James McCarthy (Wigan Athletic)

Dalglish to beat rivals to signing of Wigan star James McCarthy

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish wants to beat Chelsea to the signing of Wigan star James McCarthy – the one who got away from Anfield.

Dalglish is determined to land Glasgow-born Ireland starlet McCarthy as part of a major summer overhaul.

And the legendary manager thinks that he can persuade McCarthy to pick Merseyside ahead of London for his next move, which looks increasingly likecoming at the end of the season.

Chelsea wanted to land McCarthy in January and are still in the chase for him – although the exit of director of football Frank Arnesen leaves a ­question mark over their desperation for him.

Now Dalglish, poised to get theLiverpool job full-time, has decided to home in on McCarthy who was set to sign for former boss Rafa Benitez as a kid but opted to stay with Hamilton Accies.

McCarthy has already been to Liverpool’s HQ and played in a training game – when he was just 16 – and Benitez was keen to take him only for the top prospect to decide that first-team football with Hamilton was better.

Dalglish does not want to miss out on McCarthy again and thinks he would be ideal for a new-look squad that would also include fellow Scot Charlie Adam from Blackpool. McCarthy signed for Wigan and has proved himself to be one of the best young all-round midfielders in the top flight. Chelsea are willing to pay up to £7million for him.

Liverpool will match and ­possibly better that if Dalglish gets the money to invest.

And he hopes the quiet lad will prefer to stay in the area rather than be drawn to the capital.

McCarthy has forged close friendships with some of the Latics team and may be happier to remain in the north west, which is also closer to his tight-knit family home in Glasgow

http://www.people.co.uk/sport/2011/03/27/dalglish-to-beat-rivals-to-signing-of-wigan-star-james-mccarthy-102039-23017811/

Yes please, a brilliant young player. He's worth more than 7M, would be a steal for that price

Another irish international according to the media we are signing the whole team in the summer

Another irish international according to the media we are signing the whole team in the summer

Doyle(ok) McGeady(no thanks).........who else though?

Oh yes please snap him up. Going to to be a gem.

Scottish boss signing young Scottish and Irish players has a familiar tone to it 

Highly rated over here, i'd take him in a heart beat.

Yes please, think he is absolutely brilliant myself. Would be great bit of business to get him for only £7M.

F**k yes. Get him in. Love him as a player.

Excellent player and has high potential, does all the things he has to do brilliantly but to be Liverpool quality needs to develop the ability to impose himself in a game. With the right manager he could be world class.

We have also being linked to Long, Given and Dunne, add McGeady, McCarthy Doyle to that do you see where I'm coming from. Who F***ing next Glen Whelan

Officially an Irish player now then...
Dear god not Whelan Corbally

The scary thing is i actually saw a link to him last season racer

Yes please. Looks like a good talent. Thought we'd missed out big time when he chose to stay at Hamilton over an early move to us, and when he signed for Wigan I thought Martinez had done good business to get him there.

Great little player well worth 7 mill,snap him up Damian.

Like him alot.

Don't really watch Wigan much at all so struggling to make an opinion but seems like everybody else really likes him so i'll trust your judgements. Sign Him Up!

I cant believe a month or two ago when he flicked the ball in the box over a players foot then smashed it on volley was n't in the 8 or so goals on sky sports goal of the week that week it was a cracker

We have also being linked to Long, Given and Dunne, add McGeady, McCarthy Doyle to that do you see where I'm coming from. Who f**king next Glen Whelan

At least St. Ledgers injured & Zinedene Kilbane is happy in league 1. But seriously Mc Carthy would be a great signing imo.

Always liked what I've seen from McCarthy and would love him in our squad.

I cant believe a month or two ago when he flicked the ball in the box over a players foot then smashed it on volley was n't in the 8 or so goals on sky sports goal of the week that week it was a cracker

Amazing goal by James McCarthy

Tekkers.

We have also being linked to Long, Given and Dunne, add McGeady, McCarthy Doyle to that do you see where I'm coming from. Who f**king next Glen Whelan

So you're grouping McCarthy with the rest of them because he plays for a 'lesser' club? Going by your logic I guess we shouldn't have signed Keegan from Scunthorpe or more recently Alonso from Real Sociedad?

Not sure even why you've listed Given there too, not only is he a top quality goalie, he's probably only been linked with us because of the Pepe rumours.

What are you on about, I was bringing attention to all the irish international players who have been linked to us in the last few months and ya McCarthy is one of them because he plays for ya you guessed it Ireland didn't mention his club.

Dunno what bollocks your on about lesser clubs and Keegan you've me completely lost.

Why don't you give us your opinion in this possible signing, instead of just complaining about his nationality then?

What the F**k are you on about Diego, I'm Irish by the way and think I'm in a better position then most to judge Irish players

Chill lads.

How about you say if your in favour corbally and it ends the squabble.

What the f**k are you on about Diego, I'm Irish by the way and think I'm in a better position then most to judge Irish players

Why is that, do you have special channels for the mighty Hamilton and Wigan Athletic over there?

I was just asking your opinion mate, so far you have only talked about his nationality in this thread.

He is our best prospect at the moment, Trapatoni has likened him to Mazzoli and Platini in the Irish press today strange then he didn't start him the other night against Macedonia instead preferring Gibson and that f**king donkey Glen Whelan.

 I like the lad and think he has potential. I would sign him ahead of Adam but no f**king way would I sign the two and they be our midfielders signings, it is one or the other and a M'Vila style midfielder.

 Sorry to Diego and artaylor who took it so personally that I was saying the number of Irish players that have been linked is funny. It obviously wasn't racist with me being Irish also

The same way i'd ask you about Brazilian players Diego and the same way I'd ask Dexter about Dutch players I take a personal interest in my national players performances and would say I've followed McCarthys career more than you.

This is why I knew Keane wasn't good enough before he came unlike a lot on here. There was no need for you to get your knickers in a twist

I didn't take it personal mate, I'm Brazilian after all with no connections to Ireland, I just wanted your opinion instead of some random complaint, don't take it as criticism or anything

Gibson being picked ahead of McCarthy is a joke, it's only because he plays for Man Utd but he's such an average midfielder

Well if you saw our papers here linking a different irish player every week to Livepool you'd laugh as well. In my time I've seen Whelan, Dunne, Given, Doyle Keane, McCarthy, McGeady, Long, Duff all linked from the current side.

Gibson is poor, even have mates Utd fans that say it but F**k me Whelan makes him look like Xavi

He is our best prospect at the moment, Trapatoni has likened him to Mazzoli and Platini in the Irish press today strange then he didn't start him the other night against Macedonia instead preferring Gibson and that f**king donkey Glen Whelan.

 I like the lad and think he has potential. I would sign him ahead of Adam but no f**king way would I sign the two and they be our midfielders signings, it is one or the other and a M'Vila style midfielder.

 Sorry to Diego and artaylor who took it so personally that I was saying the number of Irish players that have been linked is funny. It obviously wasn't racist with me being Irish also

The same way I'd ask you about Brazilian players Diego and the same way I'd ask Dexter about Dutch players I take a personal interest in my national players performances and would say I've followed McCarthys career more than you.

This is why I knew Keane wasn't good enough before he came unlike a lot on here. There was no need for you to get your knickers in a twist

Ha, my bad, I wasn't taking anything personally I was just being stupid. Apologies.

I'd love an Irish player back in the ranks of Liverpool's squad. If there is one player I'd like in there then it has to be McCarthy.
I'd agree about Keane. Manic amount of hype for a glory hunting poacher.

James McCarthy - The Rising Star

Amazing goal by James McCarthy

Edit: He's in the starting 11 against Uruguay.