem with Liverpool's catastrophically failing transfer policy.

It may just be paper talk, but if this story is true, then it's symptomatic of the club's ongoing incompetence in the transfer market.

The Reds need proven-quality 'marquee players' (Rodgers' words, not mine), and/or players who've shown that they have the quality to succeed at the highest level.

Ntep - hailed by Arsene Wenger as a 'great prospect' - is neither of those things, and if Liverpool pursue this deal, it's clear that Rodgers (and the transfer committee) have learned nothing from their *many* transfer failures over the last three years.

If Ntep had an amazing goals/assist ratio, then I'd understand the interest, but that isn't the case. Career stats:

Rennes
* 14 goals/7 assists in 48 apps.
* Goal every 3.4 games.

Auxerre:
* 20 goals/7 assists in 62 apps.
* Goal every 3.1 games.

Totals: 34 goals/14 assists in 110 apps.
* Goal every 3.2 games
* Goal/Assist every 2.3 games.

Overall, Ntep's record is okay, but 'okay' is not what Liverpool need. Plus, the Reds already have Divock Origi to fulfill the 'young, developing striker' role at Anfield, so he is (arguably) not even needed.

Is Ntep going to galvanise the squad, and inspire other players to up their games? Is he going to be a match-winner, and step-up when the going gets tough? Is he going to score 20+ goals a season right from the off?

In the immortal words of MacGruber:


If Liverpool need another developing striker in the squad to make up the numbers, then just promote Jerome Sinclair already. Why spend £10m+ when there's a player at the club with massive potential to make the grade.

Like many fans, I don't want to see any more cheap, average, comparatively untested, players clogging up the squad. Liverpool's priority this summer should be the acquisition of 2-3 top-class, proven-quality performers (preferably experienced) with the ability make an immediate difference.

I'm not hopeful, though. I said exactly the same thing last summer, and look what happened.

Forget winter - now is the summer of our discontent, it seems.

Author: Jaimie K


25 comments:

  1. Edwin Smeulders11:35 pm, May 08, 2015

    As that song from Talking Heads goes...`We`re on the road to nowhere` !!!!!!........mid table mediocrity beckons, because LFC has become a `farm` for young so called upcoming players who can potentially be onsold for profit to line FSG`s pockets.If this story is true and the same thing happens again in the summer transfer market as last season,then I may as well go support pub football !!.LFC is quickly becoming a legacy....from a long gone yesteryear era at this rate.This stupid,stupid transfer policy has to stop...get ,as you say Jamie,2 or 3 big name players in, or we will keep regressing,not progressing.....God forbid if we lose to Chelsea,top 4 WILL definately be over and who would want to come to LFC then ???????

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hahahaha this is becoming comical! A friend of mine who is a LFC fan says he is going to be a free agent. He is not supporting LFC until BR is gone!! Right now I personally will wait and see after the season. Let's be honest FSG has not come out to support BR like they did in his first year when he was struggling. If they let him stay I don't want to fantom it...

    ReplyDelete
  3. Speaking of MacGruber, it's about time Ian Ayre starting desperately offering to suck a few dicks to seal some major deals for us. Nothing else seems to have worked.

    ReplyDelete
  4. So we're not after Depay because we have four players in that position (actually 3--I odn't know why Rodgers is calling Lallana a winger)? Ok fair enough. But then why are we immediately then linked to a bargain, clearance bin version of Depay? Shouldn't the same rationale apply to Ntep? This doesn't make sense.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I think this deal is fine, but we still need a major striker. Like Cavani. He'd probably cost more than he is worth and there would be bigger clubs in for him, but someone even close to that ilk would be pleasant. Instead I figure we'll have Ntep, Ings and Origi filling in for Sturridge.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Tell your friend he can fuck off if that's his attitude to supporting the club.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Is this a f*****g joke or what?!!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. What kind of plastic fan is that? As much as it pains me to see us in this situation, I will NEVER stop supporting Liverpool. YNWA

    ReplyDelete
  9. Can we get over Depay? IT WAS NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN.

    ReplyDelete
  10. First BR goes gung ho about the targets making everybody exited and when his bubble is burst he comes up with silly excuses and shows as if he was not interested in the first place. Put your money where your mouth is BR.

    ReplyDelete
  11. The depay thing again, despite the possiblity of liverpool not being interested in a player who doesnt want to play for them but chose to join man utd during the world cup, theres no believing thats a possibility still?

    ReplyDelete
  12. Cavani or Higuain or maybe Manduzkic, also Pedro and Adraino, plenty out there.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Higuaín is probably the best striker we could realistically get. I'm not so sure on Pedro myself.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I'd like to see Adraino in the premier league, I'd say he'd easily be man enough, that's a fairly tough league he's in, but ya, Higuain would be great too, any of them really.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Can't say I know much about Adriano (we're talking the Shakhtar one, I presume) beyond him having a decent record generally and doing well in last year's CL. The price is certainly right.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Yes the Depay thing unfortunately slots along side the long line of transfer target failures. I've had enough of hearing about the 'parables of the lucky gits' that are Man Utd!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Liverpool were 100% interested in Depay. I actually can't believe Rodgers said that. He's talking s***.

    ReplyDelete
  18. 'It may just be paper talk...' Exactly.

    ReplyDelete
  19. So you're friend only supports Liverpool if we're winning and everything's hunky dory. Not really the kind of fans we need so I'm sure it'll be no great loss

    ReplyDelete
  20. Djafu Merseyside3:18 am, May 09, 2015

    first of all, ntep isn't a striker. he's a winger with blistering pace and good technique. a jordon ibe type of player with better finishing and better decision making in the final third. question is if a winger is needed at the club. i don't think so as long as sterling is still at the club. we should spend all we have on strikers and midfielders but no doubt that ntep is a quality player...just not what we need right now

    ReplyDelete
  21. Stan Dinaround4:18 am, May 09, 2015

    Jesus.... The window hasn't even opened yet and already people are writing it off.....

    ReplyDelete
  22. Stan Dinaround4:19 am, May 09, 2015

    Tell him United are more his bag then, they have many of him there already so he should fit right in.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Stan Dinaround4:21 am, May 09, 2015

    One is a winger, the other a striker.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Stan Dinaround4:27 am, May 09, 2015

    I will crap myself with laughter if he comes in and blows everyone away, and then watch the scramble to say "I was one of the few who said he was a good player, and was talking about him long before LFC became interested"... You know it;s coming.....

    ReplyDelete
  25. That's understandable given the utter failure of the last few transfer windows.

    ReplyDelete