Liverpool are being linked with a move for World Cup star Asamoah Gyan. The Ghanaian striker had a fantastic World Cup for the Black Stars, scoring three goals for his country and working tirelessly upfront. He was rewarded for his efforts by being placed on the 10-man shortlist for the World Cup Golden Ball, however despite this accolade and his impressive tournament Liverpool would be better off looking elsewhere.
The Rennes striker is believed to cost £20m, a fee that has been vastly inflated because of his impressive World Cup by at least double the price. That amount could represent a sizeable chunk of Liverpool’s budget this season, and with the team desperately needing to strengthen a variety of areas they cannot blow it all on one position. Also considering that Fernando Torres was bought for the same amount and he is truly an exceptional, world class striker to spend the same amount of money on a striker who is no more than good at best would be ludicrous.
What makes Gyan such an attractive prospect to managers is the fact that he works so hard upfront and is a big presence, so should he move to Liverpool he could be a good partner for Torres. However despite his efforts his scoring record really isn’t that great, in two years at Rennes he has managed just 14 goals in 47 appearances. For his previous club Udinese, he managed just 11 goals in 38 games which means that a club level at least he has hardly been prolific. At international level he does have a good record with 22 goals in 44 games, but whilst this is impressive it mustn’t be forgotten that the majority of these goals have come against inferior African opposition in World Cup qualifiers. Therefore should Torres develop another injury, which is a possibility considering he was hampered with a few last season, then Gyan would be relied upon to find the back of the net and given his records he may not be able to provide the necessary firepower.
If he was playing for Liverpool then he would be representing one of the biggest clubs in the world and although he may be a good striker he wouldn’t be up to a side like Liverpool’s standards. There would be a lot of expectation for him to succeed at the club and although it may be a cruel example to use, the fact that he missed a penalty against Uruguay that would have put Ghana through to the World Cup semi-finals could mean that he isn’t very good at handling pressure. To be a successful player at Anfield you need to be able to handle the responsibilities that come with wearing the shirt, and whilst Gyan may work tirelessly for the team it may not be enough.
Take nothing away from him, Gyan is a good player and he had a great World Cup for Ghana and probably could play in the Premiership. However his ability is not up to Liverpool’s standards and a fee of £20m would be a very stupid amount for them to pay. It would be best for both Liverpool and Gyan if they explored alternative options so that Liverpool can get a good enough striker, and Gyan can find a club where there isn’t so much expectation on him.
Get the latest Liverpool news on Twitter
**
Click on image below to see the Argentinean babes at the World Cup
