Should Liverpool sign Samuel Eto’o? Samuel Eto’o has become one of the most talked about footballers within this transfer window, as he appears to be attracting attention from all sorts of leagues, and from all sorts of levels. The Cameroon international is a free agent this summer after spending last season at Chelsea, and he is looking to prolong his career with another move. The latest Premier League club to become linked with the striker is Liverpool. The Reds have lost their star forward Luis Suarez to Barcelona, and Brendan Rodgers finds himself under increasing pressure to replace the Uruguayan. After a move for Lois Remy fell through amid medical concerns, and a tentative enquiry over Radamel Falcao was knocked back in favour of Real Madrid, Anfield now has its sights set on Eto’o. In many ways, it looks like a bad move. The man is 33 years old and all indications say that he is past his best. One of the most decorated players in the modern game, Eto’o’s days of spearheading title-winning attacks are behind him, but his days of bringing home a mega wage bill are still rife. The forward has arguably earned his massive salary, but is it wise for Liverpool to take up the responsibility of paying it? Whilst Suarez was, without doubt, a game-changer for the Reds, Eto’o would likely prove not to be. For Chelsea last year the player was good, but he wasn’t any of the superlatives that one could’ve heaped onto Suarez. Eto’o proved that he could score goals in the Premier League, and he proved his knack of being in the right place at the right time, but besides his hat-trick against Man United, he rarely turned a game on its head single-handedly. In many ways, his game last season was very similar to the current Liverpool man, Daniel Sturridge’s – the only difference being that Sturridge found himself in the right place, at the right time more frequently, and Sturridge proved more than just a poacher more often. Should Eto’o arrive at Liverpool then he will no doubt be outshone by the England international, something which never happened at Chelsea alongside Fernando Torres and Demba Ba. For all the eyebrow-raising negatives of a proposed move for Eto’o, however, his signing would seem to make a lot of sense. Yes he carries a notoriously high wage bill, yes he is not as effective as he once was, but there are obvious reasons why Liverpool should snap him up as well. Firstly, the player does not conduct a transfer fee, leaving the kitty untouched and ready to bring in yet more attacking talent. Should Eto’ o arrive at Anfield then he could prove a success, especially if another world class striker is bought in as well. In the event that Rodgers sells Fabio Borini to Sunderland, an attacking line-up of Sturridge, Eto’o, Rickie Lambert and another mystery marksman could look like one of the best in the league, on paper. The major reason why Eto’o would represent a good addition, however, is his Champions League Experience. Not only does the striker have bags of it, but he has actually lifted the European Cup three times. The emphasis at Anfield this summer has always been to strengthen the squad with the elite competition in mind – if Eto’o doesn’t fit that bill, then there aren’t too many players in world football who do. He cannot be brought in as the sole replacement for Suarez – should that happen then Eto’o will struggle for success. But, he could be brought in as one part of a new-look frontline. Sturridge will assume a major role up front, Lambert has the experience of English football, and Eto’o could provide the know-how on the European front. The Reds would still be one superstar short of a convincing transfer window, but Eto’o’s purchase would certainly be an improvement in the post-Suarez era.
Posted on: Wed, 13 Aug 2014 10:47:38 +0000
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