We round up the latest Liverpool news and transfer rumours on Thursday, as preparation for the visit of Tottenham continues.
Today’s Main Headlines
- Concerns, bonuses and minutes on international duty
Air miles have been racked up by several individuals.
- Liverpool fans have their say on Origi’s future
“Great impact sub to have,” “Give his place to Brewster or Wilson”
- Analysing Klopp’s subs, game-changers and protecting Firmino
Karl Matchett takes a look at the manager’s methods.
- Serie A rumour might make sense for Liverpool and Lovren
The Croatian has been linked with three Italian clubs.
Milner Highlights Importance of Depth
Liverpool are approaching a clean bill of health, with Joe Gomez and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain both returning to full training after long layoffs.
Speaking to LiverpoolFC.com, James Milner said he is excited about the fit-again pair being back, as well as the competition for places in the run-in.
“I think it’s important that we have everyone available. That’s why you need a squad when you have these sorts of injuries and stuff.
“Ox has obviously been out a long time and was playing fantastically well before he got injured, Joe the same. He’s been brilliant when he’s played this season and formed a great partnership with Virgil.
“And all credit to Joel [for] coming and stepping in when he’s had his own injury problems – he stepped in straight away like he’d never been away – and obviously Dejan is coming back and things like that.
“So it’s important with the amount of games you’ve got and the intensity of the run-in that we have the squad, and everyone’s going to have a big impact on the end of the season even if they’re not out on the field – just in training keeping that intensity and pushing people for their starting places.
“I think the more difficult it is for the manager to pick a team, the better it is for the team to achieve what we want to achieve.”
Klopp has numerous selection headaches ahead of the Spurs game on Sunday, which is exactly the position he will want to be in.
Pellegrini Can’t Rule Out Rice Sale
Declan Rice has excelled for West Ham this season, recently making his England debut after switching his allegiance from the Republic of Ireland.
The 20-year-old was linked with a move to Liverpool by the Express last month, with many tipping him to become a top-class midfielder in the coming years.
Speaking in his press conference on Thursday, West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini refused to rule out the possibility of Rice leaving in the summer:
“It is just a matter of price, if it is a good deal for the club, player and he improves his career then we can do it.
“But I don’t know nothing there.”
Rice is expected to be a front-runner for the PFA Young Player of the Year award, along with the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Raheem Sterling and Marcus Rashford.
Mane’s Form Could Benefit Salah, says Rush
Mohamed Salah‘s performances have been criticised of late, with the Egyptian failing to score in his last seven appearances.
Somebody who is sticking up for Liverpool’s No.11 is Ian Rush, who believes last season has worked against him and that Sadio Mane‘s form could now be beneficial.
“Last season, for me, Mo was the best player in the world,” Rush told the Times.
“I would even put him above [Lionel] Messi and [Cristiano] Ronaldo last season because the English league is the hardest to play in and he was fantastic.
“This year there have been two people marking him. The one who has benefited has probably been Mane.
“Mane is scoring goals and in a rich vein of form [11 in his past 11 games in all competitions]. So what do teams do now? Do they double up on him? Because that could then free Mo again.”
It is an interesting point from Liverpool’s record goalscorer, with opponents likely to be terrified of the threat in-form Mane could now pose, rather than Salah.
Could the Spurs game see him find his magic touch again?
Diao “Proud” of Mane
Mane is a superstar back in Senegal, with his brilliance in a Liverpool shirt making the Reds instantly popular in his homeland.
Speaking to LiverpoolFC.com, former midfielder Salif Diao told of his pride at Mane’s achievements and the impact he is having in Africa as a whole.
“In Senegal now, we all support Liverpool.
“We are very proud of Sadio being here and beating all the records, doing fantastically well. I’m even talking about the rest of Africa, where there are a lot of people following the team.
“The game has gone onto another level now and it’s really great. There are so many things going on in the background and it’s always fantastic to hear about all these different connections.”
The 26-year-old will be looking for a 12th game in as many matches this weekend, as he peaks at the perfect time for Liverpool.
Adekanye Admits Barca Interest
Bobby Adekanye has confirmed that he will leave Liverpool this summer, having rejected a new deal at Anfield.
The young winger has been tipped to join Lazio at the end of the season, but in an interview with Voetbalzone.nl, he says it is far from a given, with Barcelona one of a host of other clubs interested.
“That I would sign with Lazio is not at all the case. It’s not over yet. They are one of the clubs that is interested, but it is not yet 100 per cent decided.
“I also heard from Barcelona. In the Netherlands, Willem II came by. I can’t name the entire list of clubs now, because then we will be busy tomorrow.
“But there is interest from, among others, the Netherlands, Italy and Spain.
“In the summer I am going to talk about it with my family and business manager Junior Minguella, I am not worried that I will have no club.”
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