Reds Striker Targets Evaluated

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By Arun Nair

With the Reds likely to look to sign another striking option to support Luis Suarez in January, I take a look at the reported targets.

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar:

Club: Schalke 04

Age: 29

Last Season Stats: 48 goals in 47 games

This Season Stats: 6 goals in 12 games

Reported Valuation: £6-8 million

Thoughts: Huntelaar’s goal record is phenomenal, and has an existing partnership with Reds striker Luis Suarez. With his contract expiring in the summer, Schalke are thought to be willing to sell the Dutchman in January for a cut-price fee. However, the Liverpool owners FSG may be reluctant to break their transfer strategy, as at 29 Huntelaar has little or no sell on value, and isn’t a long term solution.

 

Theo Walcott

Club: Arsenal

Age: 23

Last Season Stats: 11 goals in 46 games

This season stats: 7 goals in 11 games

Reported Valuation: £10-12 million

Thoughts: Walcott is another player whose contract expires next summer and with contract talks no closer to a positive conclusion, the Reds are rumoured to be considering taking advantage. Inconsistency is a hallmark of Walcott’s game however, but a strong start to the season, despite not always starting, has gone some way to reducing his tag of underachiever. The Londoner, who allegedly supports Liverpool, will supply plenty of assists (10 last season, 4 this season) as well as offering pace, a commodity the Reds have lacked in recent years.

 

Demba Ba

Club: Newcastle

Age: 27

Last Season Stats: 16 goals in 36 games

This Season Stats: 7 goals in 11 games

Reported Valuation: £7 million (release clause)

Thoughts: Ba has been one of the numerous successful signings Alan Pardew has made since becoming Newcastle boss. Physical, with a decent amount of pace and technical ability, Ba is a clinical finisher with proven Premier League pedigree. He’s within Liverpool’s price range, with his £7 million release clause reportedly still active.

 

Daniel Sturridge

Club: Chelsea

Age: 23

Last Season Stats: 13 goals in 43 games

This Season Stats: 2 goals in 5 games

Reported Valuation: £15-20 million

Thoughts: Sturridge has been on the fringes this season at Chelsea, and possibly with good reason. Technically sound, but Sturridge is inconsistent and is well out of Liverpool’s price range, with a valuation arguably well above his real value.

 

Jackson Martinez

Club: Porto

Age: 26

Last Season Stats: 12 goals in 19 games

This Season Stats: 10 goals in 10 games

Reported Valuation: £15 million

Thoughts: Martinez could well be above Liverpool’s budget, but he is an out-and-out goalscorer, and can finish with both feet. His record for Porto this season is fantastic, and he has shown his ability in the Champions League this season, with 2 goals in 3 games so far. He fits the age profile FSG are looking for, so Martinez could be a good option. However, you can never tell whether a player will adapt to Premier League.

 

Son Heung-Min

Club: Hamburg

Age: 20

Last Season Stats: 5 goals in 30 games

This Season Stats: 5 goals in 11 games

Reported Valuation: £10 million

Thoughts: An unfamiliar name to most fans, Son is a versatile attacker with good feet, great pace and dribbling ability. He’s currently regarded as the brightest prospect in Asian football, and has been in good form for Hamburg this season. At just 20, Son will only improve and could be one to watch, but not necessarily the right solution for the Reds at this time, due to his inexperience and lack of proven Premier League ability.

 

Fernando Llorente:

Club: Bilbao

Age: 27

Last Season Stats: 29 goals in 53 games

This Season Stats: 1 goal in 4 games

Reported Valuation: £10-15 million

Thoughts: Llorente is proven quality at the highest level. Great feet, brilliant hold up play and a good finsher. Llorente is no stranger to posession football, having been part of the Spain set-up for several years. The Spaniard’s contract is up in the summer, so he could be available at a bargain price.

 

So, the list of striker targets is full of quality. Brendan Rodgers is under some pressure to make the right choice, to bolster the Reds at the top end of the pitch. Who would you make your main target if you were the manager? Please leave your preferred player and why in the comments below.

Note: All stats correct up to and including 05/11/2012

52 Comments

  1. How about Rodrigo of Benfica? I remember him being linked in september. Looks like a quality signing to me!

  2. Klaas jan Hunterlaar is my pick. He is a proven player and he keeps RVP on the Holland bench.

  3. Demba Ba being prolific scorer, tough physically, no joke seeious attitude & surely would make a hot fire striking partner with Suarez; followed by Theo Walcot

  4. Llorente offers the same as Andy Carroll.

    Jackson Martinez is highly unrealistic and wouldn’t cut it in the prem.

    Hamburg are doing everything to keep hold of Son, more realistic for next summer and not January

    Sturridge is complete utter balls and doesn’t know how to pass a ball.

    Walcott is a tricky one, let’s see how his contract dispute works out first.

    Demba Ba may be a bit of a risk with his injury problems and such, never the less he is a fantastic player and £7 million is a steal.

    Huntelaar would be my pick, he’s been prolific at every club he’s been at and can fit in to any system, he was terrific along side Suarez at Ajax, let’s hope we sign him!

    1. Llorete the same as Carroll? Made me laugh. You obviously haven’t seen much of him to make such an uneducated comment. Carroll is a typical English lump with no technical ability and virtually no pace. Llorente is on a different planet to Carroll.

  6. Good shout on Rodrigo dAgger, 16 goals in 38 games last season, but he struggled in the Prem with Bolton. Couple of years on though, and he looks a much better player now.

  7. I think the hunter would be the deadliest and if we cud get a cheap deal and give him joe Coles wages that’ll suit everyone. It’s just his age putting me off and I’d happily take Theo if the owners saw suit. I just hope BR doesn’t come up with another nightmare signing like Borini absolute waste of space

  8. Demba ba – proven in Premiership and cheapish
    Walcott – cost too much weekly but could be devestating as the out an out striker he wants to be.
    Llorente – class.
    The rest are all top players (or have the potential to be) but we need someone to step in immeidately
    If I had to choose it would be Llorente – if we can get him for 15m or less.
    We wont so I will choose Walcott

  11. Luis muriel is a young hot prospect who plays for udinese, no idea what is price tag would be but he’s young fast and can finish

  14. Sell Downing, loan Borini out (if fit enough) and do anything to get Joe Cole away from the squad.

    Buy Ba & Huntelaar

  17. Thanks for your comments everyone, looks like the favourite is huntelaar and I’d have to say I agree

    1. huntela, lorente or any good striker, but it would have been better we can afford the man at fc.porto

  19. what about leandro diamo … we tried for him this summer… would form a dangerous partnership with Suarez..

  20. Huntelaar seems best , would steer clear of Walcott too hit and miss great once in a while but think he would be a waste of money , Ba might be a good shout too , Sturridge worth a punt maybe . The Carroll thing , how stupid was that decision , looks more stupid as weeks go by . I would like to see him back but it ain’t gonna happen is it ? The ground work enquiries etc should be being done now , jan 1st we should be signing one or two forwards , not waiting till jan 31st . Don’t f@@k up again like you did in August

  21. We only play with 1 striker, that’s y Carroll was loaned out! Most of the players mentioned would b a back up striker to Suarez, cus Rodgers won’t play with 2 up top. We will be looking for players to compliment Suarez, guys that will cut in from the wing, give Sterling a break and keep Downing/Cole away from the team. Walcott the only 1 I c mentioned that’s realistic age and price, but apparently he only wants up front??! He ain’t starting ahead of Suarez…so it’s not strikers we are buying (unless cheap back up striker like Ngog! And we have Borini coming back). I reckon r targets will mainly play wide in a front 3.

  24. Have you guys ever heard of Jordan Rhodes? With only 22,Jordan Rhodes is amazing goal poacher to me.With 126 apps for Huddersfield Town, he managed to score 73 goals. Maybe his style of play may not fit well in the Barclay Premier League,but i think he got the skill to cover our finishing problem.

  25. Huntelaar would be good but i cant help feeling its two years too late, imagine if we signed him with Suarez. Comoli was obsessed with Carroll. He even did a radio interview claiming Carroll will still come good.

  26. I like the prospect of Huntelaar with the main reason being his partnership with Suarez. Walcott seems like another Sterling to me. Probably only one of those players will come. Any more than that, it would hinder Suso and Sterling’s development.

    Despite what people say, I like Borini. He is hardworking and seems to make good runs. But obviously, being put in the flanks limits his chances to make runs into the box. Suarez should be placed in the flanks considering that is where he usually trick defenders and he will probably be roaming all around anyway. We just need someone, like Huntelaar or Borini whom I reckon can do that, to stay in the striker’s position for longer periods of time.

  27. I tink evry player is great, its only matter of time nd luck that proves a player. . . .

    Reds have a posseson game play, nd they hav dominated many teams,nd created enormous chances . . .

    So a prolific goal scrorer wuld be perfect rather than a avg striker. . . .
    So fr me huntelaar or walcot wuld be perfect
    as lorente goes fr champions league . . .

    Nw fsg need to changd policy
    we nid impact and
    ‘an experienced player is always bettr than making a player experienced’. . Nd then sellin him. . !

  30. Any 2 out of the first 3(Klaas, Ba & Walcott) would be a dream come true. Should have gotten Martinez before he went porto, he’s too expensive for stingy FSG now. Ideally, JCole, Downing & Carroll out for free, 8~10m & 16~19m pounds respectively.

  31. Theo and Demba best for Liverpool. They are used to bpl style of football. Can play instantly with their speed and passing. It will do good to Liverpool for their next half of the season.

  32. Just why would Huntelaar want to leave a Team that is in the Qualifying stages of the champions league (especially in January), for a team struggling in EPL mid-table, what Planet are you guys on.
    we will have to look elsewhere, possibly Adrian Lopez of Athletico, or someone similar. Also everyone knows we are desperate, so expect Fee’s to be inflated. IMO a player will surface that we have not considered, the players mentioned above (Ba apart) will be out of our range pricewise.
    I would definitely settle for Ba.

  33. Don’t Like Walcott up front, he’s a wide of 3 player like sterling but I’d take him if the deal was right (alternating with sterling/suso & keeping out borini/downing.

    Ba & huntalaer would both be the best options up front with Suarez the link player behind one of them where shelvey & more recently sahin has mostly been playing.

    I’d buy ba as the cheaper option to help fund Walcott as well then we’d have the depth in forward areas that’s needed.

  34. i think huntela,ba is 15m is ok 4 2 men,if RB no need carrol den sell him and use d money martinez,if u need striker u most buy b4 15 of january.good luck BR.

  35. how much further up the table would we be if we had Walcott and Huntelaars goals now.. sign them both get rid of Carrol, Henderson,Dowling,Cole and possible Reina, surley that would cover most of the cost !!!! and these need to be sortred out the first day the window opens, so get cracking

  37. I agree,klaas-jan perfect upfront with suarez and willcot behind him on left nd right.sell downing,lukas,cole,reina,johnson and carrol,bye 2 reconized central devenders to back-up skertal,agger and use the young players as back-up,then I’m lukin forward 2 champions league nextyear.

  38. Huntelaar or Ba for me. But anyone remember Assamoah Gyan? Used to play for Sunderland. He plays for Al Alin in the sub-standard Saudi Arabian league but his goal record is still one to take note of, 34 goals in 24 apps. Should be available for around 8-10m? Hefty wage though, worth a gamble IMO.

  39. Bony Wilfried and Luis Muriel are definitely targets with huge potentials and they are within our budget.

  40. Ba has a serious injury waiting to happen, too risky given our luck. Klaas J H though would be brilliant, he’ll bang them in and we can chant “Ooh ah, Huntelaar lar” Dan above has it all boxed off, especially about that shite Sturridge. I don’t rate Walcot though, too far up his own arse for me, and if he is an LFC supporter, why the fuck did he sign for a team from that London?? Cos his Dad told him to….the worm, no spine either!

  41. Messi or Ronaldo are whats needed but will settle for the Hunter….what happened to a decent winger like Turan. Maybe all this speculation is just a beat up because every time the window opens Liverpool are linked to 10 world class players & usually end up with 2nd raters. Cole, Downing & Borini are a waste of money & space.

  45. Fernando loriente is the man, his team is not in the champions league and he is of great quality, get him with along with klass and goals will rain as lucas returns.

  47. Just get Huntelaar, problem solved for the next 3 years, in the meantime scout for affordable talent and bring them through. Huntelaar will score lots of goals. An easy one.

  48. Hunter AND Martinez perfect if possible Walcot then sell Downing, definitely sell Cole and Carroll should not return they are waste and burden to the club.

  49. Huntelaar especially with his combination wiv suarez back in haydays of Ajax coupled with his impressive goalscoring record,Ba is my 2nd choice considering his premier league goalscoring prowess and Walcott would be my third with his pace trickery and eye for a goal.. We need top class players to aid the development of our youthful set up,we cant put too much pressure on Sterling and Suso..I think these 3 targets could be acquired and laying off carroll,Cole would free up space for others to come in

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