Scouting Liverpool Transfer Target Ryan Bertrand

With Jose Enrique out injured until February and Aly Cissokho failing to impress in the early stages of the season, Liverpool’s weakness at left-back has been of concern lately.

Several suggestions of left-back candidates for Brendan Rodgers to chase in the January transfer window have been put forward, but the one that is gathering pace is Chelsea’s Ryan Bertrand.

Liverpool had an offer turned down for Bertrand in the summer, before the signing of Cissokho on loan.

John Percy and Jason Burt of the Telegraph reported renewed interest in the 24-year-old this week.

What makes Bertrand the top candidate to solve Liverpool’s ailing left-sided problems?

History with Rodgers

Rodgers was part of Chelsea’s Youth Academy between 2004-2008, also working closely with the Reserves in his final two years, before joining Watford.

The Northern Irish manager was part of the team that oversaw Bertrand's move from Gillingham’s youth set-up and worked closely with the youngster.

At the time, in July 2005, Gillingham chairman Paul Scally was incensed by the low amount of compensation his club received for Bertrand.

The Gills were awarded just £125,000, a long way off Scally’s estimations of the teenager's potential, being quoted by the BBC as saying: “Frankly if he plays 40 games then we should be getting £32m."

Attitude and experience

Unfortunately for Bertrand, he has always been forced to compete for a first-team place with arguably Chelsea’s best left-back of all time, Ashley Cole.

However, that hasn’t stopped his desire to one day oust the England international, having gone through loan spells at five Football League clubs in order to impress a succession of Chelsea managers.

When Liverpool had a move for Bertrand rejected in the summer, it appeared the player himself had had a say in matters.

Bertrand remained adamant that he would one day become Chelsea’s first-choice left-back.

He was quoted by Jeremy Wilson and Jason Burt in the Telegraph as saying:

"

I want to be Chelsea’s number one left-back, and when that time comes it will happen. All I can do is be ready and keep playing, keep biding my time. It won’t be: ‘As soon as Ash goes, there we are, it’s mine.’ The work will still be there to do.

"

In an attempt to reflect on his allegiance to Chelsea with positive spin in regard to a potential move to Liverpool, Bertrand appears to be committed, passionate and ambitious.

Furthermore, Bertrand has caught the eye of international managers—winning four caps for Great Britain at the London Olympics in 2012, and two for England under Roy Hodgson.

Given his chance

With injury problems plaguing Cole during the 2012/13 season, Bertrand got his chance under temporary Chelsea boss, Rafa Benitez.

He made a total of 40 appearances for the Blues last season, according to SoccerBase.

In his 19 Premier League appearances, Bertrand earned himself a performance score of 278 on stats website Squawka.

Compare that to Enrique’s 121 in the last campaign and Cissokho’s lowly 20 this season, since joining from Valencia. 

The then 23-year-old Bertrand’s record in 2012/13 is fairly impressive; boasting 84 percent pass accuracy, 75 percent shot accuracy, zero defensive errors and creating 12 chances.

In fact, he trumps Enrique in all comparable areas (Enrique created 26 chances, but played 10 more games than Bertrand).

However, with the return of Jose Mourinho at the helm this season, Bertrand appears out of favour once again.

Even more telling of Mourinho’s opinion of Bertrand is his selection of Cesar Azpilicueta, the Spanish right-back, in Cole’s absence.

One way ticket

But Chelsea have been wrong to let players go before, none more obvious than the sale of Daniel Sturridge to Liverpool in the last January transfer window.

Outcast by both Roberto Di Matteo and Benitez, Sturridge is now proving his critics wrong, with 11 goals in all competitions this season.

Victor Moses was allowed to leave Stamford Bridge for Anfield on loan this season, though the former Wigan attacker is yet to make his mark at Liverpool.

Glen Johnson too, spent four seasons on Chelsea’s books earlier in his career, having gone on to become both Liverpool and England’s reliable right-back.

Could Bertrand be the next success story to leave West London for Merseyside?

Room for improvement

Should Liverpool sign Bertrand, they certainly won’t be signing a quick-fix to a left-back problem that has rumbled on for years.

Besides having only made one Premier League appearance this season, Bertrand is relatively young and still learning his trade.

Last season he won just 35 percent of his aerial duels, according to Squawka. With Liverpool chronically conceding from set-pieces, it is doubtful Bertrand’s arrival would be the cure.

But Bertrand may well be a realistic transfer target for Liverpool, and possibly available at a cut-price over an import playing regularly for his current club.

Should Bertrand arrive at Liverpool, it will be important to give him playing time and allow him to make mistakes, and learn from them. He would also do well to absorb the wisdom and experience of the defenders around him.