Reds ‘keep close eye’ on Dybala & bad news on Henderson injury – Liverpool FC Roundup

February 24, 2021
This Is Anfield

Liverpool are linked today with another pair from Italy – both familiar names from the rumour mill over the past season or two – while there are steps forward, and back, on the injury front.

Reds ready to move if Juve sell Dybala

Paulo Dybala seems to be in the headlines in the weeks approaching every transfer window, as he fails to command an absolutely guaranteed spot in the Juventus line-up.

It’s no different this year, as he has only just a year and a bit left on his contract and discussions are still ongoing as to whether he’ll renew or not.

Goal.com say Liverpool are one of five clubs “keeping a close eye” on his progress both with regards to the contract situation and his fitness, after suffering with injuries this season.

The big Spanish two, Spurs and Man United are also said to be in the running.

Hendo facing extended time out

Jordan Henderson is the latest player going down with an injury from the Reds, which is pretty predictable given he’s been playing centre-back.

That’s just what happens this season, right?

The latest reports from the Athletic say Hendo is facing between four and six weeks on the sidelines…in a best-case scenario.

But there is a possibility it could be a lot longer, which would see him miss at least seven matches, including a Champions League quarter-final tie if we finish off the job against Leipzig.

Fabinho should be back to boost the centre of defence from the weekend onwards, but we’ve lacked Henderson’s drive in midfield too, so it’s still a real setback.

Truths and lies

Lots more medical department talk and an eye on the future.

True: Diogo Jota is back in training and Virgil is out on the grass. Lie: they’ll both be back in the side soon and sort out our form
True: Our physio has taken to Twitter to tell fans not to blame the medical department and explain how elite-level clubs function
Lies: German media have somehow managed to create a convoluted mathematical prediction to suggest there’s a “68% chance” Klopp departs

Quickfire LFC news

Liverpool fans do still expect us to finish in the top four…just about (TIA)

Sadio Mane has praised Alisson‘s mentality and says the whole team makes mistakes at times (TIA)

Speaking of Mane, our summer target Jeremy Doku has been compared to the No. 10 by his manager, not for style of play but for focusing on the need to improve (SW)

And Klopp sees Udinese’s Rodrigo De Paul as key to rebuilding the team this summer (SportMediaset)

Around the Prem

Spurs and Borussia Dortmund are the pair keen to sign Dean Henderson off United this summer. Guess that’s the knock-on of the De Gea-Donnarumma swap from the other day, hey (Sky)

Everton are in the running to sign Max Aarons. Nice try, but if Bayern still want him, that’s where he’s going (FR)

West Ham want £100m or more for Declan Rice and while he’s a very nice player, we’re not quite sure he warrants being the sixth all-time most expensive player in history (TS)

And West Ham have cryptically acknowledged they are over-achieving and intend to consolidate mid-table next season, by saying they want to sign Jesse Lingard permanently (Eurosport)

Stupid comment of the day

Granit Xhaka! The Arsenal man speaks on fans abusing him on social media:

“I wish I could meet these people, sit with them, eye-to-eye and ask ‘why are you writing these things?’

“This is not acceptable. So you have to open our eyes and to look after this a lot, because I think you kill the football like this if the people start to speak about a player or their families or things like this.”

Fully agreed that social media abuse is unacceptable. But not quite as sure that Xhaka, a man who has effectively assaulted opposition players on the pitch and has berated the fans for, erm, supporting the team, is the man to be laying down the law on what’s acceptable and what’s not.