This summer, the moves of Saudi Arabian clubs have attracted even more attention than the reinforcements of Europe’s best clubs.
The Saudi Professional League has reached a turning point with the acquisition of a string of players in their 30s who have proven themselves in the top league and the acquisition of players in their 20s, including Ruben Neves and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.
With further reinforcements expected, their targets are Liverpool veterans. Jordan Henderson has accepted a huge offer and Fabinho is also approached. Thiago Alcantara is said to have rejected the offer, but anything can still happen.
In such a precarious situation, Fenway Sports Group is trying to make money with its veteran midfielders, suggests “90min” reporter Graham Bailey.
“Is this too good an opportunity for the club to not accept bids and completely overhaul the midfield?”
“I completely agree. I think FSG are looking at this now thinking we can make money on Fabinho, Henderson and Thiago. And we can also clear their entire wage packet, there is none of this paying 50%, which I think for Fabinho and Thiago they thought they would have to pay half their wages to get them off the wage bill in a year’s time.
“They can clear the decks here. Liverpool have already brought in Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szobszlai in. Interestingly I was talking to someone else off air, and they were pointing out that you have Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott and Stefan Bajcetic. This isn’t the same situation as Chelsea as I know they are young, but you have some experience. Between those three they have probably started well over 100 Premier League games.
“I think they will want another midfielder anyway, but it’s interesting to see. I think if they get rid of those three and use the money, Romeo Lavia is a player who we know and we have talked about, I have said that Lavia could end up being the most in demand player in the Premier League and it’s teeing up lovely for him.
“I think if they could FSG would be booking a mini bus now and getting them to the airport.”
Talking Transfers Podcast
Liverpool, which let go of James Milner, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Roberto Firmino on free this summer, would rather get as much money as possible than allow them to leave the club when their contracts expire.
Keita, and Ox were expected to receive large sums of money, so the club wants to avoid a repeat of this situation. And, in Saudi Arabia, a country blessed with financial resources, they can expect to get more money than they can sell to a European club.
Will Liverpool let go of their veterans and start rejuvenating their midfielders at once?