If the ‘1oo players who shook the Kop’ survey was taken this year I’m sure we’d see Fernando Torres, the now iconic number 9, up there with the best. However, as much as Torres has added to the team over the last couple of seasons I don’t believe that the big signings are what wins a team the league. I firmly believe it’s the small signings, the youngsters and the squad players that turn a great team into a world-class team with strength-in-depth. So in this article I’ll look at some of the bargains that could be available to us this summer.
Ruud Van Nistelrooy (£1.5m)- There’s been lots of speculation in the Spanish press as to where the former Manchester United striker will be next season, for £1.5 million how about with us? Real’s squad is getting far too big and with the huge expenditure on Kaka and the expected deal for Ronaldo Real are going to have to try and do some short-run book balancing. Rumours are circulating in the Spanish capital that the Dutch forward could be on his way out of the club for a knock-down price of just £1.5m. Now, he may be a little old but for that price who can argue when you’d be getting a proven Premier League goalscorer? Obviously he wouldn’t be a first choice but for that price he’d be the perfect stand in if Torres gets injured.
Adam Johnson (£1-5m)- The young Middlesbrough winger has long been in the shadow of Stewart Downing at the Teesside club but in my honest opinion he’s better than his England international team mate. Adam doesn’t act or play like most wingers you see today, he has something special about him, something different. He’s intelligent and knows what to do with the ball, he’s not all about flying down the wing until he’s ran out of pitch but he’s not all about coming inside either, he picks the right move at the right time. We’ve long been lacking a true world-class winger and this lad has the potential to be one in a couple of years time. I’d have him for anything up to £5 million.
Javier Pedro Saviola (Unknown fee)- I’ve been a fan of the Argentine front man for a long time now and I really don’t think he gets the credit he deserves, it’s a crying shame no English club has really looked too much into him. He’s another one who could be on his way out from Real as a part of the financing for their summer of super spending and for a reasonable price he could be a good signing for Liverpool, he plays our kind of football and has his head in the right place. For me anything up to around £6m for the former Sevilla striker, although Real may be willing to sell him for a little less with a bit of pressure.
None of these players will break transfer record fee’s, none apart from possibly Johnson will set the world on fire in years to come but what they will do is add some strength-in-depth we’ve been missing over recent seasons. You never know, it may just win us the league.