Liverpool ready for CRUCIAL £18m bid: Is he Arsenal’s ONE?
by Mr Comfort on July 24th, 2008
| 288 words |
With Wenger claiming he needs a central midfielder and Liverpool needing money to finally end this Barry debacle, could the transfer merry-go-round be set for another rotation?
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Arsene Wenger has revealed he plans to buy a central midfielder before the end of the summer transfer window.
The Gunners have been left glaringly light in the engine room following the departures of Mathieu Flamini and Gilberto Silva, and Wenger recognises the void.
Arsenal have been linked to Gareth Barry, Xabi Alonso and Torsten Frings during the close season, while Amaury Bischoff of Werder Bremen is strongly tipped to move to Emirates Stadium.
Wenger insists he has not settled on a final midfield target, but he assured the Gunners faithful he does plan to strengthen.
“We will need one more body in there,” he said of his midfield when questioned on Arsenal’s official website. (Setanta Sports)
A close source to Alonso as saying: “If the decision was down to Xabi, he would make the move because Arsenal’s style is perfect for him.” (goal.com)
18m rated Spaniard Alonso is still seemingly not really part of Benitez’s plans and whilst he may be loathed to sell to a rival he also knows that Martin O’Neill is about to call time on the whole on/off Barry-gate saga so time is of the essence. Arsenal want Xabi they have already made that clear, Alonso has apparently said that he would move to the Emirates if that was what Liverpool decided was his future so something has got to give soon. The obvious question would be, why doesn’t Rafa value his Spanish international more highly than the Aston Villa skipper who do the fans think is a better player?
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Tagged Under: Arsenal FC, Aston Villa FC, Liverpool FC, Premier League, Transfer Rumours
Shaun - July 24th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
That is indeed one conundrum i can’t get my head around, Rafa is a god as far as i am concerned but why does he rate Barry more than he does Xabi?
Anonymous - July 24th, 2008 at 7:49 pm
somehow xabi alonso s game has not suited liverpool..but hes tailored to perfection fr arsenals style……. if he goes ther…then arsenal will do wonders…and also i think rafa is lookin fr a left footed player…..to make things versatile…..
Drayton Park Gunner - July 24th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
If Arsene’s ONE big remaining signing this summer is Alonso i would love it! He is pure class, not sure why they don’t rate him? I mean the fans clearly do, but Rafa it seems is more than happy to sell, so lets give them the cash and finish our summer spending!
luke - July 24th, 2008 at 8:06 pm
i like barry why does everyone love alonso he is a clown barry would be a much better partner with gerrard in the center
John K - July 24th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
Barry will bring more balance to the Liverpool side and give us a much better chance for the title than Alonso (even though he is an excellent player). I still think we should tell the meglomanic headcase MON to ‘do one’ though. What a wally
DC - July 24th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
I’m a lifelong Liverpool fan and I don’t think it’s a question of one player being better than the other. We know Benitez likes to plan down to the finest detail - for better or for worse - and for some reason Barry’s style or left foot just happens to fit his plans better. But I think both are great players and I am a great fan and admirer of Xabi - so I hope he gets what he wants.
shadda2002 - July 24th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
Alonso cant get in our team he is now 2nd choice. Cash in, he will perform for someone else then fade away again.
Lucas Levy coming on nicely, Macherano 1st choice, gerrard 1st name on sheet. Plessis coming on faster than expected too. Barry would get in team and keep himself there he is Villas best player by far wants to play for us and is knocking Lampard out of the england team.
Nozzy - July 24th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
The price’ll just go up if Arsenal were interested. If we wanted £16 million from Juve I’d suspect we’d want at least £20 million from Arsenal. They wont have any remote interest in Xabi, he’s too old. They’ll sign a youngster or someone very experienced, Xabi is too much in the middle.
And initially I agreed, Xabi is better than Barry. But he isnt, not in the Premiership. He’s top class, I love him. I’ve never seen such a good passer of a football, he oozes class. But in the hustle and bustle of the Premier League, Barry is the better player. And Barry is left-footed, which is important for the balance of our side and can also play on the left side. In an ideal world we’ll keep both. It’ll be very interesting to see where we are come September the 1st.
cris b - July 24th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
go for it fair enough , but he cant have 6 , so what number do we give him?
thats the biggest worry about barry!
Anonymous - July 24th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
Why can’t he have 6? Are we retiring the shirt for JARiise’s son or something? LOL
nick b - July 24th, 2008 at 9:19 pm
alonso is class, he pulls all the strings, we miss him more than gerrard when he is out. if the two new full backs are going to improve the width of the team like rafa claims why not keep alonso to capitalise in the middle??…. rafa is getting rid of him because of statistics, we conceded 16 goals from set pieces last year. he feels barry will help stem this. i think we should keep alonso and go all out for downing… he is improving massively year on year and will score and provide. he is also strong defensively
Roy - July 24th, 2008 at 9:56 pm
Barry is a decent player but i dont think he has the answer to liverpool’s problems. If we sell Alonso for 16mil and buy Barry for 18mil then i think it is a bad bit of business. Barry is a 12-13mil player and Liverpool shoul drop out right away and move on, we are just waisting time when we could be searching for a better player. I would keep Alonso, he is a quality player who loves the club and wants to play for Liverpool thats all that matters!
Skipper - July 24th, 2008 at 10:09 pm
With Barry and Rafa’s other unremarkable signings, Liverpool may well be competing in the intertoto cup next year! At least Barry will have some exerience though!
Dunc - July 24th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
Why all this talk about big signings. Do you think these players suddenly pop into existence at the age of 25? Take a look at the youth team and reserves.
Anonymous - July 24th, 2008 at 11:12 pm
why barry over alonso ?. more goals, better set peice, more assists, better tackler. alonso looks class in europe when the pace is slower. if barry played for a big europen team then there would be no question over the £18 mill price but because he playes for villa who are a middle of the road team people say hes not worth it. lets remember its a high priced market at the mo and he is a 1st choice international. alonso is 4 choice for spain thats why he wants barry over alonso.
villamad - July 24th, 2008 at 11:13 pm
you twats up North think Villa are a selling club. Guess again. Randy’s got more money than your American Yanks put together. Now put up or shut up. Pay the going rate or piss off.
CK - July 24th, 2008 at 11:36 pm
We should keep Alonso AND get Barry, we need them both, Alonso is pure class, and you dont just give him to your immediate rivals, the potential of an Alonso/Fabregas midfield is there, so we should definately sell him abroad if we absolutely have to
LFC 2008-2009 with DIC
Reina/Cavalieri/Hennessey
Deggan/Arbeloa
Carragher/Wheater/Agger/Skertel/Hyypia
Dossena/Aurelio
Bentley/Milner/Pennant
Gerrard/Barry/Mascherano/Alonso/Lucas
Silva/Downing/Babel
Torres/Keane/Santa Cruz/Huntelaar/Kuyt
—————Martin————–
Darby/Hobbs/San Jose/Insua
Spearing/Plessis/Bruna/Ngog
———Nemeth/Pacheco——-
Bill Vector - July 24th, 2008 at 11:42 pm
I’m with Nozzy - but I’d be happier to leave midfield as it is but get Keane - we need a little clever player to unlock the boring defences
zekk67 - July 24th, 2008 at 11:49 pm
Lol, the reason why we have not been linked to Wheater is because we got enough cover at the centre back positions. Barry may be class but he is not worth our time, given that O’Neill is not going to sell to Liverpool. Believe me, he will raise the price again if Rafa matches the 18m price, and he will claim that Liverpool failed to match bid. He will then convince Barry that Liverpool are not trying hard enough to get him, thereby keeping him in that low club of his or push him to the Gooners for 17.5m just to spite Rafa. Cheap tricks for a scoundrel with no integrity.
LFC_YNWA - July 25th, 2008 at 1:16 am
CK your dreaming. HAHA. Agreed with Huntelaar and Santa Cruz… Great players even with DIC that sqad will probably cost 120mil+ at best estimate….Dont think that it will happen….Would take all trophies. Nice Squad
tony - July 25th, 2008 at 1:42 am
LOOK THE BLOODY YANKS ARE GIVING RAFA NO MONEY .
HE HAS TO SELL TO BUY IF THAY GiVE MONEY THEN HE
WOULDNT HAVE TO SELL ALONSO.
HE HAS NO CHOOSE HIS HANDS ARE TIED.HE SHOULD HAVE MONEY THEIR TO BUY BARRY KEANE SILVA .
WE ARE STILL PLAYING FOR 3rd 4th PLACE THANKS YANKS
Red's Fury™ - July 25th, 2008 at 2:15 am
Expectation are high at Anfield and the gaffer demands more from his players. His countrymen are no exception too, with Rafa rotation policy, he needs more utility-type of player in the squad. Stevie G, Dirk Kuyt, Ryan Babel and coming soon Gareth Barry fits into the role of an utility players.
Alonso best suited as a central midfielder rather than a defensive midfielder. His switch to DM last season came in his worst time, when his form dipped. Since the Gooners are interested in signing him, that’s up to him to decide as Rafa need to sell before he can get Barry.
It’s was sad for Xabi to leave after a fantastic four-years at Anfield. Gooners prepare to ditch out £16million for Alonso then so be it.
YNWA…
TotalRed - July 25th, 2008 at 3:49 am
Its all Martin O’Crap’s petty fault. 18Million Smackaroos for a converted leftback? He should have starred in the Dark Knight as the Joker.
Liverpres - July 25th, 2008 at 3:53 am
2007/2008 season:
Alonso - 2 goals, 1 assist
Barry - 9 goals, 10 assists
I know Alonso was injured - but could he have caught Barry if he played full season?
zaiin - July 25th, 2008 at 4:53 am
what rafa has to do just to buy left winger and put babel with torres we dont need keane and he can spend keane money on barry.bro barry ios good player he can score but i think xabi struggles with his scoring ability.so thats better we should buy barry and left winger not keane.
zaiin - July 25th, 2008 at 4:58 am
i think the boss of liverpool are stupid.look chelsea,s boss how much money he spends on his team and look at our boss.i think they are crazy they should have to support rafa. so that we can prepare our squad for wining league 19th time and champions trophy 6th.but if they can get silva or barry that will be gr8
Soccerly.com - July 25th, 2008 at 5:40 am
It’s probably pure business strategy.
LFC 4 Ever - July 25th, 2008 at 8:52 am
I reckon it’s Rafa looking to the Premiership more - Xabi is world class but better on the european stage.
Barry has premiership experinece, will add balance
Barry and Keane will no doubt help us in the league and let’s face it, that’s what we want!!!
Gareth Barry - July 25th, 2008 at 8:53 am
I have been revolved around the transfer saga for months, but still, my dream and hopes in wearing the red’s shirt has never changed. Now, many people despise me, especially the Aston Villa fans. i cannot do as well as Torres had done as on his debut season, but at least i hope to be inspired by him. Rafa give me time, part with the 18 milllion pounds, i will try. Once again, i apologize here to all Aston Villa fans.
Gareth Barry - July 25th, 2008 at 8:57 am
I have been revolved around the transfer saga for months, but still, my dream and hopes in wearing the red’s shirt has never changed. Now, many people despise me, especially the Aston Villa fans. i cannot do as well as Torres had done as on his debut season, but at least i hope to be inspired by him. Rafa give me time, part with the 18 million pounds, i will try. Once again, i apologize here to all Aston Villa fans.
liverpool fan - July 25th, 2008 at 9:02 am
xabi champions lg winner barry intertoto player at most xabi 4 good seasons barry 1 pretty good season give rafa money so barry can give us more options but dont sell xabi
Gareth Barry - July 25th, 2008 at 9:06 am
I have been revolved around the transfer saga for months, but still, my dream and hopes in wearing the red’s shirt has never changed. Now, many people despise me, especially the Aston Villa fans. I cannot do as well as Torres has done on his debut season, but at least i hope to be inspired by him. Rafa give me time, part with the 18 million pounds, i will try. Once again, i apologize here to all Aston Villa fans.
shanks - July 25th, 2008 at 11:37 am
in rafa i trust
CL0uD_14 - July 25th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
For me Xabi is a quality and professional player..After recovered from metartasal injury early this year, i noticed that his passing style wasn’t at his best and not sharp. However he bounces back in the European Cup to show and proved that he’s still a decent player (even though he played on several occasion). Even..Luis Aragones appointed him as a captain against Greece. These will make a big headache for Rafa..
There’s only one solution..just give Rafa a big cash for this summer and make a bit for Barry and keep Xabi. It will be fantastic to see Xabi and Barry played as a holding midfielder and Gerrard in the central as a “free-role”.
Wassim - July 25th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
We just need a bloody winger. Bentley please.
chris - July 25th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
personly i think we should sell kuyt as he only scored 3 premier league goals last season in 32 appereances, if you compare this to voronin’s 19 starts and 5 goals it just shows how shit kuyt realy is. the number 1 signing we need to make is a couple of decent wingers like silva or quaresma. we dont need barry but could do with keane. we need to sell up on Charles Itandje, Yossi Benayoun, Jermaine Pennant, Andriy Voronin and Dirk Kuyt.
reina
degan carrager agger dossena
masherano
quaresma gerrard alonso silva
torres
And that leaves Cavalieri Skrtel Alonso Arbeloa Hyypia Aurelio Lucas Babel and Keane to play around with
Ros - July 25th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
All said….Liverpool needs to buy a strong left and a good right winger with pace…the likes of Rouben in the old days or Giggs or even Ronaldo. This is where Rafa needs to strengthen if he wants to make a difference in the Premiership..check it out…the numbers of goals that Chelsea and Man U triggered through their wingers…gosh hope that Rafa could read this note.
Ticky - July 25th, 2008 at 6:25 pm
Xabi is a great player, but when was the last time he took a game by the throat and dominated it? When was the last time he delivered a killer ball to set up a goal? And if you can remember it, when was the time before that? Yes, his style is pleasing on the eye, he seldom gives the ball away and has an elegance that makes you sit up and take notice of him. But is that enough?
Barry, on the other hand, can play in several positions (unlike Alonso), so Rafa can change formations or tactics with him in the side without making substitutions. He scores more goals than Xabi too!
I’ll be sorry to see Xabi go, but we need the money and there isn’t room in the side for him and Barry. I honestly think that Barry will make more assists and score more goals than Alonso, and therefore be a more valuable asset for the club.
Have faith in Rafa, he knows what he’s doing!
Donavan Ried - July 25th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
Barry keeping Lampard out of the England set up? well that would not take much as Lampard is only a good culb player, and barry ba better culb play. but i want to see world class players at my team, buying barry would makesence if (1) he was a tackical buy, a replacment for Gerrad in case we had to rest him. (2) for formation changes. (3) if we got him for £8-9M. There are a lot better buys out there
red4life - July 26th, 2008 at 2:43 am
1 problem, yank fuckers. get them out!!!
Aman Ramdeyal - July 26th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
I think Rafa will not be making a new bid for Gareth Barry. Aston Villa want to much for him. Rafa knows Barry is not worth 18m. If Rafa wants to spend 18m plus on a midfielder don’t you think Van De Vaart would be a better player to get? I don’t think Finann will not be leaving now that Arbeloa wants to return home. Alonso looks like he is staying and I don’t think Rafa is going to force him to leave. It is going to be a very interesting few weeks ahead for us Liverpool fans as we wait to see who Rafa really signs. I just get the feeling that David Villa and David Silva will be at Anfield and if that is the case, I for one can’t wait.
kop11 - July 26th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
Xabi Alonso is a great and world class football player, but he is not mobile enough and his tacking skills aren’t that good, on his game alonso can out pass the life out of teams, but he does not score enough goals and with his lack of mobility benitez now feels that barry would be ideal and he would gareth barry is a world class player in an average team, who plays out of his skin consistently over the season, something alonso has not been able to do since his injury.
Gareth Barry would be a better acquisition than alonso for the sole fact that he can move across the pitch easier than alonso and he can get forward and back all game, but barry also can pass well, shot and is good at set pieces.
I hope benitez signs Gareth barry soon, hopefully benitez does not sell alonso to arsenal or another team in the premiership but to a spanish team or another team abroad.
tm - July 28th, 2008 at 8:23 am
i cant wait benitez bring also know coz
he will bring da gunners some silverware
SHAHIEM KHAN - July 31st, 2008 at 6:33 am
will be a great loss as he is superb in champions league we all know rafa likes to rotate.
stefan - August 1st, 2008 at 9:51 am
i dont know why rafas been focusing on barry anyways. i mean, hes good but hes not great. david silva would be a much better option even if hes a winger.