Liverpool should buy Haaland over ‘shot in the dark’ – McManaman

Joe Williams
Liverpool-linked Karim Adeyemi celebrates

Liverpool should push the boat out for Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland rather than take their chances on RB Salzburg forward Karim Adeyemi, says Steve McManaman.

Liverpool have been following the striker’s progress for some time, and invited him for a trial as a 15-year-old from German club SpVgg Unterhaching before he moved to Salzburg.

The now 19-year-old – who has also been linked with Dortmund and Barcelona – broke into the Salzburg side last season, notching seven goals and nine assists in the Bundesliga, and already has 14 goals in 17 games this campaign, including a brace against Lille in the Champions League.

Gossip: Barca want Salah ‘at all costs’; Arsenal swap mooted

That form has led Liverpool to reportedly revive their interest and Sky Germany claimed in October that the striker will ‘definitely’ leave Salzburg in 2022, for a fee between £25m and £34m.

However, former Liverpool winger McManaman thinks their money would be better spent on someone proven, like Norway international Haaland.

Speaking to Horseracing.net, McManaman said of Adeyemi: “He’s very raw isn’t he? It’s like when Jeremy Doku came on for Belgium during the Euros, when he played for ten minutes and was then immediately linked with a move to Liverpool.

“It’s just because both players are young, fit, dribblers who match the profile of the players that Liverpool like to sign.

“Liverpool have a good relationship with the Red Bull clubs, which is a really good breeding ground for them and they trust the type of players that come out of that system. Adeyemi is 19, very inexperienced but is playing high quality football.

“However, it’s a bit of a shot in the dark. Liverpool may as well stump up the money for the almost finished article rather than target the unknown. But Liverpool already have players in their academy that show plenty of promise.

“If Liverpool have the money then they’re better off going for Erling Haaland because he’s already proven and it will be worth it in the long run. Some young players play well over a short period and then all of a sudden they’re worth £50 million, when their true value is £15 million. It’s the selling club trying to make as much as possible out of a player.

“Nowadays when Liverpool want to sign a player then they won’t solely consider what they do on the football pitch. They’ll speak to the player’s family, friends and agents to make sure they know what this player is like. They don’t just sign the player but they sign the whole person.”

 

Liverpool Erling Haaland

Related Articles