A dubious source doesn’t make mistakes all the time, as it is now being reported that Liverpool, and naturally also Tottenham (always going after the same players) are interested in signing Willian from Anzhi Makhachkala.
According to the Sun, the downsizing at Anzhi means that almost every notable player on the team is for sale, and the 25 year old Brazilian, who was only recently signed for £30.81 million, is no exception.
For Liverpool, who have already lost a battle for one expensive attacking midfielder this summer (Henrikh Mkhitaryan), the potential arrival of Willian will coincide with the impending sale of Stewart Downing, as Brendan Rodgers continues to clear the team of expensive and disappointing signings from the Dalglish regime.
Tottenham don’t really seem to fit the mold of a team in need of yet another attacking midfielder, especially if Gareth Bale remains with the club. They already have Mousa Dembélé, Nacer Chadli, Gylfi Sigurðsson, Lewis Holtby, Sandro, Scott Parker and Andros Townsend. Yes, they have sold Clint Dempsey, but it doesn’t seem like a squad in need of a player of that position.
Willian has been playing in Eastern Europe since 2007, joining Shakhtar Donetsk from Corinthians as a teenager. He was sold last season from Shakhtar to Anzhi despite interest from both Spurs and Chelsea. An attacking midfielder who loves to play on the left wing, Willian has been very impressive in his Champions League appearances for the Ukrainian champions, but hasn’t managed to make a lasting impression so far in Russia with one goal in 11 matches for Anzhi, also adding four assists.
With the report coming from the Sun, this doesn’t seem like a genuine thing, but it is known that Liverpool are still looking for players in several positions. If Luis Suarez is actually going to be sold, there’s going to be enough money to complete a signing like this one, which is around £35 million. Without Suarez being sold, it’s quite likely that Liverpool will stick to the more reasonably priced players.