After finishing the Barclays Premier League in a more than respectable 2nd place, things are once again looking bright for the future of Liverpool. With Champions League football assured for next season, there is certainly once again an attraction to play in a costless-flowing, successful squad, and Brendan Rodgers is looking to revitalise the Merseyside team into another title charge. Bearing this in mind, one can only expect that there will be strengthening to be done during the transfer window period.
But, as trends of years gone by prove, Liverpool have a history of failing to adequately strengthen, allowing the progress of previous years success to be overshadowed by the next seasons failings. Even when it came to last season, which was an over achievement of preseason expectations, Liverpool were not successful in recruiting a number of high quality targets.
The likes of Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Willian and Diego Costa, who have all had exceptional seasons at their current clubs, were reported targets. However, deals failed to come together for any of the trio, and in a season which came so close to the ultimate domestic prize, perhaps one of these talents may have made the difference.
Instead, the likes of Aly Cissokho, Iago Aspas and Luis Alberto were brought in by Rodgers. It's fair to say that they didn't perhaps have the sparkling impact expected by the Liverpool faithful, and there is a good chance that each of the three will be shipped out this summer.
However, the breath of fresh air which was last season, has provided Liverpool fans with a belief that this will be the summer where previous wrongs are righted in the transfer window, due to the need to maintain and improve the current standard at the club. Financial backing from owners Fenway Sports Group seems imminent, and the club have already been linked to a whole host of signings.
In:
Speculation has been rife throughout the media, with rumours of moves for Southampton trio Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren and Ricky Lambert. The club have also been strongly linked with moves for Sevilla left back Alberto Moreno, Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Emre Can and Barcelona wingers Alexis Sanchez and Pedro Rodriguez, as well as a whole host of other targets. In short, it's impossible for the club to bring that many faces in, but what the fans are pleading for is quality over quantity.
The deal involving Lambert looks to be a shoe-in, with pictures emerging of the 32 year old England international having a medical in Liverpool. It looks like a good move for the Reds, who need solid back up for SAS, and Lambert offers a plan B if necessary, a more direct approach to goal.
As well as Lambert, a move for Moreno seems imminent. A deal for the 21 year old looks likely, and this will be easier after he was withdrawn from Spain's final squad for the World Cup, as he will have time to negotiate a move without the stress of an international competition. Moreno was a part of Sevilla's triumphant Europa League side, and for a price between £16-£20 million, he looks like an impressive addition in an area where Liverpool seem to require upgrades.
In terms of a deal for Lallana, there have been complications, to say the least. Liverpool are most certainly the front runners for his signature, but Southampton appear to be skyrocketing the 26-year old's price out of proportion. There are a few reasons why Southampton have become architects in commanding a premium for their stars. They are renowned for producing a selection of top quality British internationals, (Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Gareth Bale to name just 3 products of their conveyor belt of talent) and after that trio were signed at a young age by Arsenal and Tottenham, Southampton decide to display a more aggressive approach towards withdrawing money from the top sides for their talented home grown stars.
Lallana has also, don't get me wrong, been in outstanding form for the Saints this year, scoring 9 goals and making 5 assists from Southampton's midfield. He forged impressive partnerships with strikers Jay Rodriguez and the aforementioned Lambert, and the trio together earned their first England caps this season, and but for an injury to Rodriguez, it looks as if all 3 would have been part of the English squad for the World Cup.
However, their seems to be another possible explanation towards why Southampton may charge such a premium. Apparently, Southampton owe 20% of the future transfer fee to Lallana's first club, Bournemouth. There are still, however, two ways that Southampton could come out of this deal in the best way for their club. Firstly, they could sell for substantially higher than what Lallana is worth, which would benefit both Bournemouth and Southampton. Alternatively, if Liverpool were to sign the trio of Lambert, Lallana and Lovren, the Reds could pay over the odds for Lovren and Lambert, and then pay a small fee for Lallana, which would benefit the Reds and the Saints, while Bournemouth would receive a fraction of the true value of their 20%.
A deal for either Barcelona winger, Sanchez or Pedro, would certainly be quite the coup for Liverpool in my eyes. Sanchez appears to be closing in on a move to Juventus, but even so, the dynamic pace and goal scoring ability displayed by either would certainly adapt nicely into the current Liverpool side. Under new manager Luis Enrique, a clearout at Barcelona seems a foregone conclusion, and the two wingers, who have struggled at times for first team football, may well be moved on to fund new signings. In the case of Pedro, he provides width, and positional rotation, which Rodgers loves.
Out:
As well as the flurry of inward activity expected, there will probably be an array of players sold in order to provide funding for future signings. The likes of Pepe Reina, Daniel Agger and Fabio Borini have all been strongly linked with moves away, while as mentioned above, it looks as if Aly Cissokho, Iago Aspas and Luis Alberto will all exit after failing to impact this season. Loan signing Victor Moses will be returning after his loan spell from Chelsea, while a few of the younger squad members may be loaned out in order to gain first team football experience.
Summary:
If Rodgers wants to push on from last season's achievements, he will have to be backed sufficiently by FSG and make the right signings in positions of most need in the squad (namely defensively.) With the new found pressure and expectations rising once again for every Liverpool fan, it will certainly be an intriguing experience to see how Rodgers and the Reds cope with the stress that comes with playing top class football.
