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Liverpool Manager, Brendan Rodgers during the Barclays Premier League match between Norwich City and Liverpool at Carrow Road
Liverpool find themselves in a position wildly unimaginable at the start of the season.
Having ransacked their way to ensured participation in the group stages of next season’s Champions League competition, Brendan Rodgers finds himself with a reported £60million to play around with and in charge of a club that can offer more than just history and prestige, abstracts that perhaps should amount to more than they seemingly do among the modern footballer’s list of priorities.
Despite being firmly perched atop the Premier League table, currently, safe in the knowledge a third-place finish is now the absolute worst-case scenario, it surely won’t be a case of ain’t-broke-don’t-fix Rodgers has in mind for next season. It remains an opportune, and undermining, excuse for certain rival title challengers’ managers, but the Reds wafer-thin squad would conceivably have buckled slightly under the weight of the additional matches that accompany European competition.
So, to prevent physical and mental fatigue from settling in, additions will need to be made and we think the following three extremely gifted stars will fit the bill quite nicely.
Ivan Rakitic – Sevilla
Sevilla’s Swiss midfielder Ivan Rakitic holds the ball during the Spanish league football match Sevilla FC vs RCD Espanyol at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium
To dangle Sevilla’s linchpin midfielder Ivan Rakitic as a tempting proposition for Liverpool fans is simply to enumerate a whole bunch a jaw-dropping statistics, which includes 12 goals, ten assists and a staggering 73 goalscoring chances created so far this season in La Liga.
Additionally, there are parallel’s you can draw between the explosive attacking play Rodgers’ side has exhibited over the course of the season and certain performances given by the side of which Rakitic is already a part. Sevilla rampaged into three goal lead during the second leg of their ultimately successful Europa League quarter-final clash with Porto, during which Rakitic played a key role in providing a couple deadly crosses and inspiring assaults upon a bewildered Porto back-line, including the highly sought after Eliaquim Mangala, through fluid link-up play.
The latest on the Croatian’s situation suggests he wishes to remain in Spain and is likely to sign a new contract soon. What is more, Sevilla are currently embroiled in an intense battle for La Liga’s fourth-spot with Athletic Bilbao meaning, should Rakitic’s side come out on top, being able to offer Champions League football might not be so much of a pull.
However, the Reds could be forgiven for dipping into the £60m kitty and making an irresistible offer for a player so versatile and talented as Rakitic.
Dejan Lovren – Southampton
(L-R) Dejan Lovren of Southampton is challenged by Gabriel Agbonlahor of Aston Villa during the Barclays Premier League match between Aston Villa and Southampton at Villa Park
In possession of a rare combination of qualities, able to effectively defend and ooze class while doing so, fans of watching Southampton play – and let’s face it, most of us are – will have been intrigued to hear mention of Liverpool’s interest in the Saints centre-back Dejan Lovren.
In terms of the areas of his squad Rodgers will be looking to strengthen, Liverpool’s defence likely figures most highly. Martin Skrtel appears far less erratic in playing playing out from the back but still threatens to go into meltdown mode in the face of dangerous crosses. Meanwhile, the fee stumped up for Mamadou Sakho suggests Rodgers will be desperately hopeful of integrating him into his first-team on a permanent basis, even if the jury is still out on the Frenchman’s decision-making faculties and concentration.
Regardless, defensive cover is a must and Lovren’s ability to defend on the front foot would be priceless in a side that can transfer the ball from defence to attack as swiftly as can Liverpool. The Croatian centre-half, on average per 90 minutes, significantly outstrips all Rodgers’ current senior options in central defence in terms of interceptions performed. This proactive form of defending, in comparison with those representing more reactive forms such as clearances and blocked shots, paint the picture of a cool, calm defender who would excel next to Skrtel’s cagey brilliance.
Yevhen Konoplyanka – Dnipro
Dnipro’s Ukrainian midfielder Yevhen Konoplyanka (R) during the UEFA Europa League round of 32, 2nd leg
The one (of many) that got away.
But that may not be the case for long as Konoplyanka, who is any time now likely to be dubbed the ‘Ukranian Messi’, recently revealed his support for Liverpool in their bid for Premier League glory.
Quite a few times have Liverpool now been linked with the Dnipro winger since the January transfer window palaver and although they may have to fend off rival interest from Spurs, in being able to offer Champions League football Rodgers holds a distinct advantage.
Very much the kind of expressive and rapid player the Ulsterman has proven adept at handling, Konoplyanka managed to successfully dribble round opponents 32 times in just seven appearances during this season’s Europa League, during which only two other players, Salzburg’s Kevin Kampl and Sadio Mane, completed a higher number of take-ons.
