In a similar vein to the ongoing updates on Liverpool’s ownership situation, it was, to some degree, inevitable that names would start popping up out of nowhere when Julian Ward’s upcoming departure was announced.
One of the first to come out of the hat was one Jurgen Klopp will be more than familiar with: former Borussia Dortmund visionary and failed Arsenal head scout Sven Mislintat.
The temptation for the current Reds boss will be to recall the sort of outrageous signings his former colleague pulled off while scouting for the Signal Iduna Park-based outfit.
Could you blame the 55-year-old by looking at his success stories?
Robert Lewandowski, Shinji Kagawa, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Ilkay Gundogan, and Mats Hummels.
It’s almost enough to make you forget all about Arsenal’s infamous swap deal for Henrikh Mkhitaryan that saw Alexis Sanchez leave for Manchester United while in the final year of his contract at the Emirates (after the Gunners turned down a £30 offer). 60 million from Manchester City).
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Looking at that, frankly, crazy collection of talent, some might wonder why Liverpool’s decision-makers haven’t punched holes in their phones in a bid to snag the free agent.
Forget about your mistakes, and believe us when we say that there are quite a few, and forget about your successes.
With a potential takeover looming, Liverpool are reportedly re-examining how they operate across the club, including, critically, how they handle transfers.
There have been suggestions, as a result, that we might move away from our sustainability model and compete for higher caliber (and consequently higher value) targets.
A change in approach, one might reasonably imagine, would hinge on Fenway Sports Group handing over the keys to another party capable of funding such moves.
While there is genuine interest in Liverpool, an offer has yet to materialise, which could work in Mislintat’s favor if FSG believes a sale is not likely in the near future.
However, if a sale goes too far, we need a sporting director who can reflect our potentially new flexibility in the market.
The ability to secure cheap gems that the club can grow won’t be bad, but getting the big calls right – the ones that cost in the region of £60-100m (or more) – will be absolutely critical.
As an explorer who is often tasked with finding the uncut gems the big dogs haven’t noticed, we’re not entirely sure Sven Mislintat is the man up to the task.
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