Liverpool are hoping that Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino will be back in time to take part in an extra training session ahead of their weekend trip to Southampton. They have shared the cost of a special charted flight with rival clubs to ensure their players have the maximum recovery time ahead of the return of domestic football this weekend. The bill will be split between the Reds, Manchester City, Chelsea and PSG. The players will fly back immediately after Brazil’s World Cup qualifier against Peru tonight (2:15am UK time).
This is a good idea from the four clubs as players flying long distances over the international break can take some time to recover from their exploits, therefore a greater recovery time will only be beneficial to all involved. For Liverpool, their two Brazilians have been excellent this season and played a vital role in their climb to the top of the Premier League table. They can’t afford for them not to be at 100% for the match against Southampton, as the South Coast side are one of the trickier opponents outside of the top six clubs. It will be a big test of Liverpool’s title credentials and it is imperative that both Brazilians are in the starting eleven.
The Liverpool Echo transfer update includes a rumour from Italy regarding Napoli attacker Lorenzo Insigne. The Italian is capable of playing out wide or up front and has scored 29 goals in 180 appearances for Napoli. Meanwhile, he has also recorded 13 caps for Italy. He has so far failed to agree a new contract with the Italian club and could be open to a move away from Serie A. The report states that Liverpool could be ready to launch a £26 million bid for the diminutive attacker as they want to strengthen their front line even further.
Although Insigne is an exciting player who would suit Liverpool’s pressing system well, he does lack the physicality that is required to be a success in the Premier League. It would take him some time to adjust to the division and there are better options for Liverpool elsewhere in Europe. For a £26 million fee, Liverpool would expect the player to make an immediate impact, but that would be difficult for Insigne, despite his undoubted talent. Despite my doubts about this transfer, it is positive that Liverpool are looking to spend big on another attacker as Jurgen Klopp tries to build a squad that is strong enough to challenge for major honours.
Finally, Daniel Sturridge could be ready to start a January transfer tug-of-war for his signature after coming to terms with his role in the Liverpool squad. According to the Mirror, he has accepted that is unlikely to become a starter again for Liverpool in their current system, leaving a move away the best option for his career. The article mentions that West Ham and Stoke City are among the clubs that are interested in the England international, meaning that the striker may have to drop down the league to gain regular first team football.
It will be difficult for Sturridge to move clubs as Liverpool won’t be keen on losing one of their star assets. He may not be in the team at the moment, but Klopp will want to add squad depth in January rather than lose it. It would take a big bid to convince Liverpool to sell and even then, the Reds won’t want to sell to a potential rival. The England international may need to wait until the summer, when the market is more stable and there are more options available to him.
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