Moises Caicedo is pretty good, but Liverpool have found ‘the next’ version of the Manchester United target, who happens to be older and much cheaper.
Enzo the earth
‘Arsenal were confident they had a free run at Rice despite initial bids being rejected, but City’s decision to move for him could see them lose out on their top transfer target.
“City already hold the British transfer record following their £100m outlay on Jack Grealish from Aston Villa two years ago – and are poised to equal it again in their pursuit of Rice” – David McDonnell, Daily Mirror.
Fair play to Chelsea to make books so successful that Enzo Fernandez no longer exists.
Moise’s basket
Mediawatch is pleased to report the discovery of a transfer window’s holy grail with this:
Liverpool have two major advantages in the transfer race to sign the next Moises Caicedo
It is true. That Liverpool Echo have finally done it. We have a ‘next’ version of a player that is older than the current iteration. What a day. What a moment.
But how does Manu Kone qualify as the ‘next Moises Caicedo’, despite being six months older with 71 appearances in Europe’s top five leagues, to Caicedo’s 45 appearances for Brighton?
The defensive-minded midfielder is also capable of playing slightly more advanced roles and can count Brighton & Hove Albion’s in-demand star Moises Caicedo as part of his ‘similar players’ list on the website of scouting tool FBref.
He absolutely can, to be fair. Eight players down, mind you, below other next Moises Caicedos in Johann Lepenant, Hugo Magnetti, Samuel Moutoussamy, Rominigue Kouame, Hicham Boudaoui, Mohamed Camara and Jean-Victor Makengo.
Legends, every one of them.
And what about the ‘two big advantages’ Liverpool have when it comes to pursuing Kone?
First, sporting director Jorg Schmadkte has an ‘extensive network of contacts and expertise as far as the Bundesliga is concerned’. Which no other club has. And if they do, Liverpool’s vast network of contacts and expertise as far as the Bundesliga is concerned obviously means more. Because it can find hidden gems that Borussia Mönchengladbach want £35m for.
As for the other ‘big advantage’…
Kone will already be familiar with at least one potential new Liverpool team-mate, having played for Paris FC alongside Ibrahima Konate in the early 2010s, and although both players were teenagers during their time together in the French capital, it not inconceivable that the centre-back is consulted before a move goes ahead.
It has not been made clear whether Kone and Konate actually played together regularly at Paris FC – and for good reason. They were effectively there ‘at the same time’, both being on the club’s books in their youth system between Kone’s arrival in 2012 and Konate’s departure in 2014. However, given that the latter, two years older than the former, was 14 when he left to Sochaux, it seems unlikely that they a) were teammates for any length of time, if at all, and b) crossed paths often enough for it to be worth ‘hearing’ Konate about how someone was like a literal child to a decade ago.
But all that was in spades, because Liverpool have practically wrapped up ‘the next Moises Caicedo’. please stop asking why they don’t sign the current, younger and far more expensive one.
June: Second part
While Liverpool are making such big waves in the transfer market, Manchester United are being left embarrassingly far behind. It’s June 23rd and they haven’t signed anyone. Don’t they know the season starts in 52 days?!
After Old Trafford transfer panic took hold of David McDonnell and the Daily MirrorSamuel Lukchurst from Manchester Evening News becomes shaky.
June is on the horizon and the warmer the weather, the more irritable the Manchester United supporter.
There’s still no decision on ownership, the Mason Greenwood process is approaching the five-month mark and it could be the second June in a row they haven’t signed a player.
Hahaha. Is that a thing? Imagine how embarrassing it must be to potentially not sign anyone for two consecutive Junes. Fold the club now.
It is exacerbated by the activity of United’s rivals. Liverpool have signed a World Cup winner in Alexis MacAllister for a borderline meager fee, Manchester City have replaced their Treble-winning manager before departing for Mateo Kovacic and Declan Rice looks set to take Lines Central and Piccadilly to Arsenal .
This again. Liverpool have indeed signed Alexis MacAllister, but that alone is not going to bridge an eight-point gap to Manchester United. Manchester City have yet to complete the signing of Mateo Kovacic, but when they do, he will, as you say, replace a Treble-winning captain. So it is hardly an overall gain. And if Declan Rice ‘seems destined’ to join Arsenal then why bother Manchester City to hijack that move?
Luckhurst concludes his doom article by writing about the most disastrous of Manchester United’s 2013 summer transfer windows, when Marouane Fellaini arrived for more than a release clause that expired a month earlier and the club ‘signed someone in June’.
And Guillermo Varela was such a success that it boggles the mind, with Manchester United flirting with the idea of going two consecutive Junes without signing anyone.
rom com
Sticking with Luckhurst, who couldn’t resist a little dig at a former Old Trafford striker:
Some at United may need to jog their memory. It was six years ago that United agreed a £90m fee for Romelu Lukaku, who had a year left on his Everton contract. United made a blindside move to Chelsea to turn Lukaku’s head, but there was an acceptance that a striker in his early 20s with big-five influence would command a club-record fee.
That was back when United’s summer budget was limited to £150m. and a month before the transfer of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe to Paris Saint-Germain. Lukaku didn’t score or stay long enough for his £15m additions. was triggered.
Someone should probably tell Paul Hirst of The Times, who wrote in May 2019: ‘It is understood United have since paid Everton a further £15m in additions as part of the deal.’
Tub of Laird
“Three young Manchester United players could earn places in first-team squad on pre-season tour” – Manchester Evening News.
‘Four Manchester United youngsters who will aim to impress Erik ten Hag in pre-season’ – Manchester Evening News.
Three hours and 56 minutes between the two stories being published. And it’s bad news for Ethan Laird, who may be aiming to impress Erik ten Hag in pre-season, but he can’t seem to win places in the first-team squad on the pre-season tour.
Prepare yourself
‘ANOTHER Sky Sports presenter reveals he is leaving the broadcaster amid sweeping job cuts – a week after they axed half their football reporting team and Martin Tyler’s exit’ – MailOnline.
Complete with a split shot of Martin Tyler and Geoff Shreeves, the story is of course about John Fendley, as revealed as late as episode six.
The article Liverpool take £35m Caicedo shortcut to leave Manchester United even deeper in transfer mud appeared first on Football365.com.