I’ll start with this. If we manage to grab Roberto Firmino, and sell Sterling to Manchester City for £50m, it’s the deal of the decade.
For too long, Liverpool have made a habit out of selling cheaply and buying their replacements for well over the going rate. But does this deal signal a turning of the tables?
In Sterling we have a fine English talent, there’s no question of that, but if his heart isn’t in it, I have no issue with him being sold – as long as we milk it for all he’s worth. It appears that we are achieving just that, by playing hardball with City and demanding top dollar.
A fee around the £50m mark sounds about right to me. Is he worth it on talent and accomplishments alone? No, of course not. But in this day and age, you pay for potential, and everyone knows that English talent comes at a hefty premium. This, if it comes off, will be a deal well done.
Now we get on to the man that looks to be earmarked as Sterling’s replacement, Hoffenheim’s Roberto Firmino.
The Brazilian, who’s currently away on Copa America duty in Chile, would be a wonderful replacement for our want-away man.
Why? Well, he’s arguably a better footballer. It’s that simple.
In fairness, this has come as a result of the added experience that Firmino brings to the table, but that is only three years more. The attacking midielder has been making senior appearances since 2009, despite only being 23 years of age. With the ball at his feet, he brings a similar level of finesse to the fore as his compatriot – Philippe Coutinho – but he does so with the consistency that sometimes causes our current number ten to be marked down by his peers in the media world. Firmino’s goal tally also happens to be impressive. 35 in 140 games for the German outfit is hardly astronomical, but it’s a fine return from a man whose best talents lie in the assisting of goals.
I won’t lie to you, I’m no Bundesliga expert. I haven’t sat for hours on end watching Firmino dance around the defences of lowly German sides, so I won’t continue waxing lyrically over our potential new man. However, from what I have seen of him, I would say that the price tag is incredible.
Are we seriously picking up a member of the Brazil starting XI for less than what Christian bloody Benteke would cost us?! I find that baffling, but I’m not arguing.
For once, it appears that the club has taken a few leaves from the books of our Premier League rivals. In the 21st century, as many points are won by the negotiator as the starting striker. Chelsea are a fine example of a team that knows how to work the system, just earlier today, it was confirmed that they have let Petr Cech go to Arsenal. Their current goalkeeping status is phenomenal. Courtois in, Cech out, £3m profit. That, my friends, is how it’s done.
Liverpool are nowhere near that level just yet, but this deal could be the first step on the road to figuring out exactly how to work the footballing system.
We get the player we want. The player that wants to leave, leaves, We make money. Happy days.
Oh, and did I mention, HE’S A BRAZILIAN INTERNATIONAL!
