Last week Liverpool Director of Football Damien Comolli hinted that the club will look to bring in new faces over the summer. He said: “The owners said from day one they want to improve things and turn things around quickly and I have said the same thing since I arrived, so I expect a busy summer.”
With Jamie Carragher approaching the twilight of his career, and concerns persisting over the fitness and form of Daniel Agger and Martin Skrtel respectively, speculation suggests that Liverpool will look to sign a new centre-back when the transfer window re-opens.
The following players have been linked with a move to Anfield over the last few months, but which one represents the best option for Liverpool?
Gary Cahill
The former Aston Villa has been a key component of Owen Coyle’s Reebok Stadium revolution. After failing to establish himself at Villa Park, Cahill moved to Bolton Wanderers in 2008 and was named the club’s player of the year in recognition of his first full season at the club.
Quick and strong, Cahill’s obvious physical strengths mean that his calmness and touch on the ball are often overlooked. The 25-year-old is a good passer of the ball and is adept at bringing the ball out of defence.
However, Cahill’s price tag and Liverpool’s likely absence from the Champions League next season may prove to be a stumbling block for the Anfield club this summer. Since winning his first England cap in 2010, Cahill’s stock has continued to rise, and he has attracted attention from Manchester United and Arsenal. As he approaches the peak of his career, Cahill may be seeking European football, and Liverpool may not be able to offer it to him next season.
Per Mertesacker
Twenty-six-year-old German international Per Mertesacker put the Premier League’s finest on red alert earlier this week after admitting that he may exit his homeland in order to further his career.
“England has been an issue for a few years now, but I cannot make a decision yet,” he told Die Welt newspaper.
“Of course the Premier League is attractive, but right now there is only one issue for me and that is avoiding the drop.”
With 73 caps and nearly 300 club appearances under his belt, Mertesacker is by far and away the most experienced player on this list. The 6”6 centre-back has appeared in two World Cups, one European Championship and has featured for Werder Bremen in the Champions League.
Given his height, Mertesacker is understandably dominant in the air, and he combines this with an excellent reading of the game. However, questions marks exist over the former Hannover man’s lack of pace.
Arsene Wenger is said to be a fan of Mertesacker, and Liverpool will have to act fast if they are to secure the services of one of Europe’s premiere centre-backs this summer.
Scott Dann
Childhood Anfield season ticket holder Scott Dann has recently been linked with a dream move to Liverpool. The Birmingham City man has enjoyed a meteoric rise to prominence over the past few seasons, as he has excelled in all four tiers of English football.
His partnership with Roger Johnson was a key factor in the Blues’ ninth-place finish last term. Although a hamstring ruled him out of the Carling Cup final, Dann played an important part in Birmingham City’s run to Wembley.
Although Dann has impressed at St. Andrew’s, he has yet to appear on the international or European stage. A move for Dann could be a risky one, but he is likely to be a much cheaper option than Cahill or Mertesacker.
Promote from within
Former manager Rafa Benitez’s radical overhaul of the club’s academy and youth development programme looks as though it is finally bearing fruit. Five academy players (Pacheco, Eccleston, Spearing, Ince and Kelly) have featured for the first team this season, with Martin Kelly becoming the first player since academy player since Steven Gerrard to really establish himself as a first team player.
Following the rapid progress of Kelly, Dalglish may look within to solve the side’s defensive issues. Spanish defender Daniel Ayala, who has made five appearances for the club, has been tipped for big things by Jamie Carragher. Speaking to the club’s official website last season, Carragher said: “Now he’s got the first few games out of the way, he’ll have got those initial nerves out of the way so hopefully his game will improve again.”
Ayala is currently on loan at Derby County, and impressed whilst on loan at Hull City earlier this season.
Nineteen-year-old Scotland international Danny Wilson has also impressed since moving to the club from Rangers last summer. The reigning Scottish Young Player of the Year, who can also play at left-back, featured prominently in Liverpool’s Europa League run. Comfortable on the ball and blessed with a cultured left foot, Wilson is reminiscent of current first-teamer Daniel Agger and possesses the attributes needed to fit in with Dalglish’s ‘pass and move’ ethos.
Which centre-back should Liverpool look to sign this summer? Let me know below or on twitter at www.twitter.com/zarifrasul
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