Banega the man to fill the boots of Xabi Alonso?
He is one of the rising stars in La Liga – but who is Ever Banega? In my view he is the ideal replacement for the departed Xabi Alonso and just the man to bring that creative edge to Liverpool’s midfield.
Aged just 18, Banega came through the Boca Juniors ranks in early 2007, after the departure of Fernando Gago. After impressive displays it only took Valencia twenty-eight games of first team football to pay Boca Juniors some 18m euros for his services in January 2008.
Banega didn’t hit the ground running in Spain as perhaps the move was a little too soon and after failing to win over Ronald Koeman, Valencia’s new boss Unai Emery sent him out on loan to Atletico Madrid where he was an absolute revelation. It remains to be seen as to whether Valencia would be so keen to offload him as they were prepared to do last summer, however, if they do, then I personally couldn’t think of a better player for Rafa to look to as a replacement for Xabi Alonso.
With an eclectic range of passing, two footed, silky skilled and excellence at one touch football, he is very reminiscent of a certain Xabi Alonso. Banega, like a lot of Argentines, is strong as a bull, possesses a low centre of gravity and is extremely difficult to knock off the ball when in possession. His performances at Atletico saw Banega starting to fulfil the potential that first convinced Valencia to spend big to bring him to La Liga and although Emery may want to keep him at the Mestalla long term, their current financial plight is likely to see them having to cash in. My own view is that he’ll be a revelation at Anfield and would certainly provide a better foil for Mascherano in the middle, as opposed to Lucas and Alberto Aquilani; who for me is suited to Steven Gerrard role behind Torres anyway.
Would Ever Banega be a welcome addition to the Liverpool midfield?
Written by Scot Munroe
Football News 24/7
Why don’t you try and write a proper article? Any idiot can say we should buy a good player and that he’d be good for us. It’s really boring stuff to read, especially when it’s illogical.
Aquilani is Alonso’s replacement. What’s difficult to understand about that? You may think Aquilani is better behind Torres, but he wasn’t bought for that reason and won’t be used in that way. He was bought as a player different to Alonso, not a like-for-like replacement; a player more similar to Valencia’s Ruben Baraja. The point was never to buy another Alonso.
Not that Banega is like Alonso much. His main quality is his very good skill and close control. He still lacks an awful lot of substance and would need to be nurtured, neither mind he’d have to adapt to the Premier League (he’s barely adapted to La Liga…).
If you’re going to say who we should sign, if you must do that, at least do it considering who we have already. Otherwise it’s just fantasy and a waste of time reading.
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Good point Mick, if a little harsh..The website is all about opinion after all which is why I don’t bother with it very often.
Liverpool need finance, creative players and a new interpretation of the qualities we already possess. This will involve Rafa modifying his approach which I do not believe to be in the spanairds make up. I hope he sorts it out.
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Hmmm, strange article. Although I agree Banega is a decent player, I dont see how a player who was farmed out almost immediately to Athletico, who then rejected him after 20-odd games, is the player we need. Plus, they paid 15mill for him which means they will want 8-10 for him. Rafa is working with peanuts and is relying on selling the Dossena’s, the Degan’s and the Voronin’s of the squad – he will be lucky to raise 6 mill from all of those useless ‘fillers’.
As for Aquilani, he was bought to play behind Gerrard. Gerrard is our best player still (big words, especially with the best striker in the world in front of him) so a 20million gamble from Italy was never going to displace him. His job will be the same as Lucas’, but to pass the ball forward once in a while. Having Masch next to him will allow him to break forward and get in front of the ball, which is exactly what Gerrard needs; players breaking around him so he has space to exploit. Aquilani just needs match fitness and Premiership awareness, and I’m sure he will be a great addition to the squad.
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