Despite everything that’s already happened this summer – six new players coming in, an overhaul of the coaching staff and the continuation of the Sterling saga – there is still one very obvious piece missing from the puzzle.
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We need a striker. We’ve needed one since last summer, when Luis Suarez left for Barcelona, because Mario Balotelli, Fabio Borini and Rickie Lambert sure haven’t done all that much to help fill that void.
Carlos Bacca – a rumoured target (via the Metro) – has already joined AC Milan, while Aston Villa are refusing to meet us half-way over our potential deal for Christian Benteke… more on that later.
In this list, we count down five plausible targets that are still available over the next few weeks, as we count down into the final month before the start of the new season. We weigh up their respective pros and cons below…
Christian Benteke (Aston Villa)
Pros: He’s certainly a proven Premier League striker, with a respectable 42 goals in 88 games for a predominately struggling team. On paper, he’d also compliment the likes of Daniel Sturridge and Divock Origi, with the fast-paced duo able to capitalise off Benteke’s knock-downs. He offers us a different kind of threat that could work well.
Cons: The asking price. Villa are refusing to accept less that £32.5m – the striker’s buyout clause – in order to sell him, according to reports in the Liverpool Echo. If were were to eventually pay that fee, the pressure on the 24-year-old to produce would be incredibly high. There are also concerns that he’d struggle to adapt to our style.
Javier Hernandez (Manchester United)
Pros: He’s closer to the type of player we like – small, quick and predatory – while he’s also the kind of marksmen we’ve arguably been lacking – a poacher, someone who can grab a goal out of nothing. He’s coming towards the end of his contract and having been loaned out last year he’s clearly unwanted, he could be picked up cheaply.
Cons: Manchester United. It’s as simple as that really. No player has moved directly between the two clubs since the 1960s and it’s hard to see the Mexican breaking that trend unless the Reds make a real strong move. His record over the last couple of years is also fairly uninspiring (18 in 70), so it’s hard to see him being first choice.
Stevan Jovetic (Manchester City)
Pros: Unwanted at City, where he’s fourth choice striker, and therefore likely to be available. He’s still only 25 and if given the backing of a manager who allows him to play regularly then he could rediscover the form he showed during his early years, specifically while he was at Fiorentina. He’s a versatile forward who could also play wide.
Cons: Injury problems have massively disrupted his time at City. He’s only managed 28 Premier League appearances over the last two years, with only eight goals. His record in Italy was decent but he’s never managed to get more than 14 goals in a league season anywhere, meaning he’s perhaps not the answer to our problems.
Alexandre Lacazette (Lyon)
Pros: He’s one of the most feared strikers on the planet right now. After he smashed in 31 goals in all competitions last season and fired his way into the France squad, you could forgive the European giants for forming a queue for his signature. He’s strong, quick and powerful and would be many people’s dream addition to our front line.
Cons: The price is an issue but he’s likely to cost less than Benteke, and considering his record few people would likely question a similar fee. There’s always going to be a chance that he won’t take to English football, but it’s hard to see him failing anywhere right now. The only major drawback is the battle we’d likely have to endure to get him.
Salomon Rondon (Zenit Saint Petersburg)
Pros: He’s scored 28 goals in his first 18 months for Zenit, helping them become Russian champions. We’ve already held talks with him (via Sky), so we know that he could well be available, while at 25 years old he should be at the peak of his powers. He’s a strong and powerful hold up player who could compliment our other players well.
Cons: Doesn’t have much in the way of major European experience and could be found a bit short playing week in, week out in the Premier League. Like Benteke, he’s not naturally suited to our style of play and we could find ourselves taking another rather expensive gamble if we end the window by trying to sign the Venezuelan.
