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Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand questioned if Liverpool were really in for Timo Werner in the summer. The German international was one of the most sought-after players in world football and sealed a move to Chelsea for a fee believed to be in the region of £52 million after being heavily linked with Liverpool.
The Reds, on the other hand, decided to keep their cards close to their chest and splash the cash on Portuguese Diogo Jota late in the transfer. While Werner has shown flashes of his brilliance early in his Chelsea career, Jota has been one of the signings of the season and made a massive impact for the reigning Premier League champions.
Speaking on BT Sport ahead of Liverpool's UEFA Champions League encounter against Atalanta, Ferdinand wondered if Jota was the one Jurgen Klopp wanted to sign all along.
“I probably question whether they really were in for Werner. Because Jota came around quite quickly after that and they all seemed very happy with that."
The Manchester United and England legend was also quick to praise Liverpool for not crumbling in the absence of Virgil van Dijk, who looks set to miss the rest of the season with an ACL injury.
"It’s the way that he has the mentality that he’s created when Virgil van Dijk got injured, for instance, you look at it - they’ve played seven games since - won six, drawn one."
"Their defensive record - they’ve conceded three goals. It’s improved even when van Dijk is out."
"That’s about creating that mentality, creating that environment where the players think that they won’t suffer because a big cog in their system has gone, and they’re gonna prove people wrong.”
Chelsea and Liverpool could compete for the PL title this season
While Liverpool started the season asfavorites for the Premier League title, a lot was said about Chelsea after their massive spending spree in the summer. Frank Lampard's side have shown in the early days of the season that they are capable of rubbing shoulders with the big boys and are third in the Premier League standings currently, two points behind the Reds.
The Blues' new-found defensive stability has been a big boost in recent weeks, with Thiago Silva, Ben Chilwell and Edouard Mendy all impressing since signing for Chelsea in the summer.
Chelsea take on Tottenham Hotspur in a high-profile Premier League clash this weekend. As Lampard prepares to lock horns with his former manager Jose Mourinho, it remains to be seen who comes on top when the two London sides battle it out at Stamford Bridge.
