Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers wants a new goalkeeper and, according to reports, he is not short on options.
Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Petr Cech, Sergio Romero and Norberto Neto are just four of the names to have been linked with a move to Anfield. An injury to Brad Jones has made the need to sign a keeper more pressing for Rodgers, who has seen Simon Mignolet produce an erratic level of performance this season.
“I think we need a goalkeeper of some sort, it’s just depending on how long Brad Jones is going to be out injured,” said Rodgers. “We are obviously down and have got two young inexperienced keepers behind Simon, who is only just back in the team, so we need to assess that.”
Rodgers has, unfortunately, missed out on the best available option after Victor Valdes signed an 18-month contract with Manchester United.
It leaves Rodgers in the position where he may have to take a gamble. Following the news and developments of the second half of the January transfer window for either football fans or bettors on blue sq will make for fascinating reading. What is Rodgers going to do?
Chelsea keeper Cech could be available at the end of the season after losing his place to Thibaut Courtois, but Jose Mourinho has said the Czech won’t be sold this month.
Ter Stegen, meanwhile, only joined Barcelona last summer. He has been playing back-up to Claudio Bravo, but it’s hard to see Barcelona selling. However, maybe a loan move until the end of the season could be an option to suit all parties.
The two more obvious targets are the Serie A-based pair Neto and Romero, as they are both out of contract at the end of the season and could probably be bought for around £2million now.
Neto has already confirmed he is leaving Fiorentina and there have been reports he has verbally agreed to join Juventus on a free transfer. Yet an offer now from Liverpool could change things, especially as there is no-one of Gianluigi Buffon’s calibre standing in Neto’s way at Anfield.
Romero has been linked with United in the past and is the type of keeper who could make an impact in the Premier League.
It’s a tricky one for Rodgers, though, as he needs to find a keeper who is an upgrade on Mignolet and is available in January, and those options are in short supply at this time of year.