Thomas Strakosha – Source: TheTransferTavern
The dust has barely settled on Real Madrid’s Champion’s League win over Liverpool in Kiev on Saturday, but the transfer rumours world never sleeps. With Loris Karius’s performance out doing only Sven Ulreich in the calamitous and entirely avoidable error charts this season, Liverpool have set their sights on a direct replacement – and Cittaceleste.it, via Calciomercato, have reported that Thomas Strakosha as an immediate target.
Liverpool, indeed, have already reached for the cheque book over the bank holiday weekend – completing on Monday the signing of Fabinho from Monaco. Aside from general squad-strengthening such as this, though, is the pressing and now very visible need to invest in a top-quality goalkeeper to compete for honours next season. Strakosha has quietly and efficiently worked his way up to this status after unseating Marchetti at Lazio, and would certainly represent an upgrade to Liverpool’s current stable. It is being reported that Strakosha could cost €30m, a significant return on the approximate €75k spent by Tare, and a reflection of the need for Liverpool to invest heavily in the position.
Interestingly, it’s been suggested that Tare already has a player in mind as a replacement that might raise some eyebrows – Iker Casillas. Calciomercato described this as ‘halfway between marketing operation and purchase of great experience and personality’, which suggests a transfer decision-making process more reminiscent of Nani than say, Immobile.
That said, quality goalkeepers are in short supply at the moment, and perhaps the experience and leadership of a veteran such as Casillas could mitigate against the collapses in concentration we saw this season against the likes of RB Salzburg and Inter. In any case, the Porto keeper signed a one-year extension in May so would not necessarily be free to make a move – and wages could mean a significant increase to the monthly bill. We’ll watch this one with interest!
