LFC Transfer Committee: A help or a hinderance?

Following years of overspending and poor recruitment decisions from Liverpool, the infamous LFC Transfer Committee was implemented by the Anfield Club to avoid a repeat of the monumental errors that brought the likes of Bruno Cheyrou, Alberto Aquillani and Robbie Keane to the club. A good idea one would think? Greater scrutiny over potentially disastrous decisions on the basis of more hands make lighter work. But does it?

The People’s Alan Nixon writes that whilst Brendan Rodgers is happy to pay the reported £19-20m for Swansea’s want-away striker Wilfried Bony, the Transfer Committee are “worried” that the 25 year-old Ivory Coast front man is not worth the asking price. Is this for real or is it a smoke screen for something more likely? Is this the same Transfer Committee that voted to spend £25m on Adam Lallana, a midfielder who didn’t achieve a double-digit goal return last season? The same Committee who are reportedly looking at alternatives like Edinson Cavani or Ezequiel Lavezzi from Paris Saint Germain both of whom are quoted at almost twice the price Bony would cost. Not to mention the fact that they’re both older at 27 and 29 respectively.

Another name that’s been mentioned recently is Keita Balde Diao who at 19 years-old looks to be a very exciting prospect. The Spaniard is two footed, fast and strong on the ball. You’d struggle to find a better example of the words strong and potential than he. Yet the Committee are going after the footballing equivalents of the infamous Mexican Roadsweepers found in world boxing during the 1970’s. Perhaps a tad pricey at £24m but in terms of the Fenway Sports Group’s transfer policy, a worthy purchase if you look at the £20 paid for Lazar Markovic.

It’s vitally important that this Transfer Committee can add value – to use a popular phrase from the world of commerce. No transfer is guaranteed and with that in mind, the less speculation one has to do then the better your chance of success. The club has paid out for Markovic, Lallana and Dejan Lovren, yet baulk at the prospect of a lesser sum for a player equally, and arguably better in his particular position than all of the previous three in my opinion. Markovic represents a huge risk given he has virtually no pedigree whatsoever.

With that in mind, the reluctance to bid for Bony is laughable, and only questions their credibility. Perhaps their looking for another player priced like Loic Remy. In his case it’s clear all that glitters is certainly not gold. Perhaps the same could be said for the idea of a Transfer Committee.

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