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Daniel Agger is, for many, one of the current faces of Liverpool. Jamie Carragher's retired, Pepe Reina is at Napoli, and Steven Gerrard is in the twilight of career, leaving only a handful of long-serving squad members at Anfield. Agger is among those names, standing as the most overtly loyal and influential player in a side that's seen a tremendous amount of turnover in the past five seasons. Last summer we suffered through strong rumors he was set for an exit, and now it looks as though we're destined to do it all over again, with Barcelona apparently tabling a bid in the region of £17m for the Danish defender.
There's nothing beyond a lot of Twitter chatter and some recycled looking reports in the foreign press (Sport in Spain being one of them), so we're not really into the panic stage just yet, especially considering that this comes just two days after Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers lauded the player's loyalty and commitment to bringing the club forward and less than 24 hours away from reports in the Liverpool Echo that there was, categorically, no interest in letting Agger leave. Further, there's nothing to suggest that he's interested at all; most paying attention during the preseason will have noticed a clear evolution in his demeanor, carrying himself as one of the squad's old heads and looking comfortable in a leadership role.
From the Barcelona perspective the bid and hopes for a successful deal would obviously makes sense--they've been in need of a quality central defender for what seems like years, and Agger ticks all the boxes. Smart on the ball, good(ish) in the air, committed to playing football rather than tucking tail and hoofing downfield at the slightest hint of pressure. When on form and fully fit, he's one of the better central defenders in Europe, and one that would seemingly slide right in to Barcelona's style.
Which is pretty much why Liverpool most likely won't take any offers seriously, as he's simply too important to the club to consider selling. That was the case last season, and it's doubly so ahead of a crucial season for Brendan Rodger's club. If it hasn't already been put to bed by Rodgers and the club's stance already, it's one that needs to be soon.