[ad_pod ]
Liverpool are interested in signing Manuel Lanzini, Football FanCast reported on Tuesday.
Jurgen Klopp’s side were eyeing the Argentina international last year, prior to his cruciate knee ligament injury that ultimately ruled him out of his country’s World Cup campaign.
FFC understands that Liverpool have continued to monitor the 26-year-old and could make a bid in the summer, with his form last season convincing Klopp that he could make the jump to Anfield.
Lanzini scored five goals and laid on nine assists in all competitions in 2017-18 but his injury put paid to any chance of a big-money transfer. His comeback, however, took place on Friday as the Hammers beat Fulham 3-1.
Sources at West Ham have confirmed that Liverpool’s previous interest in Lanzini was genuine, while there is a fear at the club that the Premier League leaders’ recent lack of form and creativity could see them reignite that interest in the summer.
And it is surely a damning indictment of the Reds’ transfer strategy – and Sporting Director Michael Edwards – that they are considering returning for the attacking midfielder.
He is, of course, a highly talented player; technical, skilful, able to unlock any defence he is presented with.
But both Xherdan Shaqiri and Naby Keita should be playing in that role at Anfield. Shaqiri cost the Reds a relatively minimal £13million, but his team-mate cost a staggering £48m.
At the time, both signings seemed astute and were widely praised by Liverpool fans; Shaqiri was seen as an incredibly shrewd bargain – a masterstroke of an alternative to Nabil Fekir, while Keita, per Oddschecker, received more bets than any other Premier League star to win the Player of the Year award at the end of the season.
He has not settled at Anfield, though, and he was picked out for criticism by Reds legend Jamie Carragher after the recent 1-1 draw with the Lanzini-less Irons.
Carragher, per Goal, told Sky Sports that he “kept losing the ball,” while Chris Sutton told BBC Radio Five Live that “you expect more from Keita and that is the difference with Liverpool,” per the Daily Express.
Shaqiri, meanwhile, has played at No.10 just five times this season in the Premier League and for large parts of the campaign, Jurgen Klopp has even preferred to move Roberto Firmino back into midfield than deploy the Swiss international in his best position.
In two of Liverpool’s last three games – against Bayern and Watford – Shaqiri was left to watch from the bench.
Of course, Liverpool are trying to win the Premier League title and have lost just once this season.
They may well be champions but it will be as a result of their starting XI, and the trio of Mohamed Salah, Firmino and Sadio Mane; their bench will have very little to do with it.
Hence the interest in Lanzini, which dates back over a year.
That Klopp sees him as a potential upgrade on the two players who cost the club over £60m should say everything you need to know about their contributions. They have ultimately flopped and left Liverpool in need of a replacement.
That man may well be Lanzini.