Liverpool Transfer News: Latest on Asier Illarramendi and Pedro Rumours
Liverpool’s pursuit of Real Madrid's Asier Illarramendi reportedly hinges on whether Los Blancos land their own targets this summer.
According to the Daily Mirror (h/t Adam Skinner of the Daily Express) a deal for the Spanish midfielder is “in the offing” but may not go through if the Liga giants don’t secure their own defensive-midfield target, Sporting Club’s William Carvalho.
The piece claims if a deal goes through for Carvalho, an offer of £16 million should be enough to prise Illarramendi, who is also reportedly attracting interest from Arsenal, away from the Santiago Bernabeu.
Bleacher Report’s Sam Tighe thinks a deal at that price would be a major coup for the Reds:
For Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers, Illarramendi could potentially be the key signing of the summer.
Not only does the former Real Sociedad man possess sharp defensive instincts to help protect what is still a ropey Reds defence, but his cerebral approach to the game, vast range of passing and ability to dictate play would make him an excellent replacement for the quarterback-esque version of Steven Gerrard.
As noted by Dermot Corrigan of ESPN FC, Carlo Ancelotti didn’t really fancy the Spaniard during his time in charge at Real:
The player may feel as though he can impress new boss Rafael Benitez and potentially claw his way back into contention at Madrid.
But if Real sign Carvalho, he would be vying with Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Lucas Silva and the Portuguese for a starting spot.
Bleacher Report’s Andy Brassell can see this deal going ahead:
If Illarramendi wants to make good on the outstanding potential he showcased at La Real, then Liverpool would be an excellent place to do so. But any more time spent on the fringes of the Los Blancos setup will see his star begin to fade.
Pedro Looking Likely to Move
Pedro’s future seems increasingly likely to be “away from the Camp Nou,” according to Sergi Font of Marca, with Paris Saint-Germain the latest club to be linked with the reported Liverpool target.
According to Football Italia (h/t Kristian Walsh of the Liverpool Echo) the Reds are “favourites” to sign the winger, who fell out of favour with the Blaugrana after the arrival of former Liverpool star Luis Suarez last summer.
But as noted by Squawka, Pedro recently signed a new contract with the Catalan club and has still been a regular source of goals whenever he's on the pitch:
The forward would certainly add something different to Liverpool’s attacking forays. While Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho will surely provide some exciting link-up play for the Reds next season, they are currently missing a player who will be happy stationed out wide, running at opposition defenders and getting dangerous passes into the box.
As we can see here, Pedro has made a career out of doing that at Barcelona:
But if the report from Font is true, PSG may represent a much more attractive proposition than Liverpool at this juncture. After all, the flush Ligue 1 juggernauts would be able to put together a lucrative package and offer Champions League football too.
As such, if it’s a straight shootout between the two, the Parc des Princes seems Pedro’s most likely landing spot.
Aymen Abdennour Keeping Options Open
Monaco centre-back Aymen Abdennour has yet to make a decision regarding his future, according to a close family member, although interest from Liverpool has been confirmed.
Speaking with AS (h/t James Cambridge of the Daily Express), a source close to the player revealed there are a clutch of clubs chasing him from across the continent:
"There are [contacts between Atletico Madrid and Monaco], but there are also [contacts] with teams in Italy, in England and in Spain.
As of today, Abdennour has no favourite. Milan, West Ham and Liverpool have shown interest, but he wants to wait for an agreement between clubs before taking a decision. [Atletico] are a combative club, like him, and one with history.
"
Abdennour would certainly add some much-needed quality to the centre of the Reds defence.
The 25-year-old has excelled for a defensively sound Monaco team, and although a move to the Premier League would represent a major step up in quality for him, the Tunisian has all the traits to be a major success in English football’s top flight.
Here’s a look at how he fared in direct comparison to Liverpool’s two starting centre-backs in league matches last season:
| Apps (Sub) | 17 (1) | 33 | 15 (1) |
| Goals | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Tackles per game | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.9 |
| Interceptions per game | 2.2 | 1.7 | 1.6 |
| Blocks per Game | 0.5 | 1.2 | 0.3 |
| Clearances per Game | 5.8 | 9.5 | 5.9 |
While Liverpool have already bolstered their defence with the acquisition of Nathaniel Clyne this summer, the heart of their back line remains a concern. Martin Skrtel is combative but erratic, while Mamadou Sakho is unreliable in terms of fitness.
Abdennour is a defender more in the Skrtel mode. He’s can be a little ill-tempered at times and will need to work on that facet of his game if he is to thrive in the Premier League.
But for a team such as Liverpool, who are in desperate need of some defensive reinforcements, the Monaco man would be well worth the risk.
.jpg?w=600 "Offseason Moves for Every Team 👉")
.png?w=600 "New NBA Mock Draft 📝")
