Alberto Aquilani Could Be Great for Arsenal but Milan Are on the Brink

Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

(Bleacher Report)Liverpool's Alberto Aquilani transfer saga has been in the wings from those surrounding Cesc Fabregas, Luka Modric and Samir Nasri. With him looking destined to make a return to Italy, it is still interesting to look at him as still having more to offer the English Premier League.

His first season in the league for Liverpool was unfairly criticized in many ways. Most fans and pundits alike made him out to be the next Xabi Alonso for the Reds. The problem is that there really is only one Xabi Alonso.

With unfair belief loaded on his back, anything he did that was different than the Reds beloved Spanish playmaker would have done made him a poor signing. However, he had flashes of brilliance in the brief time he actually got to make his claim to a midfield spot.

Rafael Benitez's departure further unsettled the Roman, and new boss Roy Hogdson was quick to ship him off to Juventus on loan when the Reds could really have used him last season alongside Lucas Leiva and Raul Meireles when Steven Gerrard went down.

In total he has only gotten 28 appearances for the Reds with two goals to his name and he has had no time to show his quality now that he is healthy.

Arsene Wenger could take advantage of the highly talented Italian at a cut rate if he wished, and at only 27 years old the Azurri International still has plenty of gas in the tank.

Aquilani also has the age left to grow with Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere and Alex Song. He could form a lethal partnership with Robin Van Persie as both like to drift between midfield and attack.

That characteristic of the two in combination would possibly ease the problems of no one being in position for Theo Walcott's crosses if Aquilani pushed into the center forward role when RVP had his roving moments backwards.

You can follow me on Twitter @thedailyatz and Facebook or visit my personal WebSite

Alberto Aquilani Could Be Great for Arsenal but Milan Are on the Brink

Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

(Bleacher Report)Liverpool's Alberto Aquilani transfer saga has been in the wings from those surrounding Cesc Fabregas, Luka Modric and Samir Nasri. With him looking destined to make a return to Italy, it is still interesting to look at him as still having more to offer the English Premier League.

His first season in the league for Liverpool was unfairly criticized in many ways. Most fans and pundits alike made him out to be the next Xabi Alonso for the Reds. The problem is that there really is only one Xabi Alonso.

With unfair belief loaded on his back, anything he did that was different than the Reds beloved Spanish playmaker would have done made him a poor signing. However, he had flashes of brilliance in the brief time he actually got to make his claim to a midfield spot.

Rafael Benitez's departure further unsettled the Roman, and new boss Roy Hogdson was quick to ship him off to Juventus on loan when the Reds could really have used him last season alongside Lucas Leiva and Raul Meireles when Steven Gerrard went down.

In total he has only gotten 28 appearances for the Reds with two goals to his name and he has had no time to show his quality now that he is healthy.

Arsene Wenger could take advantage of the highly talented Italian at a cut rate if he wished, and at only 27 years old the Azurri International still has plenty of gas in the tank.

Aquilani also has the age left to grow with Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere and Alex Song. He could form a lethal partnership with Robin Van Persie as both like to drift between midfield and attack.

That characteristic of the two in combination would possibly ease the problems of no one being in position for Theo Walcott's crosses if Aquilani pushed into the center forward role when RVP had his roving moments backwards.

You can follow me on Twitter @thedailyatz and Facebook or visit my personal WebSite

Joe Cole, Christian Poulsen and Alberto Aquilani Want to Make Their Mark as Reds

Christopher Lee/Getty Images

(Bleacher Report)Liverpool continue to be linked with new faces, and with those rumors also come the rumors of players being on their way out. Joe Cole has been tipped with an exit since the January transfer window with Paris Saint Germain believed to be one of his many admirers. Tottenham Hotspur have also seemed ready to offer a lifeline to the player.

Christian Poulsen has been tipped with an exit since January as well with the former Juventus player having never truly gotten off the ground as a Red. Roy Hodgson purchased him with a belief that perhaps he could fill the void of Javier Mascherano at some point but that has never been the case. Maybe Hodgson could let him move to West Bromwich for a second chance.

Alberto Aquilani is the only one of the three that more than likely could stay as moves to Juventus and no AC Milan seem to have completely broken down. Fiorentina was also linked with the Italian play maker, but he seems intent on remaining a Red.

The one thing all three of them have in common is there desire to fight for their place at Liverpool. Christian Poulsen has come out with comments that he hopes to form a partnership with Charlie Adam at the heart of the Reds midfield.

Roman midfielder Aquilani has claimed he is more than happy to stay and for now it seems he will be remaining on Merseyside until at least January or next summer to see if he will truly be a part of the Reds future plans.

You can follow me on Twitter @thedailyatz and Facebook or visit my personal WebSite

Aquilani Set to Return as a Red as Juventus Move Looks Uncertain

Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images

(Bleacher Report) After months of speculation it now seems official that Alberto Aquilani will return to Anfield to start his third season under contract as a Red. It remains to be seen if he will stay with the club, but Kenny Dalglish's statements of last month seem to make me believe he will at least start the season at Liverpool.

To Dalglish, Aquilani will be like a new signing, and it may be just the kind of new start the Roman born midfielder could use in England as he made some great displays in the last half of the 2009-2010 season before he was shipped off on loan this year by Roy Hodgson.

You can follow me on Twitter @thedailyatz and Facebook or visit my personal WebSite

Aquilani Could Return as a Red or Go Another Way If Juventus Comtinue to Stall

(Bleacher Report) Aquilani was supposed to be the £20million hero under Rafael Benitez in his final season as Liverpool's manager. However, a season that was ripe with injury, despite several masterful showings did not do enough to prove to short term manager Roy Hodgson that he was worthy of keeping.

Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images

During his last pre-match press conference aired on Liverpoolfc.tv, Kenny Dalglish made the following statements about Aquilani:

"There's a distinct possibility he could be back here. He's a quality player. He got off to a bad start here with his injuries and never really got going after missing pre-season."

"He went out on loan and has done very well over there."

"If he was to come back here, for me that would be like a new face coming in. I don't know of any deadline, I wasn't privy to the conversations that were had."

These comments hint the the Italian may still have a chance to make a difference at Anfield as he still has three years left on the five-year contract he signed under Benitez.

You can follow me on Twitter @thedailyatz and Facebook or visit my personal WebSite

Liverpool FC: The Alberto Aquilani Question, Use Him or Sell Him?

Italian Playmaker's Future is Remains Undecided

by Thomas Atzenhoffer on The Bleacher Report
April 1, 2011

Claudio Villa/Getty Images

Alberto Aquilani was purchased for Liverpool in August of 2009 by Rafael Benitez, believed to be the replacement for Real Madrid bound midfield maestro Xabi Alonso. The Roma born and bred 25-year-old was thought to be more than adequate to fill the boots of their beloved Spanish engineer.

However, the Italian arrived with an ankle injury that would keep him out for months. After a previous season in which the Reds have just nearly missed the Premier League Title in Second Place behind Manchester United with their best finish in years a lot of belief and expectations were placed on his shoulders.

With a £20 Million price tag, "Il Principino," was expected to be the second coming. But this to many proved not to be the case. Brought it to be a deep setting playmaker, the Italian was more keen to get forward and in many matches he proved to be quite effective for the Reds.....READ MORE ON THE BLEACHER REPORT