I may get slated for this, but before you go gunning me down hear me out
I think Lucas is not quite good enough for what we need, think Mascherano, Khedira, Song or Busquets...they're all solid and you don't see many getting past them in a game. When we had Masch I felt a LOT safer when the opposition attacked. Masch was quick across the ground and his positioning was excellent, and although sometimes he maybe left a foot in he was brilliant protection for Xabi and Stevie to go and play. Lucas is not quite at this level, maybe one notch below in the same way that Suarez is not Ronaldo or Messi's level but only just. Lucas is not quick enough and often gets caught in possession as well as his positioning sometimes being questioned. Yes the injuries have affected him, but that doesn't mean he is good enough BECAUSE injuries have held him back. I wouldn't sell him, just maybe bring in an experienced anchor-man (like Chelsea did with Makelele) and let Lucas maybe learn from him as well as having to earn his place in the starting line-up. I still think Lucas can develop and was our best player last season until his injury, but until he does I think its worth having a safer option who has been tried and tested.
In terms of a squad 'clearout', get rid of:
Skrtel £12 mill
Carroll £15 mill
Pacheco £2.5mill
Spearing £3mill
Loan out:
Sterling
Wisdom
Coady
Suso
Yesil
Including loan fees (at least £500k) and the £30mill being touted around as a summer budget this leaves around £60mill for Brendan to spend
Sign:
Alex Song Loan/£15mill
Wilfried Bony £12mill - more mobile than Andy Carroll and can finish very well - wouldn't have the pressure of being an expensive first team signing, could gradually work his way in and would be a different option to Sturridge. Is 24 so could be here for a while.
Right footed, ball playing Centre-half - Mancienne (is doing very well for Hamburg and unlike Ashley Williams is not in his late 20's and wouldn't potentially cause problems with Luis) £4-8mill - he can also play at DM and RB.
Christian Chivu - experienced left footed Centre-half - would be Aggers backup for a decent price - £3mill?
Total expenditure - £8mill
Invest the rest in youth/training facilities/staff
Promote Kelly to Carra's replacement - we could then field a side with many different options and a lot of versatility -
Reina
Johnson/Kelly/Mancienne Kelly/Mancienne/Coates Agger/Chivu/Wilson/Coates Enrique/Johnson/Kelly/Robbo
Song/Lucas
Henderson/Gerrard/Allen Gerrard/Henderson/Allen
Suarez/Downing/Sturridge/Coutinho Suarez/Downing/Sturridge/Coutinho
Suarez/Bony/Sturridge
Furthermore, Song can play at CB if needed, other players like Sterling and Suso would add squad depth if they didn't go out on loan, and if we need a more defense-minded midfield (i.e. at Old Toilet) we could play Song and Lucas together.
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