Rodgers' Reds: Class is Permanent

Balogol!

Liverpool claimed the Premier League title once again this season, as well as adding three trophies to their growing collection in the Community Shield, League Cup, and the Champions League title. Despite their booming success, the Reds have been disappointed in the FA Cup again after being knocked out by Manchester City.


It was a close race between Richairo Zivkovic, Raheem Sterling, and Mario Balotelli, but in the end, it was the Italian that clinched the title of Liverpool's top goalscorer with 28 goals in just 37 games across all competitions.


In the Premier League though, it was Richairo Zivkovic that topped the scoring charts for Liverpool as he scored 20 goals in 30 league appearances, coming in third place for the Golden Boot.


James Ward-Prowse led the assists chart, clocking up a total number of 21 goals created in all competitions by the end of the season.


Ward-Prowse has also won the Fans' Player of the Year for a second time running after a phenomenal year, scoring 14 goals and assisting 21 in 59 games. The Liverpool captain was instrumental to his side's success this season and rightfully deserves the award.

Woah, no Sterling! Sell him!

2015-07-20 22:45#216608 Pauker : Woah, no Sterling! Sell him!

xD

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With the summer upon us all again, it remains to be seen what Brendan Rodgers will do to strengthen his Liverpool side this year.

The Reds captured the Premier League and Champions League titles last season and undeniably possess one of the best first team squads in the world at present, and for that reason, Rodgers is believed to be focusing more on talented youngsters.

To start off the rumor mill, Middlesbrough youngster Tyler Thomas has been linked with the Merseyside club. The England Under-19 international is just 17 this year but he has already made his professional debut with 3 appearances last season in the Championship.

Thomas, a right-back, could be a direct future replacement for Nathaniel Clyne. The defender, who is approaching his eighth year as a Liverpool player, celebrated his 30th birthday three months ago.

Paris Saint-Germain, whom Liverpool beat in last month's Champions League Final, are planning an ambitious double swoop for holding midfielder Lucas Romero and striker Richairo Zivkovic.

The big-spending French champions will offer £50 million in total for both players but Liverpool value the duo at a much higher price, especially Zivkovic, who has scored 90 goals in 156 league appearances since joining the club from Ajax in 2015.


On the topic of forwards, Serie A club Catania will explore a potential season-long loan deal for Liverpool's Colombian star Sergio Riascos.

The 20-year-old arrived in England last year, but made just 12 appearances before being sent to Gladbach on a temporary six-month loan. In the Bundesliga, he excelled, turning heads with an impressive number of 8 goals in 14 games.

The £35 million signing of Israel in January has pushed Riascos further down the pecking order, and another loan move is looking highly likely with Milan set to rival Catania for the 7-capped Colombia international.

Center-back Andres Bascon is set to return to Barcelona for next season, having rejected the opportunity to join Liverpool permanently. This has left Rodgers searching for a new defender to compete with Eder Alvarez Balanta, Samuel Umtiti, and Kyriakos Papadopoulos.

And the person on his radar is Jang Young-Hun, who may just become Liverpool's first ever Korean player. The 20-year-old sealed his dream move to Europe only 11 months ago, signing for Portuguese side Porto from FC Seoul.

Almost immediately, Jang was packing his bags again, this time for the Netherlands after Porto made the decision to loan him out to ADO Den Haag. 10 Man of the Match awards in 23 Eredivisie games ensured a swift rise to prominence and Liverpool are one of several European clubs monitoring the South Korea international.

After six long years as the second-choice goalkeeper at Anfield, Jason Steele might be ending his relationship with Liverpool.


Pierre-Francois Costantini spent the entire season in the Liverpool Under-21s team after joining the club on a free transfer last summer, but Rodgers is ready to promote the former Bastia goalkeeper to serve as Jeronimo Rulli's understudy.

This leaves no place for Steele, whose contract is due to expire next season, and he has been made available for sale.

The 31-year-old, an England international with 6 caps, would still be a welcome addition to most clubs despite appearing in just 19 league games within the past 6 years. Manchester City and Norwich are both very interested but Steele is apparently determined to be a guaranteed first-choice, something that could give Norwich an advantage in the race.

Jordi Alba is expected to leave Barcelona when his contract expires next year, and David Alaba has been identified to fill in the Catalans' left-back spot.

Since being made Liverpool's record signing for £50 million in 2016, Alaba has made over 100 appearances, helping the Reds to various honors. The offensive-minded wingback would fit well into Luis Enrique's style of play, although his club would be reluctant to sell.

Last but not least, Arsenal and Real Madrid are once again looking toward Yannis Aubry. The versatile Frenchman can play in defense and midfield but was used sparingly last season with 15 appearances in the Premier League.

Liverpool shelled out around £25 million for Aubry 4 years ago though, and are not prepared to make a loss. Offers could very well be entertained, but only for the right price.

Sell Clyne, get and I'd like to see some stats on the Korean CB!

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Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has confirmed that long-serving midfielder Philippe Coutinho wants to quit the club this summer.

The Reds boss was speaking to journalists ahead of the club's pre-season tour of China where they will play against local teams Guizhou Renhe, Jiangsu, and Yongchang.

Coutinho has been on Merseyside for over 8 years, claiming more than 20 trophies and turning himself into a Kop legend.

But the emergence of Ernie Sharp and the presence of Alejandro Moreyra has severely reduced his playing time and he made just 17 appearances in the Premier League last season.

Furthermore, the 28-year-old failed to make the recent Brazil squad, with teammate Israel being the only Liverpool player in the national side for the fixtures against Uruguay and Iran.


"I am looking to move some players on and Philippe is one of them," admitted Rodgers. "He's been a fantastic servant to this football club and a top player, but he's not getting enough playing time right now.

"Understandably, he wants to get more playing time elsewhere and we won't stand in his way if a club comes in with an acceptable offer."

Despite all this, it was revealed that Coutinho is still set to board the plane to China with the rest of his colleagues.

"Yes, he is coming with us to China," was the reply when asked. "He is still a Liverpool player, so there is no reason for him not to come to China."

Rodgers also paid tribute to the Liverpool number 10 for his years of service to the club, praising him as a "tremendous" player.


"If he does leave us come the end of August then it will be a big loss for us. He's a tremendous player, a real character in the dressing room and to be honest I would prefer for him to stay. But it's the truth that he won't be able to play as much."

Real Sociedad would be interested in offering Coutinho an opportunity to return to Spain - he played for Espanyol in the 2011/12 season on loan from Internazionale.

Zenit are also looking to add firepower after losing the Russian Premier League title to CSKA Moscow, and may be keen for the Brazilian to link up with his compatriot Hulk at the Zenit Arena.

Some fans also had their say on the issue. On Twitter, a user by the handle of @BalotelliFanboy tweeted, "Just heard about Coutinho. Amazing player on his day but it's the right decision, time to move on".

Supporters largely shared the same opinions, with another tweet by @JamesLadProwse123 saying, "Coutinho one of the best players to ever play for us no doubt, can't keep living in the past though! Hope we get a good fee for him".

Even then, it is not one hundred percent confirmed that Coutinho will be playing for another club when the transfer window shuts, as his wage demands could prove to be a massive stumbling block.

Real Sociedad and Zenit would both struggle to pay his current wages of £170k per week.

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Liverpool have announced the signing of center-back Jang Young-Hun from Porto for a fee of £7.5 million.

The 20-year-old becomes the first ever South Korean to sign for the club and will wear the number 15, last worn by former Anfield hero Daniel Sturridge.

Jang, who started his football career with FC Seoul after graduating from alma mater Osan High School, was noticed by Porto and completed a £100k move to Portugal last summer.

After a season at ADO Den Haag on loan where he made 23 appearances, Jang is moving clubs again, this time securing a big move to one of Europe's most fearsome giants.

The defender, who is already capped 10 times by South Korea, will provide competition for a star-studded defensive line consisting of Eder Alvarez Balanta, Samuel Umtiti, and Kyriakos Papadopoulos.

Serie A clubs Sampdoria and Udinese have already expressed interest in taking Jang on loan but Liverpool will reject any offers with Rodgers standing firm in his decision to keep his newest recruit in England.


"I'm very excited to start playing for this great club," said Jang on Liverpool's official website. "I can already tell that this is going to be one of the best experiences of my life.

"It is an honor to be the first South Korean to play for Liverpool and I really want to make my time here a success."

He will be earning about £45k per week in a five-year contract that lasts until 2026.

Aside from Jang, a £4 million transfer for 16-year-old Italian Giuseppe Del Re has also been completed.

Del Re, who comes from the Cagliari youth academy, was spotted by Liverpool scouts and Brendan Rodgers has moved quickly to secure the youngster after positive reports.


The striker, who is known for his lethal finishing ability, is capped at Under-19 level for Italy although he is yet to fully establish himself.

Competition for forward positions in the first team currently look extremely healthy, with Richairo Zivkovic, Israel, Sergio Riascos, Raheem Sterling, and Mario Balotelli being able to play in the number 9 role.

It is therefore likely that Del Re will be playing for Liverpool's youth team for a fair number of years, managed by club legend Steven Gerrard.

This represents Rodgers' first foray into the transfer market this summer, and there may be more business upcoming with Jason Steele and Philippe Coutinho poised to depart.

Two very talented youngsters there... good signings!

Great talents!

2015-07-22 20:50#216696 LFC : Two very talented youngsters there... good signings!

Thanks LFC!

2015-07-23 00:10#216708 Pauker : Great talents!

Yeah they look pretty good

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Liverpool have announced that there will be a testimonial match held for Jordan Henderson as their last pre-season fixture, before their first official fixture against Manchester City in the Community Shield.

Henderson is currently the longest-serving player in the Liverpool squad, having been at the club for 10 years since his transfer from Sunderland in 2011. His £16 million fee has long been paid off, with 306 appearances for the Reds in the Premier League and 41 goals scored along the way.

He will be honored in a football match between Liverpool's senior team and the Under-21s managed by Steven Gerrard. Boyhood club Sunderland had been invited as opponents, but Black Cats boss Nigel Clough declined, instead wanting to focus more on the season ahead.

"Absolutely delighted," Henderson responded, when asked about his feelings toward his upcoming testimonial in an interview with LFCTV. "I can't believe it's been ten years, it seemed like time just flew past."

He continued, "Liverpool is a big part of my life. It's been an amazing journey, there's nothing else to describe something like that. Ten years, and... how many trophies? No, I can't count!

"Anyway, I love being here and I want to be here for many more years to come. We have the best fans in the world, and the best team in the world to boot."


Reds captain James Ward-Prowse, who has partnered Henderson in midfield throughout the years for club and country, was also quizzed about the importance of his deputy.

"Yeah, Hendo's really, really important to Liverpool. He's a good player, he has tons of experience, he's a leader... he's basically everything.

"And he's been here for so long too. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him the current face of Liverpool Football Club, to be perfectly honest, and it's great to see that he's going to be recognized with a testimonial because he deserves nothing less."

News of the testimonial broke just days after England manager Paco Ayestaran confirmed Henderson as the latest captain of the England national team.

The 30-year-old is a Three Lions stalwart and is closing in on a century of caps, presently having 90 to his name. He will be replacing Gary Cahill, who retired from football at the end of last season after the expiry of his contract with Chelsea.

Widely considered as one of the best English players in the team alongside Raheem Sterling, Ward-Prowse, Joe Hart, and Patrick Roberts, appointing Henderson was described to be a no-brainer by Ayestaran.

The newly-appointed skipper is set to lead his side into the World Cup next summer, and will be hoping to be the first Englishman to lift the coveted trophy since 1966.

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Jason Steele's £1.5 million move to Norwich has been rubber-stamped, after the agreement of personal terms between the 31-year-old and the club.

It is a transfer that can be considered quite the coup - Norwich are getting an England international who has kept 12 clean sheets in 19 Premier League games, albeit over a period of six seasons, for a fee below £2 million.

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers plans to install youth team goalkeeper Pierre-Francois Costantini as Jeronimo Rulli's understudy, paving the way for Steele to leave, whose contract was due to expire at the end of the season anyway. The France Under-21 youngster will inherit his number 13 shirt as Steele advances to pastures new, after six long years serving as backup to first Simon Mignolet and then Rulli.

In an interview with BBC Radio Norfolk after signing his new contract, the former Middlesbrough player praised his new home and expressed his personal delight in being able to play for the Canaries.

"Norwich are a club with stability and I'm very excited to be a part of this project. There is a team here with lots of potential to succeed in both the Premier League and Europe."

Steele will be duking it out with John Ruddy, who is also his teammate in the England national team, for the position of first-choice, and he had this to say about the soon-to-be competition.

"John is a fantastic goalkeeper but I'm willing to fight for my place. I didn't come here to sit on the bench and I am going to try and prove my quality."

Norwich are looking to improve on back-to-back 11th-placed finishes, with Steele being manager Neil Adams' fourth signing of the transfer window. Ross Barkley signed from Arsenal on a cut-price £3 million deal; South African striker Lawrence Tsotetsi joined from Dutch side Vitesse, and promising Manchester United midfielder Allan was also recruited on loan.

Meanwhile, on Liverpool's end, Rodgers does not appear to be interested in any more new blood after the purchases of Jang Young-Hun & Giuseppe Del Re, although in the first place it would be hard to make further improvements to his title-winning squad.

Great idea and a big coup for Norwich!

Goal-friendly Liverpool struck again in pre-season, first warming up in 1-0 win over Belgium side Standard Liège at Anfield, before hitting 20 goals in total during their three-game tour of China. An unsurprising 6-0 crushing of their Under-21s squad for vice-captain Jordan Henderson's testimonial was the last fixture for pre-season.

Player of Pre-Season

For the best player of Liverpool's pre-season, you may look no further than Mario Balotelli. The winger showcased his brilliant eye for goal once again as he hit the back of the net 6 times in 5 games, including a hat trick against Renhe. The Anfield hero, who turns 31 next week, will be hoping that he can carry the same form to the Premier League when the season starts.

Manager's Thoughts

A great pre-season and the lads looked raring to go. I certainly didn't expect so many goals in our China tour but scoring is always good so I have no complains about that. We have plenty of trophies to contest for this season, so perhaps this pre-season can help to give us a winning start. It was also nice to see Jordan Henderson being honored with a testimonial. Working with him has been a pleasure and he is truly a Liverpool great!