Liverpool Transfer Round-Up for January 2011

Analysis of The Ins and Outs of Liverpool's January Dealings

by Rhydon Atzenhoffer
February 1, 2011

Liverpool fans can look forward to a bright attacking future for their club as the arrival of Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll put a stamp of intent in the books by new club owners, Fenway Sports Group. The investment in the clubs future certainly has many talking about how this is a much welcomed change. Yesterday on LFC.tv Tony Barrett of The Times stated, "Before Liverpool would have been paying £30-£40 Million on interest fees, so it is great to see that being spent as investment on the pitch in player assets." With that said and firmly agreed with, Kenny Dalglish also stated, "The support from the owners has been fantastic."


After all has been said and done I thought a look back at the month to go over the ins and outs from moves to loans would be in order to just take stock of where the club and players now will be at the start of the run-in till May. Another key point is that with the Ins and Outs of the window Liverpool Spent £58 Million but brought in £57 Million through the sales of Ryan Babel and Fernando Torres, and with the players out on loan that are additionally gone, the club actually only spent £1 Million Pounds. Not bad business at the end of the day.

The Ins


Player: Luis Suarez

Position: Striker

Age: 23

Nation: Uruguay

Former Club: Ajax, Gronigen, Nacional

Transfer Fee: £23 Million Pounds

Player: Andrew Carroll

Position: Striker

Age: 22

Nation: England

Former Club: Newcastle United, Preston (Loan)

Transfer Fee: £35 Million Pounds




Player: Yusif Mersin

Position: Keeper

Age: 16

Nation: Turkey

Former Club: Millwall

Transfer Fee: Undisclosed

Player: Conor Thomas

Position: Midfield

Age: 17

Nation: England

Former Club: Coventry

Transfer Fee: Loan to Liverpool

The Outs

Player: Fernando Torres

Position: Striker

Age: 26

Nation: Spain

New Club: Chelsea FC

Transfer Fee: 50 Million Pounds
 

Player: Ryan Babel

Position: Forward

Age: 24

Nation: Neatherlands
New Club: TSG Hoffenheim

Transfer Fee: £7 Million Pounds

Player: Paul Konchesky

Position: Left Back

Age: 29

Nation: England

New Club: Nottingham Forest

Transfer Fee: Loan

Player: Victor Palsson

Position: Midfield

Age: 19

Nation: Iceland

New Club: Hibernian

Transfer Fee: Free

Player: David Amoo

Position: Striker

Age: 19

Nation: England

New Club: Milton Keynes Dons

Transfer Fee: Loan

Player: Nathan Eccleson

Position: Striker

Age: 20

Nation: England

New Club: Charlton Athletic

Transfer Fee: Loan

Player: Stephen Darby

Position: Defender

Age: 21

Nation: England

New Club: Notts County

Transfer Fee: Loan

With all the movement, it will be interesting to see what is to come of the all this. Fernando Torres will look to have his revenge against Liverpool next Sunday as the Reds travel to Stamford Bridge in must win fixture for both clubs.

Torres? Coming or Going

Article first published as Torres? Coming or Going on Technorati.

The Final Day of the Transfer Window Sees Torres Eye his Exit, and And Luis Suarez Eye Stoke Debut

by Rhydon Atzenhoffer
January 31, 2011

Suarez Completes Move

The weekend came to a close with new signing Luis Suarez passing his medical for Liverpool and setting his sights on a Wednesday debut when the Reds face Stoke City. Suarez was indeed excited to say the least about having joined Liverpool as his desire to play for a high profile club is satisfied for the moment. The fans will be happy to see someone that wants to be at the club after the past five days of Torres transfer debate has many of the fans reeling.

The Uruguayan international may not be forming a partnership with the world cup winning Spaniard after all as Liverpool have been trying to find a replacement of quality for the almost certain to leave Torres. The weekend saw Chelsea table the possibility of a cash plus Nicolas Anelka deal which the Reds favored as a means to have a proven goal scorer in the Premiership take Torres' place. However, reports this morning from Liverpool's NESN column say the Frenchman is against the move and it looks like Chelsea will table an offer of £50 Million in order to reach the buy-out clause in Torres' contract.

Carroll to leave Toon

Liverpool have been as firm as possible from my point of view in the desire to have Torres fulfill his long-term contract. If he does so, it is likely he will not be offered another one or any form of extension. The real problem that has arisen is if he truly wants to leave, what is the point of keeping him? A player the wants to move on will never truly give the performances he is capable of. This I believe has the Reds attempting to cash in.

An offer of £30 Million has been reported to have been rejected by Newcastle for front man Andy Carroll. The Reds apparently are actively looking for a replacement for Torres, and this move by Liverpool also guarantee that their No. 9 will be on the move by this evening or the summer at the latest. Carrol's size and strength could be just the right match for Suarez's speed and movement.

Young to follow O'Neal out Exit Door

Improved bids for Aston Villa's Ashley Young, and Blackpool's Charlie Adam are also expected as this could be a very busy last day for the Reds and other teams across Europe. Young is out of contract in the summer and his refusal to commit long term to the Villan's with a new contract insists that they may need to go ahead and cash in before the player becomes a Bosman Free Transfer target and they get nothing. It is also reported that Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United are to enter the biding for Charlie Adam against Liverpool.

Also in other reports Left Back Paul Konchesky has agreed to a loan move to Nottingham Forest for the remainder of the season as his return to Fulham looks to be a priority in the summer as negotiations over goal scorers is taking president on Merseyside for the time being.

What Comes Next for Liverpool? The Reds by the Numbers

Article first published as What Comes Next for Liverpool? The Reds by the Numbers on Technorati.

The King has the Reds on the Rise, But Just How Far Can We Go From Here

by Rhydon Atzenhoffer
January 27, 2011

Its 7th Heaven for the Reds for the moment after a second straight win under Kenny Dalglish has propelled the club into the top half of the table. The Reds finished 7th last year and booked a UEFA Europa League spot, but knowing the King he will be aiming higher than that. Champions League Qualification is still a possibility believe it or not because of how crazy this season has been in the English Premier League. With the club finally mounting a climb in the table I thought it would be interesting to see just where the Reds could possibly end up based on a couple different situations.

Champions League?

I know it seems like a long shot but there is still that chance for the Reds. This year confined to the UEFA Europa League, which we reconvene on February 17 in Prague against Sparta Praha in the first leg of our Round of 32 knockout stage tie. Dalglish has the team and fans reunited, but can they push their new found confidence enough to challenge Sunderland, Tottenham, and Chelsea ahead of them for 4th.

Qualifying for the Champions League domestically will take even more effort but it is still possible. Liverpool sit 7th in the table with 32 points from 9 wins 5 draws and 10 losses. If the Reds win out the last 14 games of the season we would have a total of 74 points. That is the highest we can manage no matter what we do. However, if you look at the past five seasons the average number of points needed to place 4th or higher was 71. So it is possible. The highest total of the past five was 76 points which Liverpool amassed in the 07-08 season.

The statistics give us an outside chance on averages but it is still a long shot. Chelsea is currently in 4th place on 41 points with a game in hand. That means the Reds currently have a 9 point swing to make up for, if the Blues win the missing match it will be a 12 point swing. Best case scenario we start by beating the Blues for the double over them at Stamford Bridge on February 6th.

As much as I want to see Liverpool in the Champions League next season I truly don't know if we can over come the gap, nor keep Tottenham from beating us in that same race. If the planets aligned just right I see Liverpool getting out of the next 14 games with 9 wins 3 Draws and 2 Losses. That would bring our points total to 62.

The Lowest 4th place finish in the last ten seasons belongs to Liverpool from the 2003-2004 season where we finished with 60 points, and Everton Finished 4th on 61 Points the following season. So numbers wise if we can obtain at least 60 points we have 5/1 odds on a Champions League spot. Given as upside down as this season has truly been who is to say we cant still make it.

Transfer Impacts?

The final say in whether Liverpool add some extra ability to increase the likelyhood of such a push for the 4th spot in the table remains to be seen. The controversies surrounding all the transfer targets of the Reds is increasing, and with every waking moment the window is closer to being shut as there are only 4 days left. If deals are going to be made they need to be made now.

Luis Suarez is still the top target along with Charlie Adam. Stephen Warnock is still on the cards to replace Paul Konchesky, if the later does indeed return to Fulham, and the cash and time is available to complete a move for the former Liverpool Academy starlet.

Other outside transfer targets in and out of the media have been Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Ashley Young and Stewart Downing (Aston Villa), Eljero Elia (Hamburg), David Bentley (Loaned to Birmingham City), Charles N'Zogbia (Wigan), Matt Jarvis (Wolves), and even Ronaldinho was linked with both Liverpool and Blackburn before he marked his return to Brazil. Also Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich) and Danial Sturridge (Chelsea) were mentioned looking at loan moves before the opening of the transfer window in January, but neither ever seemed to have carried any weight.

At the rate it is going I truly don't see many moves being completed, and the King will have to take what he has and mold it to his pass and move offense to get the best finish possible.

Liverpool Leftback Loonieness

Article first published as Liverpool Leftback Loonieness on Technorati.

Liverpool in Search of a Permanent Solution to their Left Sided Defensive Woes

by Rhydon Atzenhoffer
January 27, 2011

Few teams in the world of football have deployed as many men on the left side of the defensive third than Liverpool in the last few years. The current season has seen the arrival of Paul Konchesky from Fulham provide little to nothing for the club as last years promising Emiliano Insua was loaned out to Galatasaray in Turkey. The young Argentine was a mainstay in Rafael Benitez's line-up last season as free kick specialist Fabio Aurelio spent time injured. His performances in the last season at Liverpool and this loan season in Turkey have him a target of Juventus, current location of on loan midfielder Alberto Aquilani, according to Givemefootball.com

Aurelio was out of contract over the summer but Roy Hogdson believe he still had miles left, but another injury sidelined him again allowing Hodgson to bring in his former Fulham charge Knochesky. Andrea Dossena was another that had been employed previously and earned himself a quick trip straight back to Serie A after only impressing in several substitute appearances including Liverpool's not to long passed 1-4 routing of Manchester United at Old Trafford in 2009.

However that victory of impressive class seems so long ago many have forgotten. New Manager Kenny Dalglish has moved Konchesky to the bench all together and is deputizing usual Right Back Glen Johnson in the left sided role as he has preferred youngster and rising talent Martin Kelly on the right hand side. The ability of both Johnson and Kelly to get forward has seen them rise to prominence in Dalglish's pass and move system while Konchesky is still believed a student of Roy Hodgson's batten down the hatches and play for a draw regime.

Warnock in Red 2007

Recent reports have linked the Reds with the arrival of another name to be added to the long list of occupants on the left side. Former Red Stephen Warnock currently of Aston Villa has been tipped for a return to Anfield this January. The move would most likely see Martin Kelly relegated back to the bench, alongside Aurelio, but the vital experience will be key to the youngsters development and it is good to see youngsters from the Academy starting to break into the first team again as it has been a long time since such has happened.


Out of Favor Konchesky has endured a not so positive tenure at the club and it looks as though her will be heading back to Fulham. It looks as though he will be sold in this last week of the transfer window and if not looks to secure a loan deal until a move can be arranged on a permanent basis in the summer.If the deal does go through look for Warnock to be in through purchase or loan until a summer move.

Jovanovic and Konchesky Out?

Two More Reds look to be on the Out

by Rhydon Atzenhoffer
January 25, 2011

With the Reds making waves trying to wheel and deal in the market this final week of the window two more out of favor players look to be moving on. Last week it was reported that Paul Konchesky was likely to be sold back to Fulham to recoup some of the funds dashed out on him by Roy Hogdson. The left back never impressed and the use of Glen Johnson on the left since the take over of Kenny Dalglish has all but sealed the former Cottager's fate.

Another Liverpool forward also appears to be on the move. Following in the footsteps of Ryan Babel whom just sealed his move to TSG Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga this morning after a back and forth saga involving a wanted return to Ajax, Milan Jovanovic appears to be the interest of VfL Wolfsburg. talkSport and Goal.com have both reported as such and it appears that a near £6 Million offer is on the table.

The Serbian was one of Rafa Benitez's last signings before the Spaniard took his sort lived tenure at the San Siro. Flashes of brilliance were not enough, as he failed to replicate his performances for Standard Liege.