After it today emerged that the protracted transfer of Loic Remy to Liverpool Football Club has been called off due to medical concerns I take a look at who Brendan Rodgers may turn to as an alternative to the Frenchman.
Wilfried Bony
The Ivorian battering ram had an excellent campaign in a season of struggles for Swansea City boasting an impressive first season return of 16 goals in 34 league games whilst also providing 4 assists and 21 key passes for his teammates.
Lacking acceleration over the first five yards Bony instead bases his game around his pure strength, utilising his impressive physique to make space on opposition defenders which in turn allows him to send thunderous efforts at goal.
The reported valuation of the Swansea star – close to £20 million – is what initially dissuaded Brendan Rodgers from making a move for the player and turn to Loic Remy. Whether the failed medical of the Frenchman will change the Ulsterman’s mind is not yet known but for strictly footballing reasons I am not sure the addition of Bony is necessary given the outlay on Liverpool’s new number 9 Rickie Lambert, himself a player of similar qualities.
Alexandre Lacazette
It’s been a breakthrough season for the French prodigy at Lyon with an exceptional 15 goals in 36 games and a respectable – if not slightly underwhelming – 3 assists to his name, however his creative side does show with 38 key passes made for teammates.
Comfortable playing across the front line the Lyon youngster may provide the most natural alternative to Remy and it is unlikely Lacazette will command the same inflated fee as Bony; although it has to be noted that Lyon are historically difficult to deal with.
While the talents of Lacazette have been known for some time the concern with any possible transfer is that he is still somewhat inconsistent and has of yet only achieved one season of football with a regular end product on show.
Antoine Griezmann
The Frenchman has flourished in recent years at Real Sociedad and has grown ever more consistent as he has aged. Last season he recorded 16 goals in 35 appearances, assisting 3 times and providing 31 key passes in the process.
At 23 he is still just a youngster with potential to become even more prolific in front of goal in the coming years. The Frenchman is also versatile capable of playing all across the front line which would only appeal to Rodgers desire to have a squad of multifunctional talents.
The issue facing Liverpool with such a transfer is that a player of Griezmann’s talents will undoubtedly attract the interest of rivals with Atletico Madrid the latest in a long line of clubs to register their interest.
Heung-Min Son
A player Liverpool have monitored during his Hamburg days the South Korean has impressed in his first year for Bayer Leverkusen scoring 10 goals, assisting 4 and providing 30 key passes in his 31 games last season.
Like so many players linked to Liverpool he is the epitome of the modern forward; adept on the sides or up front he’s also exceptionally good with both feet. Furthermore he already shows an understanding of how to alter his game to different roles within the team, sometimes opperating as a playmaker and at other moments as a forward who runs the channels.
At 22 his game is still raw and he can often be found guilty of choosing the more difficult option even when teammates are in better positions.
It’s also unlikely that Leverkusen will let go of such a young talent after only one year at the club.
Kevin Volland
The 21 year old was part of one of the most exciting attacks in the Bundesliga last season alongside Brazilian hotshot Roberto Firmino. Pacey, technical and with an eye for goal the German youngster finished last season with 11 goals in 33 appearances making an impressive 35 key passes and 4 assists in the process.
Like so many of the players mentioned Volland is also highly versatile playing last season as both a right forward and as a central striker which is in line with Liverpool’s transfer policy, and at 21 there is still considerable room for improvement. The German youngster will need it given his ball retention wouldn’t currently be up to the standards that Liverpool set.
Considering the Bundesliga is a more physical league than both the Spanish and French divisions I would suspect that Volland would find the transition into English football less difficult than that of Lacazette or Griezmann. A high asking price may however put the reds off any deal for the German.