{"id":531,"date":"2016-06-24T13:59:48","date_gmt":"2016-06-24T13:59:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.andcouldheplay.com\/?p=531"},"modified":"2016-06-28T13:47:18","modified_gmt":"2016-06-28T13:47:18","slug":"liverpool-football-club-transfer-rumour-round-up-june-24th-2016","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.andcouldheplay.com\/liverpool-football-club-transfer-rumour-round-up-june-24th-2016\/","title":{"rendered":"Liverpool Football Club Transfer Rumour Round-Up: June 24th 2016"},"content":{"rendered":"

This blog is not a place for political comment. It is about football and, more specifically, Liverpool Football Club. That being said, it is impossible today not to acknowledge the result of yesterday\u2019s European referendum. The future is now, sadly, a bleak and uncertain place that seems a little bit darker and a little bit more isolated than it did 24 hours ago. It is crucial in the coming days, weeks and months that we do not, as a nation, allow fear and hatred to win out against love and the innate desire we have to help each other.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also impossible to ignore the fact that this result could have a very real impact on Liverpool FC\u2019s future. The freedom of movement of people guaranteed through membership of the EU means that EU nationals have been able to play in the UK without a work permit; something that is not the case for non-EU nationals who need to be granted a work permit.<\/p>\n

The current work permit rules mean that players must have played a given percentage of matches for their country in order to be granted said permit. On that basis, Philippe Coutinho, Emre Can, Dejan Lovren and Mamadou Sakho would all have failed to get their work permit and would not have been able to play any games for Liverpool.<\/p>\n

Another thing to bear in mind is the value of the pound. It absolutely plummeted over night as a victory for Leave became clear, hitting lows not seen since the 1980s. That means that, if it continues to devalue, Liverpool could end up spending roughly \u00a310 million more on a player bought from Europe not because the selling club has put the price up, but simply because the exchange rate is so dreadful.<\/p>\n

On the flip side, of course, the pound is now weaker against the dollar, meaning that FSG have theoretically got more bang for their buck.<\/p>\n

This blog is not political and, of course, the ramifications of a vote to leave are significantly worse for other parts of society than football supporters. But as someone far more intelligent than I once said, \u201cFootball is the least important of the most important things in life\u201d.<\/p>\n

The Out?<\/h2>\n

Joe Allen<\/h3>\n

We all sort of knew when J\u00fcrgen Klopp didn\u2019t pick him for important games and at crucial moments that Joe Allen was almost certainly on his way out of Anfield, but it is now looking more likely than ever. The Welshman was excellent for Liverpool at times last season, but he is a little bit too weak and lightweight for the Premier League in a team that already has relative lightweights in the form of Adam Lallana, Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino as first choices.<\/p>\n

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

The signing of Marko Grujic earlier in the year certainly seemed to signal the death knell for Allen\u2019s Liverpool career. Grujic is unlikely to come in as a first choice midfielder but will, instead, fine himself on the bench for plenty of the season, getting introduced late in matches as he acclimatises to the English game. There won\u2019t be enough room for both him and the Welshman so it looks like it\u2019s tatty-bye to Mr. Allen.<\/p>\n

According to the Liverpool Echo Swansea have already made an approach for their former player, with an \u00a38 million bid swiftly rejected by the Reds. They have yet to return with a higher offer but Liverpool expect more clubs to come in for him.<\/a> It is hoped that, thanks to his strong performances for Wales in the European Championships, the Reds will be able to recoup most of the \u00a315 million we spent on him back in 2012. Whatever happens it seems extremely unlikely that he\u2019ll line-up at Anfield for us next season, and that will be a real shame.<\/p>\n

The Rumours<\/h2>\n

There seem to be significantly less rumours flying around about Liverpool and transfer targets over the last week. Perhaps it\u2019s because J\u00fcrgen Klopp has gone off on a family holiday, or it might be that deals are pretty much tied up already with the players ready to sign on the dotted line when they return from their international duties in the Euros. Whatever the reason the simple truth is that most of the newspaper reports have been concerning players we already know about rather than new names not linked before.<\/p>\n

Sadio Man\u00e9<\/h3>\n

The action seems to have really heated up for the Southampton man over the last day or so. Many places are now reporting that a deal in the region of \u00a330 million will be signed off on in the next week or so. It\u2019s interesting that this seems to be being met with such apathy and scepticism from Liverpool fans. The general complaint seems to be that he plays for Southampton, rather than he\u2019s not a good player.<\/p>\n

That is as flawed as virtually all of the arguments for Brexit, with the players we have signed from Saints now having come good pretty much to a man. Dejan Lovren might not be the long-term solution to our defensive issues, but it\u2019s remarkable how much he\u2019s been able to turn his career around when he looked as though he\u2019d be chased out of town only twelve months ago.<\/p>\n

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Liverpool are reportedly edging closer to the signature of Southampton striker Sadio Mane. #LFC<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/90PPzb3uvZ<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Football Transfer (@TransferTrends) June 24, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n