There are merits to Liverpool selling Daniel Agger, a quick look over his injury record displays why it is less of a gamble than it might otherwise be.
The Danish centre-back is 27, and should be entering the peak of his career. He does appear happy at Liverpool, and Brendan Rodgers appears to want to keep him, but reports suggest the club hierarchy are seriously contemplating taking a big money offer.
City have reportedly been told £22 million is a minimum of what will be accepted, potentially plus a player in exchange. From a Liverpool perspective Adam Johnson would certainly be a nice addition.
The money could be wisely invested, but how much time do the Reds have left to spend it? Three weeks and counting.
We all know what happened the last time Liverpool accepted a late bid for a star player- Fernando Torres. The price of their targets shot up, and they ended up splashing £35 million on Andy Carroll.
Letting Agger go is a piece of major surgery to the Liverpool squad, and many would see it as a far from necessary sale.
With the season kicking off in less than 10 days time, the Anfield club have really left it too late to carry out such major work to the squad.
The theory behind selling Agger is that the money will allow them to secure other targets including Joe Allen, and possibly a winger and a striker (Clint Dempsey?), but it completely ignores the fact a centre-back will have to be bought to replace him.
A top class centre-half who the club can guarantee can replace him will not be bought cheaply. Even Sebastian Coates was no snip at £7 million, and he represents the sort of gamble Liverpool would take if they tried to replace Agger with a cut-price deal. They would need to spent around two thirds of the proceeds from his sale on a replacement if they are to do it right.
This could all be done, but in time for kick-off? We doubt it, and it is exactly why even if selling Agger might be the right move, but it is happening all too last minute and at the wrong time.
If the club were going to do it, they should have done so a fortnight ago at least. As it is, surely it is not worth destabilising the squad by selling one of their key men.
If they are that desperate for money to sign Dempsey, Allen, etc, then take a big loss on Carroll and get rid for £10-15 million, and stop expecting closer to £20 million.
Do you agree, is selling Agger a case of bad timing, or do you believe it could work out?
image: © jbj
Dan Coombs
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Dan Coombs is a writer who is keen to embrace the internet revolution. He first started writing for us in June 2011 and commenced his new role as Sports Editor in February 2012.
As a trained journalist he has met famous faces from Mr T to Boris Johnson. He once featured in an England World Cup music video too, but it did not make the charts.
He grew up wanting to be a Formula 1 driver, but it looks like this dream has passed him by. Instead, he hopes you enjoy reading his writing on our site, as we seek to debate the day's sporting hot topics.
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