Liverpool Transfer News: Alex Teixeira Rumours Discussed by Mircea Lucescu

Shakhtar Donetsk manager Mircea Lucescu has conceded he won’t stand in Alex Teixeira’s way should a transfer to Liverpool be agreed, revealing he expects the Brazilian to surpass Angel Di Maria at the top level of European football.

Speaking with Geoff Brown of FourFourTwo, despite admitting the attacking midfielder could move on, Lucescu was adamant the Reds would have to pay big money to land their January target:

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He’s worth €50 million (£38 million). He’s incredible, very fast, very good technique.

I compare him with other players of the same age who changed [the fortunes of] a club, Di Maria for example at Paris Saint Germain. Teixeira can be at the same level, better even. He doesn’t get injured, and every year he gets better and better. ...

Our president knows when it is the time for Teixeira to go. I don’t want to keep a player against his desire. He wants to play in a big championship.

"

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Although Liverpool supporters will be keen to see the 26-year-old join their ranks as soon as possible, it’s also noted by Brown that Lucescu thinks Teixeira could stick around until the summer, with Shakhtar keen to wrap up another Ukrainian title.

According to Neil Jones of the Liverpool Echo, the Reds have tabled a £24.5 million bid for the player, but they have yet to increase their offer, with “no sign of a compromise fee being reached, despite negotiations.”

It’s noted Liverpool’s chief executive Ian Ayre flew out to Florida, where Shakhtar have been training, last week in an attempt to get a deal done.

Bleacher Report’s Sam Tighe has taken a look at what kind of qualities the attacker would add to the Liverpool side and what his arrival may mean for other attacking players already at the club:

Whether or not he’s worth €50 million is a topic up for debate, but what is beyond dispute is that Teixeira is a massively talented footballer.

As Lucescu noted above, he amalgamates intricate, careful play with a raw dynamism that can take him past defenders. Teixeira also has a brilliant appreciation of space on the football pitch, allowing him to receive the ball under no pressure in dangerous areas. He’s more than willing to work hard for the team too.

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But what’s got most Liverpool supporters excited is the forward’s prolific streak in front of goal. As Eastern European football commentator John Bradley showed us, he’s been in exceptional form lately:

Liverpool do have a lot of players capable of operating in Teixeira’s preferred position behind the striker. Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino and Adam Lallana would all prefer to play there given a choice, meaning the Reds, from a stylistic point of view, don’t really need a player in Teixeira’s mould.

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But this could be an ideal opportunity to snaffle a very highly rated footballer ahead of some of Europe's juggernauts. As German football expert Clark Whitney noted here, players who have left Shakhtar for other clubs have gone on to thrive too:

Surpassing the achievements of someone like Di Maria, who won plenty of honours with Real Madrid, will be tough for Teixeira.

But as the success of former Shakhtar stars Fernandinho, Willian, Douglas Costa and Henrikh Mkhitaryan proves emphatically, the Ukrainian outfit nurture their players in the right way, meaning he’d be a relatively risk-free signing.

It’s the kind of capture that would give everyone at Anfield a lift too. Although Liverpool have enjoyed some recent highs under manger Jurgen Klopp, performances have been poor lately. Teixeira would bring new impetus to the football club and should his arrival facilitate a top-four charge, he’d be well worth the aforementioned outlay.