LFC Transfer Rumours - Anfield Index

Liverpool love a good punt on a player from a relegated side. In three of the last four summer's, the Reds have salvaged some gems from the wreckage of sides destined for the Championship. First, Georginio Wijnaldum and Andrew Robertson -- two players who arrived with relatively inexpensive price-tags and who have now established themselves as key players -- arrived from Newcastle and Hull respectively in the summers of 2016 and 2017. Then in the summer of 2018, Xherdan Shaqiri …

The talk of Jadon Sancho Liverpool has heightened in the past few days. The 19 year old England international winger joined Borussia Dortmund from Manchester City in the summer of 2017 and, after making his Bundesliga debut in January 2018, has established himself as one of the most exciting young talents in Europe at the Westfalenstadion.  Sancho excelled in the 18/19 season, his first full senior campaign, assisting goals a monstrous 17 times in the Bundesliga, as well as netting …

Sometimes the people that care about you the most tell you lies. Yes. It’s true. Or, I might be lying right now, because I do care, dear reader. I really do... Sometimes my wife tells me that my hair looks like it’s growing back or that I’ll eventually fit into my pants again. My parents would tell me my pet fish just liked to sleep upside-down, yet Sharky always seemed suspiciously refreshed after the pet-store opened. The people we trust …

I found myself watching England in the UEFA Nations League third-place playoff last weekend - a pretty sad state of affairs. When your Sunday looks empty on the social front and no other 'proper' football is on, it's (just about) better than nothing, though. The standout figure as the Three Lions edged out Xherdan Shaqiri's Switzerland was Trent Alexander-Arnold, who put together a masterful performance highlighting why he is one of the world's most exciting full-backs. It was no surprise …

There will always be archetypes that footballers fit into. Creators, destroyers, poachers, leaders, midfield maestros. That “maestro” trope will be overused, as is the tendency of footballing media. It’s natural to categorise, but what exactly does that trope mean? Maestro? Is he a magic-wielding passer of the ball? Is he tricky with his feet, guiding defenders one way while fully intending to go the other? Does he possess trickery or guile? Is he selfish or will he play others in? …

So the emotional volcano that is the Liverpool twitter-sphere erupted again this past week when it was announced that Mahmoud Dahoud will be joining Borussia Dortmund this summer. Liverpool had been long linked to the young German midfielder of prolific talent, with the infamous 'monitoring' word used. Predictably, the responses ranged from it all being FSG's fault to Dortmund being some kind of playground bully that steals players we have been scouting. Maybe, just maybe, Dortmund had been scouting him …

Recently a question came about in a group conversation as to whether players should be put through a more rigorous screening process prior to being signed on permanently or even for loans. Suggestions that came up as part of the ensuing discussion included a trial period where players can get used to training regimes and the atmosphere of the squad. As well as this a more thorough interview and medical procedure might be something worth implementing in order to better …