Liverpool Manger, Brendan Rodgers has reacted angrily to Newcastle’s unwillingness to meet his valuation of the Geordie’s parent-club of £12 million for the player.
Liverpool stumped up £35 million for the developing young forward, as Mike Ashbey, Newcastle’s scurrilous owner knew Liverpool had just received £50 million from Chelsea for Spaniard, Fernando Torres.
Alan Pardew promptly relieved Liverpool of the bulk of the Torres cash to send an injury-hit Andy Carroll to Liverpool under Daniel Comolli and Kenny Dalglish at Anfield.
It was a piece of flawed business that, ultimately cost Kenny and Comolli their jobs with reckless spending of money that saw Liverpool slash out over £65 million on average players in Downing, Henderson and Charlie Adam.
This is the major problem that new Manager Brendan Rodgers has been largely unsuccessful to date, in trying to address.
“We have got a very small squad,” he said.
“We have lost a lot of players this summer and I have not been able to replace them as of yet. That is the reality of where we are.
“I hope we will be able to bring some players in.
“I had a target list of players and people that I wanted to bring in.”
“That was always conditional because of the monies that had already been paid out here.
“The club are working very hard behind the scenes to manage that process to allow us to get some players in.
“But in terms of the depth, it is nowhere near where I would want it to be.
“I can’t wave a magic wand to bring players in and get players out.
“There is still a wee bit of time left and hopefully come the end of August we will be ready to go on with the group that we want.”
Brendan Rodgers, you have inherited a very difficult job at Liverpool, a bit of a mess really.
I wish you the very best in trying to overcome it.