Liverpool would be crazy to spend the rumoured £23.5m fee on West Brom’s Saido Berahino…
Much has been made of Liverpool’s ‘striker crisis’ so far this season, and it seems an inevitability that Brendan Rodgers will sign a new forward in the January transfer window to help boost his side’s steadily declining top four hopes.
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With Luis Suarez leaving in the summer, and with Daniel Sturridge having spent almost the entire season on the sidelines through injury, a strikeforce of Rickie Lambert, Mario Balotelli and Fabio Borini has failed to inspire much in the way of confidence.
Recent reports have linked Liverpool with a move for West Brom striker Saido Berahino, with a deal worth in the region of £23m thought to be close to completion – which seems an extraordinary amount to say the least.
The 21-year-old has huge potential, but this is a player that has only scored 12 Premier League goals in his career – having made his debut in 2010. He’s without a goal in any competition since October, and was left on the bench for Albion’s most recent defeat against Stoke on Sunday.
Liverpool have been linked with plenty of strikers in recent weeks, many of which are established players at the top level. Here are five players Rodgers would do better to target in the new year:
5) Mauro Icardi (Inter Milan)
The most recent reports have suggested that a deal for Icardi looks unlikely, but Liverpool will no doubt have continued to keep tabs on the 21-year-old Argentine international, who has impressed in a struggling team so far this season, with nine goals in all competitions.
4) Luiz Adriano (Shakhtar Donetsk)
The star of this year’s Champions League group stage – the Brazilian struck nine in six games, including two hat-tricks, taking his total for the season to 14. Earned his first international cap earlier this year, and was recently linked with a move to Anfield by the Daily Mail.
3) Jackson Martinez (FC Porto)
Stories linking the Colombian with Liverpool have gone quiet recently, but Martinez was proving a popular source of hope for the Reds’ fans last month, with reports such as this claiming a deal was close. He’s scored an impressive 16 goals in 19 games so far this season.
2) Alexandre Lacazette (Lyon)
The French international has become one of the hottest properties in European football after netting 19 goals in 20 games so far this season, lifting Lyon above PSG to second place in the Ligue 1 table. The French side insist he’s not for sale, but reports suggest this could still happen.
1) Wilfried Bony (Swansea City)
The Swansea star has scored more goals than anyone else in the Premier League in this calender year. He’s already struck eight times this season, and has proved to be one of the best old fashioned centre forwards around. Continues to be linked despite talking down a move.
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