Rumour Mongering: Liverpool’s Buying Barcelona Again Edition

By: Noel | November 17th, 2011

We don’t like to talk about transfer rumours. We especially don’t like to talk about transfer rumours between windows. Mostly because none of the information floating around is true, accurate, or otherwise factual. And mostly because it’s all crap that’s been rehashed using stuff that was floating around six months ago that even back then wasn’t true, accurate, or otherwise factual. And also mostly because it gets our hopes up, which almost always ends in pain and tears and problem drinking.

Still, it’s been a good two months since the summer window closed, and with everybody ramping up for some January insanity it’s hard to escape the growing shouts of the rumour mongers. Plus it’s another interminable international break and we’d rather not talk about Suarezgate any more than we have to, which for once makes looking at Liverpool rumours the lesser of two evils…

David Villa

Liverpool, it’s where rumoured to maybe be unhappy Barcelona players get linked to when they’re rumoured to maybe be unhappy at Barcelona. But then they usually just stay at Barcelona. Or at least they don’t come to Liverpool.

First Ibrahim Afellay was moving to Liverpool after only playing in five of the first seven matches after he arrived at the Camp Nou last January. Then Seydou Keita was moving to Liverpool because Barcelona wanted Cesc Fabregas and Keita was supposedly unhappy with becoming Barcelona’s midfield supersub even though he’d been Barcelona’s midfield supsersub pretty much since day one. Then Pedro was coming to Liverpool because David Villa and Ibrahim Afellay were going to get all the starting minutes on the wing and Barcelona’s easy-to-overlook attacker was sick and tired of being stuck somewhere he was easy to overlook. Then Jeffren Suarez was coming to Liverpool because he was constantly injured and Catalonian cuisine made his tummy rumbly. Oh, and there was some stuff about Bojan Kirkic. He was coming to Liverpool, too.

So now David Villa is coming to Liverpool because Lionel Messi stole his Legos or Pep Guardiola made him shave his soul patch. Or something. Plus he’s 29, Barcelona paid €40M for him in 2010, and it’s hard to imagine that he’d be all that much cheaper now—and that’s without even getting into his wage demands, which would easily top 100k per week. But hey: David Villa might finally be coming to Liverpool! But probably not.

Seydou Keita

Oh, and Keita’s being linked again, too.

Diego

Oh, and after being linked in the spring, Wolfsburg’s pricy playmaker—who’s currently on loan at Atletico Madrid—has been linked again, too.

Eden Hazard

Eden Hazard has not been seriously linked since the summer. Yet. But give it time. Because once you’ve been linked to Liverpool you’re going to be linked to the club over and over again until you retire.

Bruno Alves

Moving on to a name that hasn’t been mentioned a million times before, there have been rumours that Liverpool could seek to sign 29-year-old Portuguese and Zenit center back Alves as a medium-term solution. He wouldn’t come cheap, having just moved to Russia last year from FC Porto for €22M, and it would seem to go against FSG’s preference for youth, but he would give the club one of Europe’s best defenders in their prime while the likes of Keita and Villa are hardly spring chickens, either. Of course, the likes of Keita and Villa are almost certainly not coming anywhere near Anfield—not unless Liverpool makes it back into the Champions League and faces off against them and Barcelona next season, that is—and neither is Alves. Still, given Liverpool’s needs, Alves at least would seem a more sensible target than the countless, flashier attackers being linked.

Philippe Coutinho

The 19-year-old Brazilian winger who’s been capped once at the senior level arrived at Inter Milan in the summer of 2010 and managed six starts and fourteen total appearances in his first six months in Europe. That was while Rafa Benitez was Inter’s manager, with the Spaniard showing a surprising amount of faith in the young player, though in the year since his dismissal Coutinho has only made a total of eight further appearances across all competitions at club level. Despite his struggles to find playing time under Leonardo or Claudio Ranieri, his first six months in Milan for a short time established him as one of the brightest prospects in Europe, and with the player’s disappointment growing while Inter’s past two managers have often not even included him in the matchday squad, it’s rumoured Coutinho is seeking a move that could get his career back on track.

Originally purchased for €4M as a 16-year-old, with the deal structured so that he would remain at his boyhood club Vasco Da Gama until he turned 18, it would be easy to speculate that with the player currently out of favour his current price wouldn’t be far off that original number after spiking a year ago. All of which would make him seem a reasonable fall-back option should fellow Brazilian starlet Lucas Moura prove too pricy or have his heart set on a continental side—assuming Liverpool is determined to acquire Lucas Moura or some kind of Lucas Moura-like substance, of course. Either that or he’s being linked to Liverpool because Rafa was fond of him.

Lucas Moura

Speaking of Other Lucas, his club Sao Paolo have stated that they will under no circumstances sell the young attacker in January. Unless maybe if somebody offers them crazy money. Given that Lucas has a £67M buyout in his contract, chances are Sao Paolo would consider the £25M or so clubs like Liverpool, Manchester United, and Inter Milan are rumoured to be willing to pay for him to be somewhat short of crazy money territory. It also has to be remembered that while he is undeniably one of the brightest prospects in world football, a 19-year-old Brazilian wunderkind making the move to Europe mid-season isn’t the kind of reinforcement most clubs would be looking to make in order to push on for a Champions League spot. Especially not for the kind of money it would almost certainly take to get him. And as much as Liverpool fans might like to see him in red, the club splashing upwards of £50M in January on a player who likely wouldn’t factor into their ability to finish in the top four simply isn’t going to happen, full stop.

Dirk Kuyt

When it comes to outgoing rumours, the most frequently mentioned name in recent weeks has been Dirk Kuyt, with speculation that he could be headed back to the Eredivisie. Ajax in particular is rumoured to be interested in acquiring the attacker who has fallen out of favour with Kenny Dalglish after leading the team in goals last season. To date, Kuyt has been nothing but professional, and all of the rumours linking him to a move home have so far come from the Dutch media, but if one were a gambling man then at the moment a bet on Kuyt leaving would seem safer money than a bet on any one of Lucas Moura, Coutinho, Keita, Diego, or Villa arriving at Anfield in January. Now remind me again why we don’t like to talk about transfers between, during, before, after, or around transfer windows?

Some Related Liverpool Posts:

Category: Premier League, Team News, Transfer News

« Video: Sporting U19s 5, Liverpool U19s 1 | Home | Uruguay Backs Suarez, Gerrard Injury Woe, and Other Friday Notes »

Geoff Twentyman

I had also been keeping an eye on transfer rumours since the start of the season, and we've been linked with 25+ players so far as I can see. Here's the list:

Hazard (also linked with Chelsea, Arsenal, Citeh, Barca, RM), Gotze (also linked with Arsenal), Kagawa (also linked with Arsenal, ManU), L De Jong (also linked with Newcastle), Kalou, Ogbonna, Moussa Sissoko (also linked with Arsenal), Gaston Ramirez, Ki Sung Yong, Van Wolfswinkel (also linked with Man U), Higuain, Villa, Damaio (also linked with Spurs), Marin (also linked with Spurs), A Johnson (re-signed with Citeh), Obiang, Bueno, Moussa Sow (also linked with Spurs, Newcastle, Arsenal), Inkoom (also linked with Chelsea), Huddlestone, Chivu, Lucas Moura (also linked with Chelsea, Arsenal, Citeh, Barca, RM), Keita, Boudebouz, Lewandowski (also linked with Chelsea).

As you quite rightly point out facts, truth, evidence and accuracy play no part in a lot of these stories!

It’s interesting to note the positions of players we’re being linked with
GK – None
LB – Chivu
RB – Inkoom
CB – Ogbonna
DM – Moussa Sissoko, Keita, Huddlestone,
CM – Obiang
AM/Wing – Hazard, Gotze, Kagawa, Ramirez, Sung Yong, Marin, Johnson, Bueno, Lucas Moura, Boudebouz
F – De Jong, Kalou, Van Wolfswinkel, Higuain, Villa, Damaio, Sow, Lewandowski

What’s also interesting is the divide between what seems like reporters picking random clubs i.e. Moussa Sow, to specific players that seem more likely i.e. Huddlestone/Keita to us seems quite logical to the player linked with every club going i.e. Hazard and Lucas Moura.
It seems the higher the reputation, the more clubs you are linked with!

Its also interesting to note the sensationalism i.e. "LFC to bid 30m for Torres, but will Chelsea let him go for that amount after spending 50m on him??"

I think the next transfer window will give us only a little indication of FSG’s financial clout as a major overhaul has already happened. If they add 1 world class player or coveted young talent, I think they’ll ease a lot of nerves over their financial intentions and capability, though I think the acid test will come in the summer once we know what we'll be competing for next season.
Thomas Hoppe

I would really like to see Liverpool get Lucas Moura and Gaston Ramirez sooner rather than later. Without a doubt we need a playmaker with some real technical skill behind Suarez. We don't really have anybody that can run with the ball and take players on in the squad.
Latortillablanca

its tough to decide which one i want more from those two - continue the progression into becoming a farm team for the uruguayan national team, or have a potential first 11 that includes 2 Lucas Leiva's...
Latortillablanca

*2 Lucas'
Latortillablanca

twinkle toes, back up cdm, cb, and a meireles replacement.

all of those needs, considering the level of player already at the club, would need to be filled with top-notchers or potential top-notchers. that said, top-notchers are exceedingly difficult to deal for in january, unless the club you're buying from is in the offseason.

coutinho really is unhappy, and inter really is a sinking ship, i've heard marcotti confirm this through various different podcasts, tweets, etc. plus if you've watched inter this year, pretty safe to say no one at that club is extatic. so, the question is if he is unhappy enough to go to a non-CL team. i dont really see too many CL teams knocking the door down for an unproven CAM right now, so that kind of gives a window i'd imagine. Id still wager its much more likely that someone like a napoli or fiorentina snap him up on a loan/co-ownership than it is he comes to us on a perm deal.

i would love to see coutinho in red, but he's not even the best brazilian CAM/wide attacking prospect out right now. Lucas is a better finisher, and Oscar (remember the name folks) is the most elegant runner, cultured passer to come out since Kaka. of the three id be willing to bet Oscar makes the grade at a higher level in europe when its all said and done. his one touch game, vision and range all translate nicely to italy/spain, but maybe epl, never know.

all this to say, january should be used to set up a gangsta summer spending spree where we fill all those needs with (for example) m'vila, oscar, hummels and... lets say leitner (love my dortmund prospects)...
NotTooXabi

I want Keita to come on board, just so I can get this song going in the Kop:

Seydou, Say me, Seydou from Mali
That's the way it should be
Seydou, Say me, Seydou will crush you
Fuck you Nani

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...

(C) Not Too Xabi, 2011
Footy Manager

It would be sad to lose Kuyt but I believe his time has now passed in Liverpool. He has been a great servant but he is slowly but surely losing his most important qualities as a footballer. Unfortunately, he is looking more like a headless chicken these past few games.

As much as I despise Henderson, I think it is only right to keep on playing him (maybe not on the right side?) so he will eventually be in sync with the rest of the squad.
Purify_the_body

If Kuyt doesn't look right, blame the manager not the player. Van Marwijk seems to have no trouble putting him to good use.
Ed

I think the most important quality he's lost as a footballer is playing time.
Dirk's Digglers

FACT. Yes, he is 31 and perhaps on the downslope of his "prime," but you are talking about our leading goal scorer from LAST YEAR. Even if he is on the wrong side of 30, he is still starting for one of (arguably) the 3 top national teams in Europe on a regular basis.

Of course I am biased here as his is the name sake, but for me it is inexcusable that he has been riding the bench to the extent that he is. At worst, Kuyt is a stabilizing force when he is in the game, serving to counter balance the youth (i.e. Henderson) or ineptitude (i.e. Adam 95% of the time) in the midfield. At his best, he is a work-a-holic playmaker who creates scoring opportunities for himself and those around him. To say that he has been looking like a "headless chicken" is more a product of his lack of playing time, and therefore familiarity with many of those he is paying with. He certainly didn't look like a "headless chicken" in the Netherlands/Germany game this week, IMO.

Let the man play! I mean for god's sake, have you ever seen him NOT sweating like a whore working the night shift? Guy gives 110% every time he is out there. To lose him would be a damn shame.
Purify_the_body

What's really a shame is that it seems Kenny does not appreciate what he's got in Kuyt.
Latortillablanca

ya, not so worried about dirk to be honest. we needed to try to bed hendo in, and dirk's prolly been overplayed as much as anyone over the past 3 seasons. quietly confident he sees the pitch more and more as we get to the holiday period and beyond.
CheekyFellow

But Eden Hazard, he is coming isn't he!? There was that thing in Joe Cole's contract!
/sarcasm

We did, however, pick up a teenage midfielder - http://www.guardian.co.uk/foot...
Latortillablanca

that makes 3 startlets barely out of their pre-teens since comolli's taken over: bueno, pelosi and now this kid. does anyone know anything about ojo? all i've seen is he was pretty heavily scouted by top tier epl clubs...
Cerasstar

Ojo just signed today mate!
Red2death

I hope we bid on Lucas Moura anyway, for no other reason than Utd is interested and it'd jack up the price. They've been doing that for years and finally we're in a position to somewhat compete. Although not really if the stock flotation scam works out and the money goes crazy again.

Hopefully the most urgent need in January isn't a Suarez replacement.
Mbaez913

Thanks for the perspective on all these rumors, instead of discussing actual names, I thought it'd be more interesting to talk of what the club needs / want. it's hard to imagine the club spending big money on a striker that would relegate our big geordie to benchwarmer status. With the logjam in midfield i can't see the club spending on another one. All that's left it seems is to shore up the back line. I wouldn't mind seeing some Agger-insurance bought. Another CB who is comfortable on the ball with slight pace seems to be the only thing this squad really needs.

One more thing, i was wondering if you knew if any of the gaston ramirez talk is based in fact? His club is languishing and with LFC becoming somewhat of a big presence in Uruguay, it would seem like a perfect fit for the FSG method of business, young, talented, and with his best years ahead of him. Or this could be the case of LFC being linked to every Uruguayan player in the world because of Suarez.
Purify_the_body

Honestly, it's difficult to say exactly what the club needs because it depends a lot on the formation, selection, and opposition. To make the Champions League again, our biggest needs are probably right winger and holding midfielder -- so I hope your guess is wrong about the club spending on another one.

As far as shoring up is needed, our back four is surprisingly solid when given proper protection. I'd hope for Carra to retire in the summer and get another CB in, but other than that we have some good depth at the back. As long as you trust Robinson or Aurelio to come in at left back when needed, that is. (I do. I like Robinson. The kid's got heart.)

Overall, I would say we have three types of useful players.

Quality: Reina, Agger, Skrtel, Enrique, Kelly, Gerrard, Lucas, Kuyt, Suarez, Bellamy
Squad: Johnson, Downing, Maxi, Adam, Carragher, Spearing, Aurelio
Youth/projects: Coates, Henderson, Carroll, Flanagan, Robinson, Shelvey, Wilson
Geoff Twentyman

Quality: Reina, Agger**, Skrtel, Enrique, Kelly, Gerrard*, Lucas, Kuyt*, Suarez, Bellamy*Squad: Johnson, Downing, Maxi*, Adam, Carragher*, Spearing, Aurelio**Youth/projects: Coates, Henderson, Carroll, Flanagan, Robinson, Shelvey, Wilson

Pretty much agree, though I'd swap Johnson and Skrtel. I personally don't think there are too many right backs out there we could go for (Van der Wiel only springs to mind), but apart from recent performances Skrt's hasn't proved he's top drawer and I can think of a good list of realistic centre backs we cold go in for either in Jan or the summer.

The * highlighted players are all on the wrong side of 30 and we should be thinking about how to replace them.

The ** highlighted players have fitness issues, though touch wood DAgger has been much fitetr this season!
Noel

Talk about Ramirez, from what I could find, falls into the "Even more tenuous than most of the stuff I did talk about" territory. Though with the underwhelming return from the British buys so far and the Suarez connection (plus the Caotes purchase there at the end of the summer), a lot of people seem to be floating Uruguayans just because. And also lots of random Brazilians, too. I'm just waiting for a few Argentinians to get in on the action.
NotTooXabi

Floating Uruguayans. Random Brazilians. Argentinians waiting to get in on the action.

...just like Spring Break 1993.