How Anfield boss Brendan Rodgers should have invested transfer funds this summer.
Though Liverpool had little option that to sell disgraced Uruguayan international Luis Suarez there is a growing fear that the sums spent by Anfield boss Brendan Rodgers have been wasted, indeed many pundits are drawing parallels between this summer’s transfer activity with the manner in which Andre Villas-Boas, not so shrewdly, spent funds accrued from the sale of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid.
A spending spree that effectively cost the former Chelsea manager his White Hart Lane post.
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Some may rightly point out that Rodgers was too keen to invest in youthful talents whilst taking his eye off the ball in terms of the immediate need to push on from last season’s successes.
Others have stated that some of those brought in cost far too much whilst ‘problem areas’ were ignored.
Here are the players Rodgers may have been wise to consider, though we do point out that two of those brought in were both intelligent and cost effective acquisitions that it’s hard to argue against.
Emre Can £9.75m – Adrien Rabiot £6m
Liverpool opted to bring in highly rated German Under 21 international Emre Can but for perhaps half the price Brendan Rodgers could have picked up arguably a more talented option in PSG’s Adrien Rabiot.
The teenager played 27 times for his Parc des Princes side last term but wants to leave and with just a year to run on his deal there is no doubt Rodgers could have signed the rangy French starlet for far less than the sum forked out on Can, Rabiot is a more rounded player and is sure to be a big star for the future.
Dejan Lovren £20m – Ron Vlaar £10m
Liverpool wanted to bring in a no-nonsense centre-back and forked out £20m for Croatian Dejan Lovren and it’s a move that thus far hasn’t looked all that smart.
Rodgers may have been better off bringing in Aston Villa’s Ron Vlaar. Yes the Dutchman is a few years older but he would have cost half the price and was in superb form over the summer, playing a key role in his side’s run to the World Cup semi-finals.
Adam Lallana £25m – Isco £25m
Brendan Rodgers was arguably one of a few managers who paid over the odds for Southampton stars this summer and whilst it’s unfair to lump too much criticism on Adam Lallana so early into his Liverpool career wouldn’t the Anfield side have been wiser to use the same sum in pursuit of Real Madrid’s Isco?
A move for the 22 year old arguably better suits the club’s youthful transfer policy and Rodgers is known to be a fan of the Spanish international, who is hugely underrated by Bernabeu boss Carlo Ancelotti.
Victor Valdes Free – Divock Origi £10m
Was there an urgent need to sign Belgian teen Divock Origi? He was after all immediately loaned back to Lille, would the sum used be better spent offered free agent keeper Victor Valdes a big wage so as to bring in a keeper who is a country mile better than Simon Mignolet.
Liverpool’s current first choice keeper is a fine shop stopper but in every other aspect of the game he is lacking and his uncertainty between the sticks certainly has a knock on affect to the club’s defence.
Rickie Lambert – Rickie Lambert
As a move, spending £4m on the England veteran is a solid one that is both cost effective and helps boost Liverpool’s strength in depth, not least as the former Southampton man had an outstanding season last term and could be a key ‘go-to’ player as the Anfield side battle on numerous fronts.
Alberto Moreno – Alberto Moreno
Liverpool needed to bring in a quality left-back given injury concerns over Jose Enrique and paying £12m to bring in Sevilla youngster Alberto Moreno will prove to be a great bit of business. The Spanish international is a player with real potential who can fill the full-back berth for years to come.
Mario Balotelli £16m – Pedro £22m
Mario Balotelli is undoubtedly a quality performer but is very much a ‘morale’ based talent and is an inconsistent attacking weapon who will struggle to fill the void left by Luis Suarez’s move to Barcelona. A far ‘safer’ bet would’ve been a move for Barcelona’s Pedro, a player who can offer true versatility. It’s likely that a good offer, not much higher than that paid for Balotelli, would’ve been considered by Nou Camp boss Luis Enrique and Brendan Rodgers missed a trick on this front.
Lazar Markovic £19.8m – Ezequiel Lavezzi £20m
Whilst there is sense in signing youthful additions it’s also a good move to look to build on success by bringing in tried and tested talents so as to take the club onwards and upwards from last season’s runners-up finish. Whilst there is no denying Lazar Markovic is ‘one for the future’ Brendan Rodgers has a host of young attackers on his books from Raheem Sterling to Philippe Coutinho with Jordan Ibe and Suso in between.
We would therefore looked to bring in a wide attacker with proven top tier experience and one imagines Liverpool could have tempted Ezequiel Lavezzi this summer for a fee similar to that paid to Benfica for Markovic.