da aposte e ganhe： Liverpool and Tottenham are both emerging as potential heirs to the Champions League throne. Both have undertaken something of a rebirth in recent seasons, and the future looks unusually bright for clubs at opposite ends of the country.
da pinnacle： Money drives success in the Premier League, and it comes as no surprise that Rodgers appears envious of Spurs’ £100m+ transfer crusade. Success for both clubs will not be imminent, and this will represent much more of a long-term project that most would have you believe. A recent report in the Metro would suggest the Northern Irishman very much has his eye on dealings down in North London:
“We still need to make improvements. Tottenham have spent £100m to try and get in the top four. It will take another few windows to get that quality in the group.”
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“We can be better. We have shown in stages the quality we can have with the passion, resilience and desire. We just need to keep getting results. It is important to maintain that and we have to be vigilant. We need to keep the feel-good factor going.”
Rodgers here alludes to the excellent start that Liverpool have made, and many may question as to whether the squad really needs much work. The reality though as it stands is that Liverpool do not possess the strength in depth to maintain a push for titles, and even a Champions League qualification race will be a close run thing. Rodgers doesn’t mention the need for improvements as a means for just lowering expectations; I think he is actually spot on here.
Spurs have spent over £100m on what looks like a genuinely quality crop of recruits, and many still tip them as outsiders for the top four, surely Liverpool have a long way to go?
Both clubs have a similar financial outlook it would seem; not averse to spending but keen to balance the books in some way. Few have been keen to mention that Spurs turned a transfer profit this summer and actually cut their wage bill, if Liverpool want to make these so called improvements I believe the same thing will have to happen.
The bulk of Spurs’ summer spending power was due to the loss of their talismanic winger Gareth Bale for a world record fee. My opinion is that Liverpool may look to fund future transfer acquisitions through a potential sale of their star man Luis Suarez.
Suarez is a man of undoubted class and ability, but whose off field debacles and general demeanour have made him something of hassle for the ‘reds’. Still viewed highly on the continent, bids in the region of £50-60m have been bandied around and from a Liverpool perspective in January this may be a wise move.
Criticised as a one man team for much of last year, the Liverpool side that has started this season looks to have flourished without the Uruguayan. World-class players are few and far between but is Suarez really that crucial to Liverpool in the next few years, or would the signature of 3-4 quality players be more prudent for the club?
The acquisitions of Aspas, Coutinho and Moses would suggest that Rodgers is very much preparing for the loss of Suarez by bulking out his attacking options. As a manager he would surely prefer the potential to remould his squad in January, than having to re-integrate the troublesome Uruguayan.
50 odd million in the hands of Rodgers at a club with the prestige of Liverpool’s opens the door for all manner of potential captures. Many approached the Bale saga with a sense of despondency, but as time has passed it has seen Spurs develop the strongest squad that I can actually remember. As difficult as it may be for fans to accept, would the sale of Suarez be the stepping-stone back to greatness for Liverpool?
The re-integration of Suarez after his ban will be an interesting one. He looks to have put his differences with the club behind him, but is this more of a show than any real substance. The Uruguayan may be world-class but as it stands it will be difficult for him to break into such an in form side.
Who knows Suarez may be the one to fire Liverpool back to the upper echelons of European Football, but for me his sale will be the turning point in Liverpool’s future.
Should Rodgers look to mirror Spurs and sell their star man?
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