HomeFeatured ArticlesIs Valdes the Answer to Liverpool’s Problems?

Is Valdes the Answer to Liverpool’s Problems?

Liverpool’s rumoured interest in Victor Valdes has been played down by the goalkeeper’s agent but it hasn’t stopped rumours Brendan Rodgers is in the market for a goalkeeper to challenge current number one Simon Mignolet. The Premier League side had reportedly offered Valdes the chance to train with the club in order to prove his fitness following the knee injury that kept him out of the summer’s World Cup. While the Spanish keeper was said to have rejected the chance of an apparent trial offer at Anfield, Valdes’ agent has now poured water on the story, claiming Liverpool hadn’t made contact with his client.

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After leaving Barcelona at the end of his contract in the summer, Valdes has been unable sign for a new club due to the cruciate knee ligament injury he suffered in March. Now back nearing full fitness, Valdes has been interesting some of European football’s biggest clubs in recent weeks, with Liverpool reportedly returning their interest on a player they have been monitoring for over a year. However, Valdes’ agent Gines Carvajal, insists they did not reject any offer to go trial from Liverpool and that they had no contact with Brendan Rodgers about a possible move to the Premier League side.

As a free agent, Valdes would be able to join a club immediately, which is something that makes the former Barcelona keeper so tempting. The only issue for prospective parties has to be the keeper’s fitness. There had been a string of clubs interested in signing Valdes when he revealed he would be leaving Barcelona in order to pursue a fresh challenge. Those plans, along with his hopes of starting the World Cup as Spain’s number one, were thrown into disarray when the 32-year old suffered a serious knee injury in March.

While the list of interested clubs might not be as long as it was before his injury, Valdes won’t be short of offers when he finally does return to full fitness. Despite the talks to the contrary, it wouldn’t be a massive surprise if Liverpool were interested in signing the experienced Spaniard. Selling Pepe Reina to Bayern Munich in the summer may have freed up some wages but it also meant Simon Mignolet was left without any real competition for his place. Aside from perennial substitute keeper Brad Jones, the Belgian stopper hasn’t ever really had a challenger to his place in the team since his arrival from Sunderland two years ago.

Liverpool fans, on the whole, have been pleased with Mignolet for the majority of his time at Anfield. That faith in the goalkeeper has been tested on a number of occasions this season and some have argued the lack of any real competition has made the Belgium international complacent. Playing behind a defence that has looked extremely questionable at times, Mignolet hasn’t brought the sort of confidence he did during his first season at the club. While the keeper can’t be solely blamed for Liverpool’s poor defensive record this season, the Premier League betting has definitely reflected Rodgers’ problems at the back and a new keeper could be crucial to the club’s hopes of challenging for the title this year.

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