by tubby » Tue Apr 07, 2009 10:20 pm
07/04/2009
Liverpool, Eto`o and big money transfer rumours
I`ve written a couple of articles recently on this website related Liverpool`s transfer budget and have been trying to manage expectations while responding to questions regarding a couple of very high profile transfer rumours. However, it seems that, from reading a few of your comments – and please keep them coming - there is still some confusion.
In my last post I suggested that we would no doubt be returning to the subject of Samuel Eto`o, and it seems that a few people interpreted that as a suggestion that there was something going on behind the scenes with regard to the Barcelona striker and a move to Anfield. Unfortunately, that is not the case, and while players like him will continue to be linked – and therefore we will have to keep discussing them – the fact is that Liverpool cannot afford to sign Samuel Eto`o.
Win Real Madrid v FC Barcelona Tickets
He is having an excellent season at Barcelona and, despite the fact that his current contract finishes in 2010, he will not be easy to get hold of and his transfer alone could total around €15 million. Add to that figure his €7.5 million a year wages and we are talking about a deal that is well in excess of Liverpool`s anticipated budget and current salary structure.
It is true that there was once a time when Eto`o featured strongly in Rafa`s plans, but that was back when he was the preferred choice to Fernando Torres – and we all now how that scenario has finished up.
The focus, at the moment, is upon tying down players already at the club: upon getting them to commit to new contracts and, in addition to Gerrard, there are still a few more to be concluded. This will form the foundation for the future and not big budget high profile transfers of the kind that seem to have the message boards buzzing and is reflected in the kind of names readers are asking me about. Until the ownership issue is resolved, there is simply not that level of funding available.
Of course, Rafa knows and understands that and it was agreed before he signed his new deal – he knows what he has signed up to in terms of the level of funding that may or may not be available. One of our readers enquired as to whether or not funding was an issue when Rafa mentioned last week that he had considered quitting the club – but as the Liverpool boss admitted when he said "It is true that at times I may have thought about my future," his concern was over the direction of the club rather than money. I did receive a degree of criticism when I previously reported this fact, but hopefully, as his admission and subsequent reporting of it across the British media has revealed, it was true that Benitez had at one time been considering his future at Anfield.
If deals are going to be done, they will need to be conducted on the quiet and a repeat of the David Silva situation must be avoided: where Valencia leaked an approach from Liverpool in order to spark a bidding war. For Liverpool to sign players of that calibre, the deal will need to be done quickly and discreetly in order to avoid an escalation of costs generated by interest from rival clubs. Which is why, unless the financial situation changes, the kind of high profile, big name signings where Liverpool are seen to be publicly competing – through the media - with other top level clubs simply cannot take place. If anyone goes public on a deal – as Valencia did – it will collapse.
Liverpool must try and secure players by persuading them that it is the right move, by selling to them the vision of the club, while avoiding becoming embroiled in bidding wars with the likes of Real Madrid, Man United, Chelsea or even Man City.
. I'd take Srna, though...
