Liverpool Transfer Rumours: Do the Reds Really Need to Sell Alberto Aquilani?

Liverpool have been wheeling and dealing with the best of them this summer, adding a troika of talented midfielders to the fold at Anfield over the course of the first month-and-a-half of the transfer window. 

But while the arrivals of Jordan Henderson, Charlie Adam and Stewart Downing (although the third member has yet to officially join) signal a changing of the guard at the Kop for next season, as manager Kenny Dalglish makes the roster younger and more athletic, it's unique in that much of the old guard and the guard who never quite panned out at Anfield are still on the roster. 

Take, for example, Italian midfielder Alberto Aquilani. The 27-year-old midfielder came to Liverpool with great fanfare back in 2009, as part of a £17 million deal, but played a grand total of 28 games with the club in those two seasons, scoring just two goals and failing to find his way into manager Roy Hodgson's squad last season. Things got bad enough that Hodgson loaned the midfielder out to Juventus for much of last season, where the Italian managed to find his sea legs and thrive. 

However, when Juve declined a permanent transfer deal because of the £13 million price tag, many assumed that Aquilani's time at the Kop was still virtually over, as several other Italian clubs had expressed a strong interest in the midfielder. 

But a Mirror Football report on Thursday stated that the midfielder's agent believed his client would be remaining at Anfield next season, throwing serious doubt into whether the midfielder would be dealt. 

Now, the question becomes: do the Reds even need to deal the want-away midfielder before next season?

At first, the answer is an obvious yes; Aquilani isn't likely to see much playing time next season, and given his hefty wages, Dalglish would be wise to deal the attacking midfielder to help get some spending off the books before next season. 

But a closer look at the midfielder reveals there could still be value there for the Reds moving forward. It's true that the top five midfielders are likely set in stone, with Downing, Henderson, Adam, Gerrard and Dirk Kuyt all easily ranking higher than the 27-year-old on the pecking order. 

However, the Italian could be an excellent attacking option off the bench, giving Dalglish another player to work with late in games. He could provide a fresh pair of legs, and could insure that the Reds don't suffer significant dropoff in games when their reserves take the pitch.

In fact, given the fact that Aquilani's agent seems convinced his client will stay at the Kop, wouldn't that make more sense than pushing for a deal? Sure, he's overpaid, but if Aquilani wants to stay, and you can't find a buyer, why not make the most of it?

The real beneficiary of the Italian's departure is Aquilani himself. He would be no better than a substitute midfielder or a reserve during most matches, if he even winds up that high in the pecking order. So, in order to be playing every week, he's going to want to be someplace where he's wanted. If anyone needs a deal to happen, it's the 27-year-old. 

In the end, I think a deal gets done; not because it has to, but because Liverpool find a buyer. You can never have too much midfield depth, and while Aquilani has proven to be expendable, you never know what's going to happen over the course of a season. Look for Liverpool to ultimately pull the trigger if someone fronts the cash, but don't expect them to take a cheaper offer just to get the Italian off the books.