Liverpool FC Forum

[The Fabiomenal 1]

I've just said what i think about Aquilani. We can discuss about his worth but it's certain that 20 M for him are too much. I don't believe that cyphers I read about Aquilani's deal are true. Rome has serious financial problems and it would accept also a lower offer for his midfield. They've De Rossi, Pizarro, Brighi like central midfielders. They've played without him for three seasons...

[tubby]

We are we not trying for De Rossi?

[stmichael]

DeFour

When we played Standard last season I would have taken all 3 of their stand out guys, Fellaini, Defour and Witsel. The guy is an outstanding talent but from what I saw, he doesn't have a defensive bone in his body.

[The Fabiomenal 1]

De Rossi costs a God's rage! He's nicknamed "The Future Captain", he's like Totti. He was born in Rome, he grow up in Rome, he has ever played for AS Rome and he has his squad in the heart. Rome would prefer sell three good players like Mexes, Vucinic and Baptista rather than De Rossi.

[Fauxy]

I would go for a reasonably cheap midfielder such as Javi Martinez and then splash the cash on either a striker such as David Villa or a winger such as David Silva

[Dalglish]

I'm personally gutted that we have lost a World class midfielder in Xabi Alonso. He was absolutly critical to our style of play and gave us many "possibilities" as Rafa would say. Its absolutly imperitive that we secure a suitable replacement as soon as possible and rather than seek a direct replacement how about we bring Stevie G back into midfield and buy Silva or Villa to play behind Torres !

For me it's less risky to buy a replacement for Gerrard's role at present than try and buy someone to replace Alonso. Put Stevie back in midfield and get Villa

[Mikz]

Never mind alonso's replacement but when are we actually going to sign some friggen players? Lost one of our best players, lost a solid player Arby and no sign of any fecker joining any time soon.

Im so p!ssed off I hate our owners.

I was thinking the same thing cigs   

[kunilson]

not many can replace Alonso....he was our midfield maestro!!

but like someone up there ^ said, id put stevie back in midfield alongside masch, i think they can play quite well together.....play Kuyt and Torres together for now and benayoun on the right, see how him and johnson pair up and kuyt can fill in anywhere really if gerrard goes forth or benayoun wanders in the middle.

Id use that money on a creative midfielder who can play behind Torres.....Silva sounds good to me....whoever we buy, it has to be a midfielder, and he has to be world class (or almost world class with the potential to take that step)

[Reg]

Who can replace Xabi Alonso at Liverpool?

Xabi Alonso has arrived in Madrid and travelled to the city’s Sanitas La Moraleja hospital to undergo a medical before signing the four-year, £95,000-a-week contract that will officially make him a galactico.
05 Aug 2009

His £30 million fee, though, will not rest in Liverpool’s bank account for long, with manager Rafa Benitez likely to act quickly to replace the Spanish international.

Dozens of players have been linked with the role, but the fear among the Anfield faithful is that few of the runners and riders are capable of helping them forget a thoroughbred.

Steven Defour (Standard Liege, 21, £14 million)
Made captain of the Belgian champions at the age of just 20, Defour impressed against both Liverpool and Everton last season with his dynamic, creative style and has attracted the attentions of both Merseyside clubs this summer. One of the most highly-rated young midfielders in Europe, the player’s agent has confirmed he would not be able to say no to Benitez.

Alberto Aquilani (Roma, 25, £15 million)
Elegant and stylish, with a thunderous right-foot shot, Aquilani emerged from Roma’s famed academy, the heir of Francesco Totti and Daniele De Rossi, six years ago under Fabio Capello and has since gone on to win a place in the senior Italian side. His class is not in question, but his fitness is, after a succession of thigh and ankle problems restricted his playing time over the last three campaigns. Benitez is thought to have agreed a price with Roma should he wish to make Aquilani his new Alonso.

Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao, 20, £10 million)
The most direct and indirect replacement for Alonso. Martinez, as his potential predecessor was in 2004, is the great hope of Basque football, albeit for Bilbao, not Real Sociedad. That, though, is where the comparisons end. Martinez is younger and significantly more raw, and swaps Alonso’s trademark understated sophistication for a rangy, box-to-box style. His height makes him ideally suited for the Premier League and Benitez has long been an admirer, but he is unlikely to arrive without more experienced back-up.

Christian Poulsen (Juventus, 29, £6 million)
Hardly the exotic, high-profile name Liverpool’s fans will want to see arrive in Alonso’s stead, but Poulsen - like Lee Cattermole, another reported target - would provide excellent back-up for Javier Mascherano, Lucas and a more direct replacement. Experienced and combative, Poulsen has struggled in Turin, but the Danish international impressed as part of Juande Ramos’s Sevilla side and at Schalke before that. Everton and Fulham are known to be keen to sign him on loan and Benitez may shy away from paying Juventus’s full asking price.

Esteban Cambiasso (Inter Milan, 28, £15 million)
The most high-profile option on Benitez’s radar, Cambiasso first garnered acclaim as a 15-year-old when he was poached from his native Argentina by Real Madrid, a forerunner of Lionel Messi. He never established himself at the Bernabeu, returning to Independiente and River Plate in his homeland on loan, but he has since become an integral part of Inter Milan’s four consecutive Serie A titles. His partnership with Mascherano at international level means the two would not struggle to play together.

David Silva (Valencia, 23, £25 million)
Not a like-for-like replacement by any means, but Benitez knows the Liverpool fans will demand at least one marquee signing to help them mourn the loss of Alonso. Silva was discovered by the Anfield manager’s trusted lieutenant Eduardo Macia and Benitez has long dreamed of bringing him to Merseyside. Valencia, as ever, are reluctant to sell any of their key players - Benitez is not interested in David Villa, but would be tempted by Juan Mata - and Manchester United are also believed to be tracking him, but the Spanish side’s financial troubles could help Liverpool land their superstar.

The Telegraph

[TheLad]

Get Defour, and strenghten other positions (CD, etc)

[tubby]

My top 4 choices in order or preference would be:

Defour
Cambiasso
Silva
Aquilani

[kopite_1232002]

My top 4 choices in order or preference would be:

Defour
Cambiasso
Silva
Aquilani

i agree with that but were does Scott Parker fit in..

Cambiasso would be my first choices simple fact hes played with masha before.. id sign that defour, hes only 20 and looks to be a quality player for now and the future.

But i still think that a striker is the most important person we need to buy..

Stevie G is the best centre mid in the world, so Masha and Gerrard with Torres and say villa-Silva up top or playing off would be my priority.


But no one knows what sort of money we have and id be willing to bet we only bring in one player for around 18 million

[Roger Red Hat]

My top 4 choices in order or preference would be:

Defour
Cambiasso
Silva
Aquilani

'll second that bav boy

[Redman in wales]

My top 4 choices in order or preference would be:

Defour
Cambiasso
Silva
Aquilani

'll second that bav boy

3rds 

[Owzat]

Defour would be funny given the bitters want him but are too tight to cough up £15m or whatever his asking price is. But then we'd have to put up with bitter sniping that we always hijack their bids - should cough up and buy rather than count the pennies then shouldn't they.......