Join AI Pro

Reds’ Failed Bids

The amazing £111m summer bid for Brighton’s Moises Caceido sent the Liverpool fanbase into overdrive just a month ago. FSG had given the green light to break the British transfer record, with a bold move to reunite Brighton’s dynamic midfield duo. We all know how that and the Roméo Lavia situations ended, as agents and propaganda saw both players choose a bottom half club over an historical powerhouse on the rise. Despite the £1bn spent by the West London club, they still have a squad that lacks many parts, a team that requires many months to gel, all whilst a crazy owner defies all profit and sustainability logic.

It is fair to say that the short- and long-term future of the two-time Champions League winners is unclear, which does not bode well for the two holding midfielders that the Reds had previously coveted. In the days following those amazing recruitment episodes, it appears that one more bid was made for another target, one who also failed to arrive on Merseyside. See below the curious link that arose just this week.

How Did Bruno Fall Through the Anfield Recruitment Net…?

After meeting Lyon’s £35m release clause in January of 2022, it saw the talented Bruno Guimarães sign for Newcastle in an outstanding piece of business for the North East club. Nearly every big club in the Premier League (including LFC) needed this exact type of player, however, with so much hesitancy over the perceived level of Ligue 1, it was only the Magpies who triggered his buyout to purchase the Brazil international. After a solid and consistent two years in the French league, the period after leaving Club Athletico Paranaense (his former club in Brazil) was deemed an overwhelming success, thus leading to his Premier League arrival. It took no time at all for the 6-foot-tall man to establish himself as Newcastle’s best player and one of the divisions outstanding operators. In the hierarchy of holding midfielders (in world football), you could easily make a case for him as one of football’s top five. In hindsight, Liverpool should have been the club to bring this player to England, which is a mistake they were willing to correct with a huge offer for his services.

Can Newcastle United Hang onto Their Best Player…?

As the above link states, a new deal appears imminent for the 12-cap Brazil international. This renegotiation is more than likely due to the interest shown over the summer, with the reds reportedly willing to pay over £100m for his services. After enjoying a less than ideal start to their 2023/24 campaign, Newcastle still must navigate their upcoming Champions’ League group stages. The recent initial stage draw saw them placed in a group alongside PSG, AC Milan, and Jürgen Klopp’s former club, Borussia Dortmund. This difficult fixture list now creates a difficult scenario for the team which finished 4th in last year’s English top tier. After accruing a mere three points from their opening four games of the current season, it would be difficult to hold onto a world class player such as Bruno, if they were to have a poor second year under new ownership. There appears to be an intent in Tyneside to follow the financial fair play guidelines, which may see the extra weight of competition and expectation reduce Eddie Howe’s chances of a successful second year. We saw only last season how Europe left the Hammers floundering for a solid domestic finish, despite ending up with a European title. To take on such a mountainous task and succeed is looking less likely by the week.

Is a Deal in Summer 2024 Possible…?

In terms of viability, a tough season could create an avenue for the reds to bid once more for the soon-to-be 26-year-old. Any new deal would not stop a deal from happening, as Moisés Caicedo proved by penning a long-term Brighton deal only months before he landed at Stamford Bridge. Declan Rice was able to engineer a move away from the Hammers, essentially given to the fact that he demanded Champions League football. If order is to be restored and Liverpool enjoy a return to their normal form, then it could create a pathway to recruit the holding midfielder next summer. To imagine Bruno alongside Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, and our hybrid player, Trent Alexander Arnold, would make for the long-term world’s most exciting midfield group. Given that and the start of both teams this year, I expect Liverpool to monitor the situation very closely, as the dominant number six could be the perfect final piece to our wonderful midfield puzzle.

Join AI Pro