It’s Saturday and just because it’s the weekend doesn’t mean transfer rumours won’t be aplenty.
Martin Skrtel, one of the players who Liverpool are most keen to sell is reportedly close to a £5 million move to Fenerbache.
Sky Sports report that the Slovakian is near to a move which will see him leave England after 8 years. He has served the club passionately, albeit inconsistently, but always to the utmost of his capabilities.
Many people would suggest that Skrtel is a bad player and while he may certainly seem so it’s just that he has a tendency to ‘switch off’ and it can be really costly. In France, at the Euros, he should’ve had a penalty awarded against him for a rugby tackle on Wales’ Jonny Williams and had a spot-kick awarded against him for a shove on Mario Gomez in Slovakia’s round of 16 game.
Skrtel’s habit of wrestling with defenders is something that has resulted in many a penalty being awarded against the Reds. Not many fans will be disappointed to see the back of him.
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Some of the best news you’ll hear this week is that Mamadou Sakho won’t be banned or prosecuted for his use of ‘fat burners.’ The Frenchman’s failure to test negative during a random drugs test after Liverpool’s defeat of Manchester United in the Europa League resulted in a 30 day suspension.
However, it might not be as rosy as we all think. If you look at it from Sakho’s perspective he has been ruled out of the opportunity to win the Europa League with Liverpool, in one of the most dramatic European tournaments for the Merseyside outifit. On top of that, he has missed out on being able to play for France at the Euros and it is likely that his native country will win the tournament.
With that in mind, it begs the question: should Mamadou Sakho sue UEFA for the missed opportunities after their investigation yielded nothing other than 3 months of his career which he won’t get back. I doubt a court worth its salt would listen to more than a few words of Sakho’s claim but the Parisian has been robbed of the chance to win two different European tournaments in a matter of months.
Sakho claims he is content to be able to be play for Liverpool again but he must be ruing the day he took fat burners:
“I am happy that this is finally over. It’s been a difficult time for me but I knew I had done nothing wrong,” he said in a statement.
“I am looking forward to getting back in the team and playing again.”
Mario Götze’s name is being said in the same breath as Liverpool again. if you’re anything like me you’re sick and tired of hearing this man’s name.
In the first few weeks of the off-season Liverpool were tireless in their pursuit of the World Cup winner but to no avail. Götze was seemingly oblivious to the fact that he is unwanted at Bayern Munich. It would appear though, after being ejected from the Euros by France, that he is pondering his future and is open to the fact that it is not going to be at the Allianz Arena.
According to German publication Bild, Götze spoke to his international teammates about the possibility of leaving Bayern this summer. This development has caught the interest of former club Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool’s Premier League rivals, Tottenham.
It could be that Götze is re-assessing his current situation after the stunning performances of Bayern’s new midfielder, Renato Sanches. The Portuguese midfielder has been important in helping guide Portugal to the final of the Euros.
Liverpool aren’t linked as yet with another move for the talented German but it could be that Klopp wants a little more quality in the attacking midfield options that he currently has.