{"id":186,"date":"2015-08-21T11:21:42","date_gmt":"2015-08-21T11:21:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.andcouldheplay.com\/?p=186"},"modified":"2016-07-13T11:20:01","modified_gmt":"2016-07-13T11:20:01","slug":"liverpool-football-club-transfer-rumours-news-21st-august-2015","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.andcouldheplay.com\/liverpool-football-club-transfer-rumours-news-21st-august-2015\/","title":{"rendered":"Liverpool Football Club Transfer Rumours & News: 21st August 2015"},"content":{"rendered":"

That Was The Week That Was<\/h2>\n

In the week when Liverpool played their first home game of the new season and secured their second win; Daniel Sturridge confirmed he\u2019d be heading back to Melwood soon and hoped to be involved in the game against Manchester United in September; and Reds fans remembered the day that Xabi Alonso and Luis Garcia were signed back in 2004; the club was linked with moves for plenty of players. Most of the links came in the tabloids, so we\u2019d understand if you didn\u2019t really want to dirty your mind or hands by reading them. Fear not, though, as you don\u2019t need to! We\u2019ve scoured the depths of the papers to find all of the stories linking LFC with moves for players this week. Enjoy!<\/p>\n

The Rumours & News<\/h2>\n

Lucas Leiva<\/h3>\n
\"mooinblack

mooinblack \/ shutterstock.com<\/p><\/div>\n

The Turkish side Besiktas have confirmed that they are in contact with Liverpool over the possible signing of the Merseyside club\u2019s least Brazilian Brazilian player of all time, Lucas Leiva.<\/p>\n

Lucas is rumoured to have fallen out with Brendan Rodgers during the summer, with the Northern Irishmen feeling that his only recognised holding midfielder has lost too much pace to fit into the team and is now his 4th<\/sup> choice.<\/p>\n

The Liverpool Echo<\/a> are reporting that Besiktas would like to take Lucas to Turkey on a season long loan and, seeing as though Rodgers has stated publicly that he sees Emre Can\u2019s future as a holding midfielder and has left Lucas out of his match day squad for the first 2 Premier League fixtures, it seems likely a deal could be thrashed out in the next few days.<\/p>\n

The Black Eagles need a new midfielder after both Toglay Arslan and Veli Kavlak have succumbed to early injuries, with the head of their transfer committee, Erdal Torunogullar\u0131, saying, \u201cLucas is a player on our shortlist, talks are ongoing\u201d.<\/p>\n

Plenty of Reds\u2019 fans would be disappointed to see Lucas leave, believing that Can still has plenty to learn before he can become a regular, Henderson is better when he\u2019s pushed further forward and Allen just not being good enough to be a regular for Liverpool. If Rodgers doesn\u2019t rate him, though, keeping him on the books seems like a mistake. Wait and see how this one pans out.<\/p>\n

\u00a0Dani Ceballos<\/h3>\n

Moving on to possible incomings, The Daily Mail<\/a> have abandoned their normal routine of articles decrying the sexualisation of youngsters on one page whilst showing pictures of attractive Hollywood teenage starlets on another in order to comment on Liverpool\u2019s transfer activity. Today they\u2019re claiming that the Merseysiders are monitoring the contract situation of 19 year old Dani Ceballos.<\/p>\n

The Real Betis wonder kid has 12 months left on his contract but a buyout clause od just \u00a38 million. Not bad for a player who starred in the middle of the park for Spain\u2019s Under-19 team during their recent European Championship triumph.<\/p>\n

The Spaniard, who has been labeled as \u2018the new Cesc Fabregas\u2019, can also play on the right of midfielder and is being watched by not only Liverpool but also Real Madrid and Roma. If he decides not to sign a new contract with Betis then he\u2019ll be able to sign a pre-contract agreement with one of those clubs and his current side will receive little in the way of compensation. He scored 5 goals in 33 appearances last season, helping Real Betis gain promotion back to La Liga.<\/p>\n

Jose Callejon<\/h3>\n
\"Photo

Photo Works \/ shutterstock.com<\/p><\/div>\n

TalkSport<\/a> are adamant that Liverpool and Arsenal will battle it out over a whole host of players before the end of the transfer window, with the latest name linked with both clubs being that of Jose Callejon.<\/p>\n

Apparently Napoli, the player\u2019s current club, have slapped a \u00a314.5 million price tag on the striker in the face of interest from the two English clubs. Why these players put up with consistently having things slapped on them is a question for another time.<\/p>\n

The former Real Madrid forward has been linked with a move away from Napoli all summer and Inter Milan are also rumoured to be linked with a move for the 28 year old. He can play as a front man or out wide, which is presumably why Liverpool have been linked with him, and has scored 26 goals over the past two seasons.<\/p>\n

The player has three years left on his current contract, meaning that Napoli aren\u2019t in a rush to sell him, but his agent has muddied the water by suggesting that he will consider any offers for his services this summer and is especially keen to play in the Premier League. There\u2019s nothing like making your current team feel loved, hey?<\/p>\n

Thiago Motta<\/h3>\n

Liverpool are on RED ALERT, according to The Daily Telegraph<\/a>, after Thiago Motta confirmed that he is \u2018open\u2019 to a transfer away from Paris St. Germain this summer. We\u2019re not for one second suggesting that The Telegraph are trying to make a story out of nothing, but here\u2019s the quote from the player in full, responding to the suggestion that he\u2019s not for sale:<\/p>\n

\u201cI know my importance in the team, but the club don\u2019t think like that. I\u00a0respect what the president has said, even if I don\u2019t agree with him. The transfer window is open. We\u2019re going to see \u2013 I\u2019m open to every situation. We have to find an agreement for the good of the club. The important thing is not me, the hierarchy, or the players. The important thing is the club. I don\u2019t like to speak like that \u2013 I always talk about the team. But now we have a situation where I have to think about myself\u201d.<\/p>\n

Other than being one of the most wishy-washy statements ever made, that\u2019s hardly a \u2018come and get me\u2019 plea. The suggestion from The Telegraph, however, is that Brendan Rodgers is keen on the player and thinks he can add a bit of steel to Liverpool\u2019s midfield. We\u2019re not totally convinced by that, to be honest, with Liverpool\u2019s midfield already being pretty full up and the current setup being based around pacey, intelligent players. Motta may well be a Champion\u2019s League winner, but he\u2019s 32 years old and not getting any younger. Like the player himself, we don\u2019t see any legs in this one.<\/p>\n

Asier Illarramendi<\/h3>\n
\"Maxisport

Maxisport \/ shutterstock.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Heading back to TalkSport<\/a> now, and the paper is convinced that Liverpool are \u2018weighing up an offer\u2019 for Real Madrid\u2019s Asier Illarramendi. What this weighing up entails we\u2019re not quite sure, especially considering we\u2019ve written about this particular player several times before. The link to the player is almost as tedious as the notion that Arsenal are going to sign Karim Benzema: linked forever, seemingly never going to happen.<\/p>\n

The thing that adds a touch of comedy to this particular rumour is the fact that it\u2019s gained strength following on from Real\u2019s decision to sign Mateo Kovacic, a player Liverpool were meant to be so close to signing many didn\u2019t understand why the player wasn\u2019t in the team\u2019s starting XI versus Stoke.<\/p>\n

The way TalkSport have it there will now be something of a bizarre m\u00e9nage a trois, with Inter Milan signing Lucas from Liverpool as a replacement for Kovacic who\u2019s moved to Real Madrid, and Liverpool signing Illarramendi from Real Madrid as a replacement for Lucas who will move to Inter Milan to replace Kovacic. You still with us? Good.<\/p>\n

Now, James Pearce is one of the most respected journalists with links to Liverpool and he said in an online chat last week that, to the best of his knowledge, the Reds have no interest in signing Illarramendi<\/a>. Who should we believe, a local journo with loads of links to the club, or the radio equivalent of a tabloid newspaper that is desperate to get people to click on its links? It\u2019s a tricky one.<\/p>\n

Despite the fact that Real Sociedad are favourites to land a player that used to play for them, and the knowledge the Liverpool\u2019s midfield is now very well stocked indeed, plus the knowledge that Brendan Rodgers has never bought a defensive midfielder as manager of any club, TalkSport still think the Reds are going to come in with a big money offer for the player. Don\u2019t hold your breath, that\u2019s our advice\u2026<\/p>\n

Denis Cheryshev<\/h3>\n
\"Laszlo

Laszlo Szirtesi \/ shutterstock.com<\/p><\/div>\n

The Metro<\/a>, that oh so reliable location for all sorts of rumours and news and a paper that has never<\/em> made stuff up as they were going along, have gone one further than TalkSport. They think that Liverpool are not after just one Real Madrid player, but two!<\/p>\n

That\u2019s right, The Metro are claiming that Liverpool are weighing up offers for both Asier Illarramendi and <\/em>Denis Cheryshev. Illarramendi is a possible replacement for Steven Gerrard, according to the tabloid, and Cheryshev is a natural fit for the wide role abandoned by Raheem Sterling when the youngster departed Anfield for The Etihad.<\/p>\n

Having spent last season on loan at Villarreal where he made 40 appearances in all competitions and scored 7 goals, the 24 year old could be available for around \u00a314.2 million. The fact that Jordan Ibe has struggled to make an impact in Liverpool\u2019s first two games could encourage Rodgers to dip back into the transfer market for a player that is no longer part of the plans at Real Madrid, and Cheryshev himself will presume he\u2019s more likely to get regular appearances at Anfield than at The Santiago Bernabeu.<\/p>\n

Henrikh Mkhitaryan<\/h3>\n
\"Finger

Finger hut \/ shutterstock.com<\/p><\/div>\n

Remember when Liverpool were linked with a move for Henrikh Mkhitaryan and everybody went mental at Ian Ayre when they failed to sign him? Well good news, it looks like it\u2019s all about to happen again!<\/p>\n

That\u2019s right, The Independent<\/a> reckon that the Reds could be planning a late swoop for the attacking midfielder who signed for Borussia Dortmund in 2013. Mkhitaryan has played 94 games for the German side since signing, scoring 24 goals and getting 20 assists, yet all is not well in the state of Dortmund. Back in February his agent said, \u201cHenrikh wants to leave Dortmund at the end of the season. We will have to wait and see what we can do\u201d, and it seems that that quote is what has given The Independent the idea that the Reds could make another move for him.<\/p>\n

Juventus are also meant to be interested in acquiring the 26 year old Armenian\u2019s signature, with a fee of around \u00a315 million being the likely number either team will have to stump up if they want to get him.<\/p>\n

He would be a good signing for a Rodgers team, especially bearing in mind that Jurgen Klopp played a high pressing game similar to that used by the Northern Irishman at Anfield. This rumour has the whiff of truth to it, despite Liverpool\u2019s already over-full midfield department. We reckon it\u2019s something along the lines of 50\/50.<\/p>\n

Marco Verratti<\/h3>\n

The last rumour for the Reds concerns a possible move for Marco Verratti, at least according to The Daily Star<\/a>. Much like with The Daily Telegraph\u2019s report about Thiago Motta being based around quotes that don\u2019t quite match the story, here\u2019s the quote, from goal.com<\/a>, that The Star has used to insist Liverpool are now on red alert:<\/p>\n

You never know what the future brings. I am fine where I am now and I am not thinking about a transfer. I will consider my options the day I no longer feel good at PSG or when the club wants to sell me but England, Spain and Italy are all options. What matters most is the project\u201d.<\/p>\n

Whoa! How haven\u2019t PSG fined him and immediately sacked him?! He\u2019s \u2018fine\u2019 where is and \u2018not thinking about a transfer\u2019? Ian Ayre should camp outside his house right now! The 22 year old midfielder knows that Barcelona are interested in him and are lining up a move for his services at some point next year, so quite why The Star think he\u2019d rather go to Anfield we can\u2019t get our heads around. You heard it here first, though, a player is happy where is and isn\u2019t interested in a transfer: cue anger when Liverpool don\u2019t sign him up.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

That Was The Week That Was In the week when Liverpool played their first home game of the new season and secured their second win; Daniel Sturridge confirmed he\u2019d be heading back to Melwood soon and hoped to be involved in the game against Manchester United in September; and Reds fans remembered the day that Xabi Alonso and Luis Garcia were signed back in 2004; the club was linked with moves for plenty of players. Most of the links came in the tabloids, so we\u2019d understand if you didn\u2019t really want to dirty your mind or hands by reading them. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":166,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.andcouldheplay.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/186"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.andcouldheplay.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.andcouldheplay.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.andcouldheplay.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.andcouldheplay.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=186"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.andcouldheplay.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/186\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":190,"href":"https:\/\/www.andcouldheplay.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/186\/revisions\/190"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.andcouldheplay.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/166"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.andcouldheplay.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=186"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.andcouldheplay.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=186"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.andcouldheplay.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=186"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}