Liverpool FC Transfer Rumors: Cheryshev Scuppered Moreno Move?

One of the more soul-draining moments of the recently closed transfer window was when Real Madrid suddenly decided they would like to sign Alberto Moreno. It's a worst case scenario for any club that owns a Spanish player, knowing that Barceloa and Real Madrid hold a unique sway that can rarely be held at bay.

And so nails were bitten and replacement ideas were kicked around, none of which were entirely satisfactory, as transfer window updates were nervously clicked through. Apparently, though, one replacement that most fans will not have thought of was the availability of Madrid's Russian left sided player Denis Cheryshev coming the other way. The player has been linked to the Reds in recent times, but always as an independent move from Liverpool.

The development in the rumor does make some sense. That late in the window, Liverpool would have been reluctant to let go of their only senior left back, a young player who only just arrived the season before, and still projects as one of the more important pieces of the squad puzzle over the coming years. Cheryshev, though, with his pace, left foot, and ability to get up and down a flank all afternoon, would have made some sense as a piece coming the other way, taking the leg work out of Liverpool finding a Moreno replacement. Thankfully for some, apparently Rafa Benitez is the man who put a stop to the deal, as he did not want the Russian going the other way. That report appears to have some credence to it, considering Benitez was willing to allow Fabio Coentrao to leave in search of more consistent first team minutes.

Whether or not Cheryshev would have made a suitable left back in Brendan Rodgers' system is debatable, in particular if the discussion is framed through the loss of Moreno. It is also possible that the Reds remain interested in the Russian as an option future windows. With a £146 million buyout clause freshly inserted in his Madrid contract, plus the manager's backing, though, the Russian appears to be a valued asset for the Merengues.