Earlier this week, reports in Italy suggested that we could make a move for Juventus’ 35-year-old midfield veteran Andrea Pirlo, in what was undoubtedly one the strangest transfer rumours we’ve ever seen involving Liverpool.
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There’s a whole plethora of reasons that this simply cannot be true – Brendan Rodgers’ transfer philosophy, the fact that Pirlo has never played outside of Italy, his current levels of success with Juventus – who are Champions League semi-finalists this year – and rumours of his potential retirement (via Italian sources).
You can read the bizarre rumour in full on This Is Anfield (via Tuttosport).
However, this got us thinking, if we were to have free-range over the transfer window – and that’s quite a big ‘if’ – are there any veteran players that would be worth us picking up? We rank our top five below…
5) Xavi (Barcelona)
The 35-year-old has played over 500 La Liga games for Barcelona, who he began his professional career with way back in 1998. Since then, he’s accumulated 133 caps for his country and won 25 major honours. His midfield partnership with Andres Iniesta became one of the most feared in world football and even now he still has the ability to pass teams to death. He has immense ability and he could still do a job sitting in our midfield.
4) Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Paris Saint Germain)
The giant Swede was actually linked with Liverpool earlier this year – via The Independent – but we can’t think there’s any truth behind such reports. Nonetheless, his goal record is staggering. He’s hit 338 during his club career, including 104 in just 122 games for his current employers. He’s won titles in Spain, Italy and Holland, as well as France, so we’d be forgiven for wishing he’d one day come to England. It’d certainly be interesting!
3) Miroslav Klose (Lazio)
The 36-year-old has scored 47 league goals since joining Lazio in 2011. He’s previously had spells with Bayern Munich and Werder Bremen, enjoying plenty of success in the process, but it’s with the German national team that he’s shone brightest – scoring 71 goals in his 137 games before retiring after last summer’s World Cup. In reality, he’s coming towards the end of his career, but we’d do worse than to have such a deadly poacher in our ranks.
2) Xabi Alonso (Bayern Munich)
A blast from the past, Alonso has proved this season that he’s still more than capable of succeeding at the highest level. A former Anfield favourite, the 33-year-old joined Munich from Real Madrid at the start of this season. He’s played 37 times this term in all competitions, scoring four times. He’d undoubtedly be welcomed back with open arms were he ever to return to Merseyside, having played a crucial role in our 2005 Champions League triumph.
1) Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)
Tuttosport described him as the ‘perfect replacement’ for Steven Gerrard. Arguably, he would be, if only for a very short time. He’s become accustomed to playing that holding role that Gerrard has adapted to over the last couple of years, acting as the linchpin for the midfield. One of the greatest passers of the ball in the modern era, there’s unfortunately no telling how he would have adapted his game to playing outside Italy. It could have been special!
