Steven Defour emerges as Liverpool FC target STEVEN DEFOUR has become a major transfer target for Liverpool after Javier Mascherano edged nearer an inevitable Anfield exit. Mascherano has been left out of the squad for tomorrow's friendly in Germany to increase speculation of an move to Inter Milan. And Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson has lined up Standard Liege midfielder Defour as a possible replacement for the wantaway Argentina international. Mascherano confirmed Liverpool's fears earlier this week when, on returning from World Cup duty, he informed the club of his desire to leave. Inter's former Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez wants to be reunited with the Argentine at the San Siro with the Serie A side preparing a £25million offer for his services. And now Hodgson has taken the decision to omit Mascherano from the squad for tomorrow's friendly against Borussia Moenchengladbach despite intimating the player would remain available for selection as long as he was at Anfield. Preliminary talks have already been held with Inter representatives and it seems certain Mascherano, who was signed for more than £18m in January 2007, has played his last game for the club with Hodgson already pondering midfield alternatives. And top of his wanted list is highly-rated Belgium international Defour, who could follow Milan Jovanovic in making the move from Standard Liege to Anfield. Defour has won two domestic championships with Standard and has been the creative force behind their impressive European showings in recent seasons, the Belgian side running Liverpool close in a Champions League qualifier two years ago before dumping Everton out of the UEFA Cup. But Defour missed much of last season with a serious foot injury and, in his absence, Standard failed to qualify for Europe. And the 22-year-old, a one-time target of both Arsenal and Everton, is now available for a fee of around £10m (12m euros). However, Liverpool would face serious competition from Manchester United for Defour's signature, with Sir Alex Ferguson a known admirer of the player. Hodgson is also monitoring Denmark international defensive midfielder Christian Poulsen. Juventus general director Giuseppe Marotta claims Liverpool are interested in the 30-year-old, whose absence from the side that faced Shamrock Rovers in Thursday's Europa League qualifier has fuelled speculation of an imminent move. And Marotta said: “Liverpool have shown interest in Poulsen, but the fact that he did not play in this game is only due to a technical decision.†Meanwhile, Joe Cole will make his first appearance in a Liverpool shirt in tomorrow's friendly in Moenchengladbach, which is being held to celebrate the German club's 110th anniversary. Cole, who was signed on a free transfer last week following his release from Chelsea, is among the latest batch of World Cup representatives to return to action. Fellow England internationals Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher and Glen Johnson will also fly to Germany. “Yes they will be involved,†said Hodgson. “It's a friendly game so I can control the amount of time they play. “In competitive games we only have three substitutes to use, so it's very dangerous to put players on the field who don't have 90 minutes in their legs.†New signing Danny Wilson, who travelled with the party to Macedonia to take part in training, is also in line to make his Liverpool bow while Argentine winger Maxi Rodriguez may also appear. And with Spanish duo Fernando Torres and Pepe Reina and Holland pair Dirk Kuyt and Ryan Babel back at Melwood next week, Hodgson will finally be given the opportunity to work with a full-strength squad. Link http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-fc/liverpool-fc-news/2010/07/30/steven-defour-emerges-as-liverpool-fc-target-92534-26967889/
Defour is quality and is far more attacking than Masch.Really dont want him to leave but if he does there is no better replacement in my opinion than Defour.
Would be a great additon to the squad but the realistic side of me does'nt see even £10 million of the masch money going to roy for a transfer, He will be expected to replace masch with £5 million! And why are we gonna accept £25 mill bid for masch from rafa? Rafa i love ya and all but you valued him at £50 mill and after the world cup he has added at least another £5 mill to his value so lets push for at least £45 mill?
I don't know how much truth is in this , Roy was supposed to be in Belgium tonight watching someone from Standard Liege , journalists picked up on it so it could be anyone. Defour is a fabulous player I would love to see him come to us, you might see a bidding war with the 2 clubs that have the biggest debt.
Have to admit I haven't seen much of the lad, is he any good? By the sounds of it he seems to be more of a central midfielder in the Gerard (attacking wise) mould, rather than Mascherano, or am I way off the mark?
Your right on the mark but i honestly dont think we need a "defensive" midfielder. We have agger and lucas who can both do the role when its needed but its not needed all the time, If we dont have one it makes us more attacking
Cheers, looks like Ferguson won't be letting the lad go without a fight, sending an injured player from another team get well letters, the man has a heart of gold I think as fans when we hear about a rumored new signing we always think of the first 11, but by all accounts seems like Defour would be a quality addition to the entire squad. Not wanting to change subject, but I would love to see Lucas step up to the role this year, after a bloody good season in a team of underachievers he was one of the only ones to come out with some credit, so hopefully the lad can take it to the next level. Seems to be making all the right noises anyway.
Throw Spearing into the equation too and i agree with you.. Defour is going to be a huge talent and so will Alex Witsel...Ill be really suprised if we sign either one of these boys, but they are very good and have huge potential..Also they are young too.. But Defour is more of a attacking midfielder,so with Aqua,Gerrard,Cole and Lucas i think we have quiet alot of players for that Position..
Myth that Agger can play this roll,He carries the ball out of defence well but he is not a defensive midfielder by a long shot. He never played in this position and if we had a shortage of players in that position for a game there would be 1 player who would get asked to do the roll out of our defenders and thats JC.
Begian Belgian, I can confirm that Defour is great... in the Belgian competition. The Premier League is another cup of tea. At the moment I don't think he's starting 11 material at LFC. He is indeed not a defensive midfielder such as Masch and Alonso were, but more a player like Gerrard or Aquilani, a player who builds up and distributes the game. Standard will never sell Defour for £ 10 mio: they have already turned down similar bids, if I recall well, and he's the last decent player they have in their squad. In our current financial situation, I don't think he's the player we need to spend our money on.