9 Jul 2015

Sakho-killer? Liverpool closer to signing 'combative' £21m powerhouse. Official 'offer' confirmed by family member

Last month, the Agent of Aymen Abdennour confirmed that Liverpool are one of a number of 'big clubs' chasing the Monaco central defender, and new developments this week suggest that the Reds are actively trying to sign Abdennour.

In early June, the Liverpool Echo reported:

"Liverpool have been given the green light to pursue a move for Aymen Abdennour [who] is ready for a new challenge".

Soon after, Abdennour's agent told Foot Mercato:

"Lots of big clubs...have approached us and will make contact with Monaco, including AC Milan, Inter Milan, Barca and Liverpool. I don't think Monaco will opposed the sale of Aymen"

Last night, a 'member of Abdennour's family' told Spanish newspaper AS that the 'combative' defender 'is considering offers from Liverpool and West Ham'. He explained:

"Abdennour has no favourite. Milan, West Ham and Liverpool have shown interest, but he wants to wait for an agreement between clubs before taking a decision"

25-year old Abdennour definitely wants to leave, and he confirmed this last month in an interview with L'Equipe:

“I am ready for anything. I’d love to play for big clubs, so why not leave so I can make more progress?”

Some info about the £21m-rated Abdennour:

* Signed a 4-year deal with Monaco in 2014.

* 32 appearances for the French club during the 2014-15 season.

* 41 apps for the Tunisia national team.

* 7 injuries in the last 4 years (2x hamstring; 2 x heel; 2x heel bone issues; 2x muscle injuries; 1x knee injury)

* Claudio Ranieri's assessment after signing Abdennour in 2014: "Abdennour is a different type of player to those I have already. He is very powerful, and strong, and can be be very useful for our defense"

Is centre-half a priority position for Liverpool to fill this summer? Given the available options, it doesn't appear to be.

However, when one of those option is Dejan Lovren - who had a nightmare last season - and the increasingly injury prone Mamadou Sakho (3 separate injuries; 30 games missed last year), then it's clear that a strong, reliable partner for Martin Skrtel is a necessity.


Abdennour is hardly a man of steel, though - he suffered two separate injuries last season (10 games missed), and since 2011, he's been injured 7 times, and spent 189 days on the sidelines (31 games missed).

That's a better record than Sakho (who missed the same number of games in one season for Liverpool), but if Liverpool are to spend another £20m on a defender, it should probably go on someone who's a little more robust.

There's another issue to consider: if Liverpool sign Abdennour (or another pricy centre-half) then surely either Sakho or Lovren will need to leave? With no Champions League football, how can Liverpool support FIVE senior centre-halves (Sakho, Lovren, Skrtel, Toure, and Abdennour)

Even if Liverpool play three at the back, it's unfair competition, which will inevitably lead to disappointment and resentment amongst the ranks (for a recent example of this, consider Sakho's strop last season).

Author: Jaimie K


29 comments:

  1. We don't need a partner for skrtel, we need a partner for sakho. Hopefully lovren or Ilori can step up to the plate as a RCB to partner sakho, although I like the idea of playing Ilori at DM, due to his reading of the game, pace, and ball playing skills, he head the potential to be almost busquets-esque.

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  2. I see him more of a "Lovren Killer", but regardless, we don't need him right now. Maybe we can chase a CB next year if our defensive issues continue to persist despite the coaching shake up, but right now, our main priority has to be Striker and DM. If that means putting CB on hold, so be it.

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  3. Non starter...We need a Striker and DM, LB!

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  4. Sakho killer qu'est ce qu'est c'est

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  5. True and also a good DM will make life a lot easier for our centre backs..

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  6. Lucas and can should be enough for DM. Weve got too much midfielders. We need a top quality striker and maybe another winger. But with all the midfielders we got, were looking like were going back to our diamond formation. Next year I see us playin

    ...........................mingolet
    Clyne....... skrtel......sakho.....moreno
    ............................lucas
    .............milner................hendo
    ........................coutinho
    ...........firmino
    .......................................benteke

    Subs on.. can for lucas at 65, lallana for milner at 70, ings or origi at 80 for benteke.

    As it stands thats our best starting 11 and most experienced side. Its what I hope we go into the season with. Firmino best position is Second striker, just of the centre forward. Coutinho revels at number 10 and will play one2s with firmino if he plays just off him. Milner and hendo will do a dual engine role providing the passes and width to the team. Lucas, who for me is still one of the best natural DMs when fit, and our record with him in the team is fantastic, he willl sit and cover

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  7. Fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa

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  8. If sterling goes for the £50m we desire, and theres no way back for him, then I expect the club to bid £30m for benteke and £20m for pedro, yarmolenko or son heung min. I know the club want a top quality player from asia as ian ayre stated the club intend to buy a top player from asia as our fanbase out there is massive. and we have scouted son heung min many times. He fits our profile and is a international superstar in south korea and a proven goalscorer at CL level and bundesliga. Its likely weve not yet pursued him because we got a player similar in sterling, although son is far more proven and more consistent than sterling, and extremely clinical. If sterling goes, incomes benteke who is a all round complete forward and one of the 3 wingers.

    I do have some sympathy for sterling. Must drive you crazy to have an incompetent manager who throws away titles in 3 games, and also plays you in right back, striker when your a winger, or gives you a overpraise even if you aint performed. It also must have burn sterling to see the likes of suarez and agger leave for lovren and markovic, players who he struggles on the pitch with. Sterling must think hw can the club pay 20m for a player the same age as him and not even half his statistics in the last 2years(markovic). Sterling must share some of the same feelings as the fans. And he is choosing to take it personal and not suffer the nonsense rodgers has done in 3years. He did say its not the fans nor the club but BR himself.

    I dont like sterling and I believe hes overrated, but if he genuinely dont like BR I understand. Hes ruined there childhood dreams by telling them to attack chelsea instead of playin for a draw in front of our home crowd. We would be PL champions and still have our legends suarez and gerrard

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  9. An upgrade from Lucas would be great!

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  10. We already have Lucas

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  11. Way to channel your inner David Byrne!!!!

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  12. Haha couldn't resist

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  13. Ilori should get a good and genuine look whether it is CB or DM given his wheels.....

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  14. Run run run run run run run away
    Psycho Killer
    Qu'est-ce que c'est

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  15. Sakho is also better at football.

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  16. But to do that he needs to refine his passing a bit more and read the game a bit better which should come through experience on loan.

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  17. I'm hoping "Skrtel killer" ...

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  18. And... That's enough?


    Lucas is injury prone. Allen is too lightweight. Can's future is b2b. We need another DM. Plus Lucas commits way too many needless fouls.

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  19. Sakho is better and Ilori is a different kettle of fish, he is agile and pacey, whereas Sakho is solid but gangly. Skrtel is at fault quite a lot but never receives the verbal battering Sakho or Lovren receive. Abdennour would be a waste of money, especially for someone who isn't really a major upgrade if one at all.

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  20. Good and available DM*

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  21. We need a monster in front of the Back four! We should raid Southampton again for Onyama cause Cavarlho we are priced out.

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  22. Surprised there's been no mention about us and Lacazette. Apparently he's stalling on signing a new contract for Lyon and may be about to hand in a transfer request with us being potential suitors - L'Equipe.
    Not sure if they are like the French version of the Metro and also not sure how to get my normal font back, no matter though and either way I'm hoping for some good striker related news soon.

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  23. I realise that but he has an awful lot of injuries

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  24. dunno about everyone else, but i want a f@#king striker!!

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  25. We need a striker but not benteke

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  26. Sakho Killer
    Qu'est-ce que c'est

    Looked down already been done :/

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  27. Get a decent DM and we won't be talking about our defence as much.

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  28. The owners and B Rodgers need to sign one of these DM'S this summer for £17-£24M

    Lars Bender Of Bayer Leverkusen

    William Carvalho Of Sporting Lisbon

    Sven Bender Of B Dortmund

    Gianni Imbulla Of Marseille

    Morgan Schneiderlin Of Southampton

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