Marquee Signing? 'World-class' £20m LFC target confirms transfer 'meeting' next week with Chelsea. Chance for Liverpool?

In May, the agent of Liverpool target Petr Cech revealed that Chelsea had granted the coveted stopper permission to 'negotiate' a transfer with 'interested parties'. After falling fown the pecking order at Stamford Bridge, Cech understandably wants a move, and Blues boss Jose Mourinho has now confirmed that he's willing to let the Czech international leave.

When asked today about Cech's future, Mourinho hinted that he'd be amenable to a swap deal. He told BT Sport:

"Every club that is interested in Petr, I can find a player that I like in that team too. I will have to accept any decision that the owner makes"

Over the weekend, Cech reiterated once again that he wants to leave, and insisted that he's 'keeping all options open' with regards to his next move. He told reporters:

"Next week we will have a meeting with Chelsea. At the moment it is with my agent. When it is clearer and all the cards are on the table, we will decide. It does not matter whether it is England, Germany, France or Spain".

So: £20m-rated Cech is available, and is allowed to speak to other clubs? Get on it, Brendan:

* Just pay whatever it takes to bring Cech to Anfield. A top-class goalkeeper is absolutely essential to any team's chances of consistently challenging for trophies, and Mignolet is not the long-term solution.

* After playing second fiddle to Thibaut Courtois, there's almost certainly no chance of sealing the deal unless Rodgers guarantees to make Cech his first-choice goalkeeper, and for a winner with Cech's history and experience, that should not be a problem. Just do it.

* Cech has proven himself repeatedly over the last 8-10 years, and it's (arguably) as close to a sure-thing as it's possible to get.

* Cech could conceivably be Liverpool's number one 'keeper for the next 5-7 years. A good comparison here is Edwin Van Der Sar - he signed for Man United at the age of 35, and remained the club's main goalkeeper for six years.

* Cech is a winner, and a leader at the back, which is exactly what Liverpool need. Plus, with the ongoing exodus of older players at Anfield, another experienced head at the club will be a huge boost.

* I'd much rather see Liverpool pay a a huge £100k+ salary to Cech - a proven, world-class performer - than a pretender like Raheem Sterling.

* If Liverpool can pay James Friggin' Milner £150k-a-week, then the club can clearly afford to pay for Cech, who is infinitely better value than the Man City bit-part player.




Cech is a popular choice amongst Liverpool fans. I recently conducted a poll on the site asking fans to select one goalkeeper out of the seven currently linked:

* 55% of participants chose Cech as Liverpool's next goalkeeper.

* Sergio Romero was 2nd-favourite with 11% of the vote.

* Only 3% voted to keep Mignolet as LFC's number 1.

Liverpool's lack of Champions League football is a problem, but if the club really pushes out the boat, and shows Cech how much he's wanted, then it may make all the difference.

Unless Cech has already told the club he's not interested, I fail to see why Liverpool are not making him the club's number-one transfer target.

Cech is available; wants a move, and is a proven, experienced top quality goalkeeper, with years left at the top level.

Where's the downside?

I'd even go so far as to say that Liverpool should scrap the James Milner deal and use the cash to pay Cech, who will (IMO) be far more important to the team.

The Reds pulled out of the Loic Remy deal without any problem, so the precedent is already established.

Author: Jaimie K