16 Sept 2015

Can-Killer? Liverpool favourites to sign 'extraordinary' €47m destroyer who dreams of transfer to England

In July, Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers reportedly dispatched scouts to assess Sporting Lisbon star William Carvalho, and new reports suggest that the Reds are still tracking the coveted Portuguese midfielder.

According to Portuguese newspaper O Jogo this week:

* Liverpool scouts are currently in Portugal to watch Sporting Lisbon players. with Carvalho the main reason for the trip.

* Carvalho - who has a €47m buyout clause in his contract - is allegedly one of the players under consideration.

Italian newspaper Tutto Mercato adds:

"William Carvalho...could continue his career in England [and] Liverpool are favourites to sign the player".

In January, Carvalho - hailed by Portugal boss Paolo Bento as an 'extraordinary' player - revealed his desire to play for one of the World's top clubs:

"We all have ambitions and I hope one day to play in the best leagues in the world. If I continue to do my job as I have done so, it will certainly come sooner or later."

Then, in June, Carvalho admitted that he wants a move to the Premier League:

“My dream is to play in England. I know some clubs are interested, but my agent Jorge [Mendes] is looking after it and I am relaxed.”

Carvalho is exactly the type of tenacious, athletic, tough-tackling midfielder Liverpool (arguably) need, but if the Reds spend £30m+ on him, where does that leave Emre Can?

* Clubs don't spend that kind of money for a bench-warmer, and if Can moves into midfield, and LFC sign Carvalho (or some other midfielder), then Liverpool will have six senior midfielders fighting it out for two - or possibly three - places.

* It's possible that one of either Lucas or Allen may leave in January, but if not, I don't see how Rodgers can keep six first-team central midfielders happy. Henderson and Milner will almost certainly play most games, which leaves just ONE spot to share between four players.

* The other option is to kill-off Can's midfield ambitions by converting him into a full-time defender. I doubt the German will want that, as he's on record several times stating that midfield is his preferred position.

To be brutally honest, though, Can has shown nothing so far to suggest he's an effective option in midfield.

If Liverpool do decide to spend £30m+ on Carvalho, then that will arguably be a vote of no-confidence in Can's ability to make a difference in the centre.

After all, if Rodgers sees the German as the future of LFC's midfield, then there's surely no need to sign Carvalho...right?

Author: Jaimie K


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