EIGHT runners and riders to replace Mascherano
Felipe Melo – It’s a sad indictment of the Juventus’s board’s planning that three of their central midfielders occupy this list, and that all the club are willing to listen to offers for all three of them. Melo was having a fine World Cup with Brazil this summer, putting a terrible first season with his new club behind him, where he was unofficially voted the worst player in Serie A last term after receiving the Golden Bin award, until the quarter-final defeat to finalists Holland. Melo scored an own goal and then, much like his manager and the rest of the team it has to be said, proceeded to lose his head and was sent off for a shocking stamp on Arjen Robben. The occasion got to him and he was shown up as being mentally fragile. He is being seen as symptomatic of his current club’s ills and to an extent has been used as a scapegoat for their recent failings, and while harsh, he has more than played his part in his club and country’s respective downfalls this year, and so the Turin club are once again willing to cut their losses on the former Arsenal target with Juve director Bepper Marotta stating that the club are “carefully evaluating the situation and will listen to any offers that come in.” Signed from Fiorentina last summer with a burgeoning reputation for a hefty fee of around the £22m mark, Melo has seriously disappointed and could be available for as little as £10m. Melo has a intimidating physical presence and although not the best on the ball, he can retain possession effectively while providing a decent shield in front of the back four. At 27 years of age, a move to a different league could benefit Melo, but whether it should be at Liverpool, I’m not so sure. The club, although undoubtedly in dire financial straits cannot afford to turn itself into a rehabilitation centre for formerly decent players, and perhaps with Melo at least, it’s a deal they should stay clear of for the time being, as he may find the pace of the league difficult to cope with.
Rating – 6/10
Gokhan Inler – The 26 year old Swiss international midfielder is not your archetypal holding man, and can be seen as less of a destructive Mascherano sort, but more in the mould of a Xabi Alonso. The Udinese man’s reputation has sky rocketed in recent seasons after forcing his way into the national team set up after some great form in Serie A. The Swiss national side are famed for being stringent in defence after they went the whole of the 2006 World Cup without conceding a goal, and they carried on this rich vein of defensive form at this summer’s World Cup and they managed to concede just the one goal this time around with Inler operating and pulling strings from the middle. He wouldn’t come cheap, and the rumoured former Arsenal target could cost up to between £12-15m, but at 26 years of age, he’d make a sound investment for the long term.
Rating – 8/10
Well there you have it; it’s my contention that Scott Parker is probably the best option available at the moment although Muntari, Poulsen and Tymoschuk offer very good alternatives to Mascherano in keeping with both the budget available and the role that they’ll go onto perform. Inler, as mentioned above, although capable of doing the donkey work, has much more guile and creativity about his natural game, and should we see a shift towards a more passing fluent style, something not completely out of the realms of possibility given the way Hodgson’s team’s have lined up in the past, then he would be a viable alternative.
So what does everyone else think? Who would you like ideally to replace Mascherano given the financial constraints and the choice of those realistically available?
Click on image to see a gallery of the BEST BABES at the World Cup this summer
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You missed Ever Banega, Liverpool have been linked with him far more than most of the names on your list.
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What about Flamini,Banega or Cattermole.
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Think you’ve overrated some of those listed, but given Parker’s prem experience he HAS to be the man to go for.
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Ever Banega? Javi Martinez? Ricardo Montolivo?
Sort it out.
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what about Cambiaso? the man is pure class and with Mascherano coming to Inter in the same position, why not? His tall, very good in the air and good passeur.
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Toulalon, Banega, Veloso, Annan, Flamini, Moussa Sissoko etc. etc.
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Considering Hodgson’s strong swiss ties, Inler would’nt be surprise. He’d fit in perfectly in 442, that’s how the swiss plays and Inler JAS by far been their most consistent player The last few years, he’s also a top professional
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Considering Hodgson’s strong swiss ties, Inler would’nt be surprise. He’d fit in perfectly in 442, that’s how the swiss plays and Inler has by far been their most consistent player The last few years, he’s also a top professional
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My source has informed me that Roy has been discussing the possibility of another Villa player whilst bidding for Luke Young. Apperently he’s ready to bid £4.5million to sign Nigel Reo-Coker. From what I’ve been told I think he may be nailed on as Masch’s replacement.
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rafa is reportedly offering £12.5m + muntari for masch, so benitez, you must rate sully at £37.5m going by your own valuation of JM.
the only swap i would contimplate with bungling benny is this…we give him one ungrateful little bollocks and he gives us 30 of inter’s millions!….a real steal for rafa there!
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