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With West Bromwich Albion backing out of a deal for Jose Enrique—despite having agreed terms with Liverpool—because the player signalled he was unwilling to sign, the only hope for finding a new home for the left back appeared to be Sunderland. They now appear an increasingly unlikely destination.
Reports claimed Enrique favoured a move back to the north-west, where he previously played for Sunderland’s rivals Newcastle. However, the Sunderland Echo, having spoken to sources within the club, now claim the Black Cats to not expect to make any further signings today. And that means they will not be signing Jose Enrique.
It leaves the player in a difficult position. Having been isolated from the squad and sent to train on his own along with Fabio Borini and Mario Balotelli, Enrique is now the only unwanted Liverpool player left on the club. It is clear he has no future at Anfield, yet it now appears almost certain he will remain until at least January.
Still, given he’s hardly played a minute over the last two seasons, perhaps it is simply a case of Enrique being content to collect his wages, work out by himself, and play FIFA. There are certainly worse lives imaginable, though for a professional football player who’s still only 29 years old it seems an awful waste of his best years in the game.
Waste or not, Jose Enrique’s immediate future appears set to be much the same as the recent past. He will likely remain a Liverpool player, at least technically and even if he’s unlikely to ever play for the club again.
