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There wouldn't be such a thing as a straightforward Liverpool transfer this summer, or at least in this post-June reality in which everyone gets all hot and bothered about a marquee name and everything goes to hell. Good news--we're ready for more of that! After looking like the frontrunners wire-to-wire to bring Willian aboard, Liverpool's interest has met competition in the form of Tottenham, who have apparently entered the picture with a late bid. The Brazilian playmaker is now supposedly set to travel to England tomorrow, with a decision expected shortly after arrival.
This all comes from The Times' Gary Jacob and Tony Barrett, and is thus behind a paywall, but the thrust of the situation is that Liverpool are once again faced with losing a high-profile target after a public approach; we're now apparently counting Diego Costa as a big miss as well, even though that was sort of a bid and "no thanks" situation, whereas Henrikh Mkhitaryan had already been approved for a home loan in Huyton and was listening to Rosetta Stone--Scouse Plus on his trips around the continent. Only rumors, though.
Anyway, the most important point seems to be that Willlian has "asked for time to consider the offers" from the two clubs, which are similar in transfer fee and wages. This is probably the point where I'm supposed to mention that Spurs have Europa League football to offer and Liverpool don't, though I honestly don't know how much of a factor that would be in anyone's decision making. Selling point, sure, but I think the clubs' respective trajectories and quality in the squad--which Spurs might narrowly have the edge on at the current moment--are far more important than a competition in which you'd probably be playing half the time anyway.
Everything is zero-to-sixty with Liverpool at this point, as Willian was not even really a thing until about a week ago, and now the fate of the club hangs in the balance. Are Liverpool worthy of good players anymore? Wait to see what Willian says. Will they challenge for the top four? Wait to see what Willian says. Are we simply fooling ourselves into thinking that there is even such a thing as a Willian? By god, WAIT TO SEE WHAT WILLIAN SAYS.
So let's get this whole thing wrapped up then, Liverpool. Send Phil, Lucas, and little Pedro to London to pick him up at the airport. Have Travel MONOPOLY at the ready for the train ride north to Liverpool. Show him the countryside. Bring some warm mate in a thermos. Talk about the joys working under a Spanish manager. Give him a flipbook of Daniel Agger's tattoo work. Then if he says he's going to Spurs, lock him in the bathroom and play the video of Simon Mignolet's penalty save on repeat until he cracks.
Can't be that hard, can it?