1 Feb 2016

Anfield-bound? Klopp wants €40m 'new Ronaldo' who'd be 'honoured' to play for Liverpool

With the transfer window closing in a matter of hours, Liverpool are once again being linked with a big-money move for Inter Milan striker Mauro Icardi.

According to Italian newspaper TuttoSport today:

* Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United, and Arsenal are are all interested in signing Icardi.

* Inter President Erick Thohir will let Icardi leave if the club receives an offer of €40m+.

In February, Icardi admitted that he'd be 'honoured' to play for Liverpool, and when asked again at the end of November about LFC's interest, he told Tutto Mercato:

"I'm aware of the [Liverpool] rumours, but...I'm staying, as I did last year. I'm the captain and I can not give up the team"

I doubt much has changed over the last two months, and it seems unlikely that Inter will sell their captain during the January transfer window.

Last season, Icardi smashed in 36 goals/assists in 48 games (one every 107 mins), and if a British striker did that at the age of 22, he'd be lionised and deified beyond all recognition.

This season, Icardi - who, according to his agent, 'has the talent to become to new Ronaldo' - has struggled to replicate his prolific form, and he found himself dropped to the bench for Sunday's 3-0 derby defeat to AC Milan.

Icardi has also attracted criticism from Inter legend Christian Vieri, who recently criticised the striker's laid-back approach to games:

“Icardi doesn’t move much, he’s absent. He should play more with the team and not immediately go deep".

Is Icardi worth €40m [£30m]? Well, if Anthony Martial is worth £58m, then the Argentine - who has vastly superior creative output - is a comparative bargain.

That said, if Icardi needs to 'run more' and is 'absent' in games, then he doesn't sound like the kind of player who'd thrive in a Jurgen Klopp team.

Remember: the ability to run 20 miles a game is far more important than actually scoring/creating goals.

The elephant in the room is, of course, Liverpool's poor record of success with players from Serie A, but that has to change sometime.

A possible summer deal?

Author: Jaimie K


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