Roberto Firmino fee 'brutal' says former Liverpool defender Markus Babbel

Roberto Firmino - not a play-actor, says Markus Babbel

Former Liverpool defender Markus Babbel believes a "brutal" £29m transfer fee puts new signing Roberto Firmino under huge pressure.

On Wednesday the Reds confirmed the arrival of the 23-year-old Hoffenheim forward in a deal which will see them pay £22million up front with the rest due in add-ons.

It makes the Brazil international the club's second most expensive signing after £35million flop Andy Carroll and Babbel believes that brings a certain degree of expectation.

"That is brutal," he told German newspaper Bild. "When I heard that I flinched, because even for Liverpool that is not chicken feed.

"He is under a certain pressure with this weight on his shoulders."

However, despite his concerns over the size of the fee, the former Germany international, who was at Anfield between 2000 and 2004, believes Firmino will be well-suited to the Premier League.

Babbel thinks spending his formative years playing four seasons in the Bundesliga has provided the idea platform for the Premier League.

"He is an atypical Brazilian, more German than many Germans. Roberto is disciplined, has enormous assertiveness," he added.

"Roberto does not complain when he is fouled. He is not an actor, he stands up again. That is beneficial in England, because that is what English fans like to see."

Firmino will hope to transfer his personal Bundesliga form as well as that of Emre Can, who after slow start to his first season following a move from Bayer Leverkusen, excelled playing out of position as a right-sided defender.

The Germany U21 international is expected to revert to his more familiar position in central midfield for the new campaign to fill a hole left by departed captain Steven Gerrard, who has moved to Los Angeles Galaxy.

However, he is keen to avoid comparisons with a player recently voted the club's greatest by fans.

"It would be presumptuous if I were to compare myself with Steven Gerrard," Can told Kicker.

"He's a great player who has achieved so much but I'll still take years. I want to go my own way and as Emre Can be perceived."

petikan dari LiverpoolTeamTalk

Continue Reading→

Bacca agent confirms Liverpool interest

Carlos Bacca: Interesting Liverpool

Liverpool and one other Premier League club are "interested" in Sevilla frontman Carlos Bacca, according to the player's agent.

Sevilla have confirmed they have not received any offers for Bacca, who scored 34 goals in 71 appearances since joining the La Liga side two years ago from Club Brugge, but there is confirmed interest from the Anfield club.

“We have had lots of interest but so far there has been no official approach,” Bacca's agent Sergio Barila told The Guardian.

"I spoke with Carlos on Wednesday night and we agreed we need a real solution. Clubs are telling him not to sign anything until they have made an offer but we are still waiting

"Liverpool and another English club are among those that have shown an interest but there are also clubs in Italy. What is clear is that they must meet the release clause but at this stage nobody has.

"Sevilla are a good team who will play in the Champions League next season so it wouldn’t be a disaster to stay.

"Carlos has other options to earn a lot of money in places like China or the United Arab Emirates but that would not fit in with what he is looking for.

"We are really looking at three things - number one is to have a happy family situation for his wife and son because he had a bad experience in Belgium. The second is to find a good team with a good project. Before he went to Chile, we wrote down a list of clubs that fit that description and Liverpool was on that list.

"The third question is the contract. He has a good salary in Sevilla but we know how much clubs in England can pay.”

Manchester United, Roma and AC Milan are also reported to be interested in the 28-year-old Colombian, who is under contract with Sevilla for another three seasons and has a 35million euro buy-out clause.

petikan dari LiverpoolTeamTalk

Continue Reading→

Gossip: Liverpool to step up Benteke chase

Christian Benteke: Reported to be Liverpool's next target

Christian Benteke to Liverpool, Paul Pogba to Man City, and Morgan Schneiderlin and Sergio Ramos to Man Utd are Friday's newspaper headlines.

LIVERPOOL TO TURN ATTENTION TO BENTEKE

Close to making Southampton right-back Nathaniel Clyne their sixth signing of the summer, Liverpool are now ready to turn their attention to Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke, according to several newspapers.

The Reds have also been linked with Sevilla's Carlos Bacca, but The Times claims Benteke remains their number one strike target.

Villa, however, are so far refusing to consider offers below the Belgian's £32.5million release clause, which the newspaper adds has proven a deterrent to Liverpool so far.

CITY CLOSE ON £60M POGBA DEAL

Manchester City are close to winning the £60million battle for Paul Pogba, according to a Sun exclusive.

The Juventus midfielder has been linked with Barcelona, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, but City apparently believe they have fought off the competition and hope to complete the deal before making a final move for Liverpool winger Raheem Sterling.

City will break the British transfer record to sign Pogba and will pay the French international over £200,000, The Sun adds.

SCHNEIDERLIN SET FOR UNITED SWITCH

Manchester United are close to signing Southampton midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin, according to the Daily Mirror and Daily Star.

The latter newspaper claims Saints have accepted a bid of £20million rising to £25million from United for the Frenchman, while the Mirror suggests a £24million deal is close to being finalised.

"The talks are ongoing and should be completed soon," Schneiderlin said of his future.

United's pursuit of Sergio Ramos could also receive a boost in the coming days, it seems, with The Times, Telegraph and Independent all claiming they have asked the defender to state publicly his intention to leave Real Madrid this summer.

United's opening bid of £32million is said to have been rejected 'out of hand', but The Times says all three partise are keen for a swift resolution, while the Telegraph adds that the Red Devils have received 'sufficient encouragement' that their ambitious bid could be completed.

AND THE REST

- Manchester City are weighing up a cheeky move for Manchester United's next potential buy, Nicolas Otamendi (Daily Mirror)

- Aston Villa boss Tim Sherwood wants to raid former club Tottenham for Andros Townsend, Emmanuel Adebayor and Tom Carroll (The Sun)

- Chelsea target Abdul Baba Rahman has concerns over a move to Stamford Bridge - because he fears he will not play regularly (Daily Mirror)

- Chelsea winger Mohamed Salah is demanding a pay rise to stay at Fiorentina (Daily Telegraph)

- West Ham are edging towards agreeing a deal with Barcelona to sign Alex Song on a permanent deal (Daily Telegraph/Daily Mail)

- French flier Florian Thauvin is set to become Newcastle manager Steve McClaren's first signing early next week (Daily Star)

- Glenn Murray is a top target for Premier League new-boys Bournemouth and Norwich (The Sun)

- Swansea are making a £6million move for Sporting Braga striker Eder (Daily Mail)

- Watford are after Manchester United rookie left-back Reece James (The Sun)

- Watford are leading the chase for Joey Barton (The Sun)

- Watford are confident of landing Inter Milan midfielder Zdravko Kuzmanovic (Daily Mail/Mirror)

- Dame N'Doye has told Crystal Palace, Swansea and Norwich he wants £50,000 a week to join them (Daily Mirror)

- Southampton are in talks with loanee Eljero Elia over a £2.5million permanent move (Daily Mirror/Daily Star)

- Middlesbrough are set to snap up Chelsea duo Tomas Kalas and Nathan Ake on season-long loans (The Sun/Daily Mail)

- Arsenal winger Ainsley Maitland-Niles, 17, will join Ipswich on loan next season (The Sun/Daily Mirror)

petikan dari LiverpoolTeamTalk

Continue Reading→

Carragher: Ings is a squad player

Danny Ings: Signed for Liverpool

Jamie Carragher has labelled new Liverpool recruit Danny Ings a "squad player", but believes Nathaniel Clyne represents a "good signing".

Former Reds defender Carragher has praised Liverpool for getting ahead of the game in the transfer market with Clyne, 24, all set to sign on a five-year deal on his return from holiday in America.

There appears to have been a determined effort at Anfield to get signings done early this year with the arrival of Hoffenheim forward Roberto Firmino, Manchester City midfielder James Milner, Charlton defender Joe Gomez, Bolton goalkeeper Adam Bogdan and Burnley striker Ings already done.

And while Carragher is confident the likes Firmino, Milner and Clyne will improve the team, he thinks Bogdan and Ings, who could eventually cost anything over £5million, are destined for bit-part roles.

"The early deals were a couple of squad players (Ings and Bogdan) and also James Milner, who are all an improvement on what's currently in the squad," Carragher wrote on Kicca.

"I saw Nathaniel Clyne at St Mary's after a game last season and told him to sign for LFC - he took my advice!" 

"I think it's another good signing for the club to go along with the other business already done.

"The last week has seen the signings of Clyne & Firmino, which will improve the team more than the squad and that's what costs the big money.

"Credit to the club for getting these deals done early as every club wants to do that but few do. Another striker still needed though!"

The club are continuing their pursuit on that front with interest in Sevilla's Columbia centre-forward Carlos Bacca and Venezuela's Salomon Rondon, who have both been in action at the Copa America.

petikan dari LiverpoolTeamTalk

Continue Reading→