In July, Sky Sports claimed that Liverpool are '5/2 favourites' to sign Barcelona attacker Pedro before the end of the transfer window, and now, Robert Fernandez, Barcelona’s new technical secretary, has confirmed that there's still a chance that the coveted attacker may leave during the current transfer window. Will he end up at Anfield, though?
During a press conference on Friday, Fernandez told reporters:
"Pedro? His buyout clause is 30 million euros. We don’t want to lose him but we know that this is a risky situation and we’ll have to wait. If he goes, we’ll lose a lot of things.”
When asked in July about his future at the Nou Camp, Pedro told reporters:
"It’s true, we agreed to reduce the value of the buyout clause and it’s true there are offers. I want to remain calm...and we will see what happens after that.”
Recent transfer timeline:
* March 2015: The Mirror claimed that Barcelona offered Pedro to Liverpool.
* May 2015: According to The Telegraph, 27-year old Pedro was 'ready to quit the Nou Camp' after falling down the attacking pecking order.
* June 2015: Signed a new deal with Barcelona until 2019. Buyout clause: £110m
* June 2015: Mundo Deportivo claimed that Liverpool made contact with Pedro's agent, and that Barcelona are willing to sell for €30m.
Barcelona have just completed the signing of Arda Turan, so the competition for Pedro is only going to increase next season.
Indeed, it's hard to see the addition of Turan as anything but a poke in the eye for the Spaniard, and perhaps this manifest lack of faith will turn out to be the straw that broke the camel's back.
Indeed, Pedro concedes that the presence of Turan may have a negative impact on his position in the team:
"I'm in a tricky position. We'll see what's best for everyone. He [Turan] has a lot of quality. He'll bring a lot to the team".
It's ludicrous to think that Raheem Sterling - who has achieved comparatively *nothing* in his career - is worth more than a player with 20+ major trophies, including 5 league titles, 3 Champions League titles, and a World Cup winner's medal.
What a joke, and it just serves to underline yet again the insane logic that pervades football. Even if Sterling plays for another 20 years, he still won't achieve 50% of Pedro's current trophy haul. But I digress...
For me, this is an absolute no-brainer, and I'll absolutely love it if the Reds somehow manager to seal a deal before the end of the transfer window.
Liverpool need goals from midfield, and the more options available, the better, and despite the money spent this summer, the club still lacks a genuine consistent goal threat in midfield.
In his column for the Liverpool Echo this week, Reds legend Jan Molby noted:
"I look around at the rest of the squad and I can't see where goals are going to come from, consistently"
I agree with Molby here:
* Coutinho, Milner, Henderson, Lallana, Markovic, and Ibe all failed to reach double figures for goals last season.
* None of those players have ever consistently scored 10+ goals in a single season.
* Firmino is the exception, but there's no guarantee that he'll continue his Bundesliga form in the Premier League.
In my view, Liverpool need at least one more proven midfield goalscorer, and Pedro fits the bill (as does Andriy Yarmolenko, but the Reds seem determined to let the hugely prolific Urainian slip away).
Unfortunately, Liverpool have now slipped to third-favourites for Pedro, behind Man United and Chelsea, and if either of those clubs sign the player, it will make it even more difficult for the Reds to qualify for the Champions League.
Author: Jaimie K
During a press conference on Friday, Fernandez told reporters:
"Pedro? His buyout clause is 30 million euros. We don’t want to lose him but we know that this is a risky situation and we’ll have to wait. If he goes, we’ll lose a lot of things.”
When asked in July about his future at the Nou Camp, Pedro told reporters:
"It’s true, we agreed to reduce the value of the buyout clause and it’s true there are offers. I want to remain calm...and we will see what happens after that.”
Recent transfer timeline:
* March 2015: The Mirror claimed that Barcelona offered Pedro to Liverpool.
* May 2015: According to The Telegraph, 27-year old Pedro was 'ready to quit the Nou Camp' after falling down the attacking pecking order.
* June 2015: Signed a new deal with Barcelona until 2019. Buyout clause: £110m
* June 2015: Mundo Deportivo claimed that Liverpool made contact with Pedro's agent, and that Barcelona are willing to sell for €30m.
Barcelona have just completed the signing of Arda Turan, so the competition for Pedro is only going to increase next season.
Indeed, it's hard to see the addition of Turan as anything but a poke in the eye for the Spaniard, and perhaps this manifest lack of faith will turn out to be the straw that broke the camel's back.
Indeed, Pedro concedes that the presence of Turan may have a negative impact on his position in the team:
"I'm in a tricky position. We'll see what's best for everyone. He [Turan] has a lot of quality. He'll bring a lot to the team".
It's ludicrous to think that Raheem Sterling - who has achieved comparatively *nothing* in his career - is worth more than a player with 20+ major trophies, including 5 league titles, 3 Champions League titles, and a World Cup winner's medal.
What a joke, and it just serves to underline yet again the insane logic that pervades football. Even if Sterling plays for another 20 years, he still won't achieve 50% of Pedro's current trophy haul. But I digress...
For me, this is an absolute no-brainer, and I'll absolutely love it if the Reds somehow manager to seal a deal before the end of the transfer window.
Liverpool need goals from midfield, and the more options available, the better, and despite the money spent this summer, the club still lacks a genuine consistent goal threat in midfield.
In his column for the Liverpool Echo this week, Reds legend Jan Molby noted:
"I look around at the rest of the squad and I can't see where goals are going to come from, consistently"
I agree with Molby here:
* Coutinho, Milner, Henderson, Lallana, Markovic, and Ibe all failed to reach double figures for goals last season.
* None of those players have ever consistently scored 10+ goals in a single season.
* Firmino is the exception, but there's no guarantee that he'll continue his Bundesliga form in the Premier League.
In my view, Liverpool need at least one more proven midfield goalscorer, and Pedro fits the bill (as does Andriy Yarmolenko, but the Reds seem determined to let the hugely prolific Urainian slip away).
Unfortunately, Liverpool have now slipped to third-favourites for Pedro, behind Man United and Chelsea, and if either of those clubs sign the player, it will make it even more difficult for the Reds to qualify for the Champions League.
Author: Jaimie K
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