Should Liverpool forget Lallana?
Latest reports suggest that Southampton have rejected a revised offer of £25m from Liverpool for want-away midfielder Adam Lallana. It’s becoming hard to tell if the south coast side is playing silly buggers, or if indeed Liverpool are themselves the silly buggers.
The situation is now becoming a farce. Liverpool were asked to increase their initial bid which they done, only for that to be rejected also. Either Southampton’s standards are rising beyond all recognition, or Liverpool’s are dropping faster than a shot pheasant. How on earth can the club increase an already unrealistic offer for a player with no experience of European club football to speak of, and only a Championship medal to show in terms of honours? It just doesn’t make sense from what I can see.
Lallana’s stats may well be better than the other two options in the frame, Bayern Munich’s Xherdan Shaqiri or Leverkusen’s Emre Can but there are two important points to mention. Firstly, both of these players have made their names playing in the Champions League. Secondly, and more importantly, they’re both likely to cost less than half of what the Saints want for the 26 year-old midfielder. Saints? Seems like a contradiction to me as bare-faced robbers would be more appropriate. Not to mention the fact that both these players are 22 and 20 years-old respectively and, for me offer a longer shelf life.
An important point to note is that it’s clear Lallana will need to request a transfer in order for him to make the move but this doesn’t appear to be happening right now. One has to ask; Just how much does he want to play for Liverpool? Surely if he wanted to play at the “highest level” he’d move heaven and earth to make it happen. I believe Lallana is looking more for Kudos than playing for Liverpool. Should Brendan Rodgers sanction this move, it would raise serious questions. Clearly this summer’s transfer kitty will disappear faster than Lord Lucan.
What Liverpool need is players with proven Champions league experience. The last thing the club needs is to throw money away on over rated players who are by no means noticeably better than what they already have. I’m almost sure this deal is dead in the water. I have too much faith to suspect Rodgers and Liverpool could be taken for such a ride.
They say that lightening doesn’t strike in the same place twice but when one considers the thunderbolts that brought us Robbie Keane and Andy Carroll, maybe it’s time to think again.
Follow me on Twitter: @Mrbengreen
Picture: Action Images
