Paulo Dybala, Wilfried Bony and Edinson Cavani included…
The Mirror has (rather tenuously, I might add) compiled a list of eight strikers Liverpool could target when the January transfer window opens.
With Daniel Sturridge perpetually injured, and Mario Balotelli suffering from his own fitness issues, Rickie Lambert has had to lead the line on his own recently.
Few would argue that for a club with top four aspirations, this isn’t good enough – and a dynamic striker addition would be met with approval by most of us…
Here’s the forwards named in the report, in the order in which we think the Reds SHOULD consider targeting them…
8) Diafra Sakho – West Ham
Lazy reporting from the Mirror? We think so. Sakho only arrived in the summer, and to be fair, has hit the ground running at West Ham. Time and time again however, there have been examples of forwards who start Premier League life brightly, and then fade into obscurity. Amir Zakhi, Papiss Cisse and Michu, to name but a few… Right now, Sakho would be seriously overpriced, and the Hammers would have no intention of selling either.
7) Saido Berahino – West Brom
Berahino could develop into a very good striker, but the likely inflated price tag for a young English forward makes us baulk. Last term he scored five top flight goals in 32 matches, and while he’s bagged seven in 12 this time around, he hasn’t found the net in seven. Talented, but he has yet to properly prove himself at the highest level. If the Baggies demanded a reasonable fee, his potential acquisition could become a little more exciting.
6) Jackson Martinez – FC Porto
A natural goalscorer, certainly, but Martinez would unlikely provide excellent value for money. He’s 29 next year, and would cost around £30m. Spurs have been stung by the Roberto Soldado deal, and a potential Martinez transfer has similarities. The Spaniard doesn’t possess excellent pace, and has badly struggled with the English game as a result. Martinez is not especially strong or quick – just a deadly finisher; and we desperately need somebody to provide movement in the final third.
5) Edinson Cavani – PSG
We’ve rated Cavani as low as 5 because we just can’t see it happening. The Mirror has lazily flung his name into their list without really providing any reason for doing so. Is Cavani a world-class striker? Undoubtedly. But he’d cost something close to the money we earned for Luis Suarez, and we don’t think he’s in his Uruguayan counterpart’s league. Plus, he claimed he wants to stay. “They [PSG] spent so much money to bring me from Napoli. I will give my all and do everything that is required of me,” he said.
4) Wilfried Bony – Swansea
There’s something quite unglamorous about Bony, and we don’t exactly know what it is. Over the summer when he was linked, fans groaned, hoping instead we’d target a bigger, more exciting name. We did in the end, and signed Mario Balotelli… The fact is that no player has scored more Premier League goals in 2014 than the powerful Ivorian. He’s no slouch, has a rifle of a shot, is brilliant in the air, and has the technical ability to bring others into play. While he wouldn’t be the marquee signing many want, Bony would undoubtedly boost out frontline. If his movement was a little less predictable we’d potentially rate him even higher.
3) Paulo Dybala – Palermo
This could be a potentially fantastic signing. He’s rated at around £12m, which would be a snip if he realises his jaw-dropping talent. Dybala is only 21-years-old, moving to Europe after notching 17 goals in one season in Argentina as an 18-year-old. He’s nowhere near their level yet, but there’s serious stylistic comparisons to be made with Luis Suarez and Sergio Aguero. He’s feisty, scraps for possession, demands the football, and hovers around the final third. He can create, score, and work tirelessly for the team. Would be a a big risk obviously, and there’s an argument that we don’t need any more younger players – but it could turn out to be a masterstroke.
2) Gonzalo Higuain – Napoli
Is Higuain really unsettled in Italy? Hard to say, but it’s been mooted for a seriously long time now. One of the most naturally gifted finishers in world football, Higuain makes up for a lack of blistering pace with a brilliant football brain and clever movement. He’d complement Daniel Sturridge up top excellently, and be able to spearhead the side on his own, too. Is it realistic? We’re not sure. Is it hugely ambitious? Certainly. But perhaps it’s time we showed some proper ambition in the transfer market.
1) Alexandre Lacazette – Lyon
For us, the Frenchman ticks all the boxes. He’s lightning fast, is happy to work the channels, and is a natural goalscorer. The 23-year-old is just entering his prime, and has bagged 13 Ligue 1 goals in 17 starts this term. He scores from outside and inside the box, and with Lyon strapped for cash – he’d unlikely break the bank. If we do move in for a forward in January, we should look no further than Lacazette – and probably should have moved for him as a priority this summer just gone.
