Joao Moutinho: Liverpool to Snatch £18M Stylish Long-Term Everton Target?
Reports in Portugal suggest Liverpool are set to launch a surprise bid for long-term Everton target Joao Moutinho this summer as speculation continues to link playmaker Xabi Alonso to Madrid. This would be a major blow to David Moyes who has been tracking the mercurial midfielder for 18 months.
Rafa Benitez may have publicly declared that neither Alonso or Javier Mascherano will be leaving Anfield but is planning replacements as he’d rather cash in now than having disillusioned players within the squad.
Moutinho has been linked with a move to Goodison since last summer with the player himself acknowledging Everton’s interest. The Portuguese international had this to say last season, “What I want to do right now is achieve a good season with Sporting.
“What is going to happen next season? Moving abroad is an option and I feel ready to make the step up to such challenge.
“I`m aware that Everton are interested in me.
“I must say they are a good club and Nuno Valente told me positive things about them.”
Everton has a big money bid rejected last summer but are expected to return with more offers as the club look to build on a highly successful 2008/09 season which saw the Toffees reach the FA Cup final. It is not only Liverpool who have been linked but also Manchester United. Last month the Portuguese press claimed Sporting were offering Moutinho in exchange for their former star Nani but whether United were interested remains to be seen.
Sporting released a statement last season detailing the terms of a new deal Moutinho signed announcing that the previous release clause of €25 million (£22.2 million) has been lowered. The player has also waived the right to a commission from any future transfer on top of losing the right to collect a payment of 10% of any offer over £13.3m that Sporting reject. This suggests the club are maximising the amount of money they will make from any transfer.
The humbling of Sporting by Bayern Munich in the Champions League has left many of the club’s young starlets eyeing moves away from Portugal with Miguel Veloso also set to move abroad with numerous Premier League clubs monitoring his situation.
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Moutinho has a proven track record at every level of club and international football. He made his Sporting first team debut at 17 and was brought into the national side at 18. It's only since the 2006 World Cup that the youngster has managed to cement his place in the national side and is now regarded as one of the key players in the squad. In his first season in the Sporting first team, the club reached the Uefa Cup final before losing out to Russian side CSKA Moscow. However, by beating 2 English clubs in that run (Middlesbrough & Newcastle) he was brought to the Premier League's attention and his progress since has been monitored very closely. If Everton could pull off this signing then it would be a bold ambitious move by the club and enhance an ever improving small squad at Goodison. However, interest from Merseyside rivals Liverpool in Moutinho will be unwelcome news for Moyes as he continues to build Everton into a side capable of competing for a Champions League place. So did you like what you saw of the player at Euro 2008? Does your club need a versatile creative midfielder renowned for his box to box dynacism? Do you think he would be a good acquisition for your club or do you feel he would be a pricey gamble at this stage of his career at just 22? Let’s hear your views. Tags: Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Joao Moutinho, Liverpool, Sporting Lisbon, West Ham
Despite being a creative player he has shown great consistency belying his tender age. Moutinho has made 135 career League appearances (132 starts) for Sporting and scored 16 goals. He has also won 23 caps (1 goal) which is impressive considering the type of player he is and the abundance of attacking talent which is produced by his nation. He is skilful midfield player but also has a strong engine and pace which would make him a different proposition to Alonso in the Liverpool midifield.
July 3rd, 2009 at 09:30
I live in Spain and watch a lot or Portuguese Footie and have to say this is an absolute class act. I don’t want Xabi to leave but honestly Moutinho would be an absolute legend. If we could get anywhere near £30 mill for Alonso and get Moutinho for anything like £18 mill it would be an awsome coup for the club. At 22 years old we should be going for him anyway if we had spare cash going round. Plus the added bonus of Moyeseys face.
July 3rd, 2009 at 20:30
moutinho is a world class player in the making
can’t see him getting too many games ahead of the staying alonso and masc
chance him on the right where hes going good for sporting
July 4th, 2009 at 01:57
Joao Moutinho it’s the most talentous player i ever seen and i like to see him in Merseyside Red! £18 mill for him it’s a very good business!
July 4th, 2009 at 02:48
i see all the games i can and i can tell you one thing.. one of the most promising money can buy! pure class! such a remarkable player! will be as big as luis figo.
July 4th, 2009 at 11:09
rafa go an find your own players without paoching one of our long term targets, the liverpool team in the near future will only have 1 english player STEVEN GERRARD because all he buys is foreign players
July 4th, 2009 at 16:49
hey blue mersey, we just bought glen johnson what about that ?
July 5th, 2009 at 01:49
lol wat u on? and we have enuf young players coming in thru the ranks who are english. spearing being just one of them. came on against psv n real madrid last season n 20 years old. jay spearing gona become a regular in 2 seasons time. moutinho will also be a great signing would h8 to see alonso go tho. no1 can do the job he does.
we got a good thign going right now with him n masch sits in front of the defencive line and jus picks off any runs or players down the middle of the field in between our mid n defence and then passes to xabi reads the runs down middle or either wing and picks out gerrard wenever he can with both short and long passes. alonso may b getting older but he relies on placement and passing rather then pace which gets better with expierience and age. so u can c him play at peak well into his 30’s.
he shud stay with us in my opinion cuz he will be offered starting football with us where as at real he may only have 1 or 2 good seasons and as soon as he doesnt play well or gets too old then he’ll be desposed and they’ll just bring in another. he’ll be easily replacble for them.