Liverpool’s Transfer Deadline Day In Review

Another Transfer Deadline Day passes us by and we emerge from our fandom bunkers stumbling, blinded by the harsh light of new and weird decisions in the world of football. Liverpool fans were exempt from such ridiculousness and had to be content with another mellow Deadline Day. There was to be no drama. I mean, sure, words like “forced” and “determined” were used in a few instances but nothing to really get the blood going.

As was expected, Liverpool did not bring in a left back. Jürgen Klopp was pretty firm on his belief that James Milner is the answer to that position and that he is prepared to move ahead with Milner and Alberto Moreno as his two men down the left. This reality will not sit well with some folks. But it’s the only reality we have until January, so we’ve got to cheer on who we’ve got.

Mario Balotelli completed a free transfer today to Nice in Ligue 1. Liverpool recover nothing of the £16M they paid for the Italian striker but the man moves on and his wage’s leave the books. And hopefully we all just go on to be really successful and have all this great stuff happen to us but then we don’t see each other for years until suddenly we’re both standing in front of the concessions at the movies one day and bam! we catch up and it’s great and we’re best friends and our kids become friends and everything. Good luck, Mario.

Lazio were the club to finally give Luis Alberto a permanent home after the Spaniard spent time the last two seasons on loan at Málaga and Deportivo de la Coruña, respectively. Lazio will pay £4.3M and Liverpool included a 30% sell-on clause. Unfortunately, that means The Luis Alberto Fan Club will be shuttering its doors. Sad. Last office hours will be Friday between 10 and 2. Stop by with stories. Or, the one story.

Lazar Markovic will be out on loan again this season. And this time it’s with Sporting in Portugal. Markovic will be playing with his old guru, Jorge Jesus, who managed Lazar at Benfica. Jesus will know how to get the best out of Markovic and while there’s no guarantee at all that the young Serbian returns to Liverpool, a solid showing this season would increase his value. This is good. Value = money!

Andre Wisdom went out on loan to Red Bull Salzburg. Tiago Ilori tried to make something happen for himself today but he will remain at Liverpool this season (where hey, maybe he can learn to play DM). And the Mamadou Sakho situation is the same as it’s been since the preseason. He’s a Liverpool player. He’s training with the team. He wants to be in the eleven. And he’ll be graded every day just like all the other players. At some point, we will need Sakho. We’re just left to hope that he impresses when he finally is called upon.

So, no alarms and no surprises. Not a day for the thrill seekers but it’s good to know the club are confident with the players available. The future is long, after all. And Jügen Klopp is being given the time to create something that potentially sustains for decades. Also, we have Sadio Mané.