Liverpool have ‘begun work’ on signing Cheick Doucoure but Crystal Palace will want at least £70m to let
the midfielder leave this summer, according to the Daily Mail.
The Reds were hoping to bring in at least one more midfielder after sealing early deals for Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik
Szoboszlai. But it looks like Jurgen Klopp will have to sign two instead to make up for the loss of Jordan Henderson and
Fabinho with both set to move to Saudi Arabia.
The Merseysiders received a £40m offer for Fabinho from Al-Ittihad last Friday and he was left out of the club’s squad for a
training camp in Germany. It is believed that the Brazilian will undergo his medical this week ahead of his proposed move.
On Wednesday night prior to Liverpool’s first pre-season friendly against Karlsruher, the Reds agreed a deal in principle
worth £12m plus add-ons to sell their skipper Henderson to Al-Ettifaq after missing the 4-2 win.
The England midfielder has two years left on his current deal, however, he is set to wave goodbye to Anfield and bring his 12-
stay at the club to an end.
Midfield reinforcement
With two experienced players heading for the exit door, Liverpool need to reinforce their midfield and Doucoure has
emerged as a potential target.
However, it won’t be easy getting a deal agreed as the newspaper says Palace want at least £70m for Doucoure. The 23-year-
old only moved to Selhurst Park in an £18m deal from Lens last summer so Palace are reluctant to let him go so soon.
But the opportunity to turn a huge, swift profit would be too tempting for the Londoners should the likes of Liverpool table
an irresistible offer worth at least £70m this summer.
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‘As far as I’m concerned’: TalkSPORT pundit says Liverpool could be about to lose a ‘living legend’
Liverpool will be losing a ‘living legend’ if Jordan Henderson leaves the club this summer.
Henderson looks all set to make a surprise Anfield exit in the coming weeks. The captain is on his way to join Steven
Gerrard in Saudi Arabia. The move has been met with a decidedly negative reaction, with Henderson coming in for a barrage
of criticism.
However, former Liverpool defender Neil ‘Razor’ Ruddock has told TalkSPORT that the Reds captain will still go down as an
Anfield legend.
“He’s a legend for what he’s done,” Ruddock says. “The way he captains that team, he does not stop speaking. He pulled
Liverpool across the line a couple of times, he pulled England across the line a couple of times.
“He’s a living legend as far as I’m concerned.”
10 days or so ago, you’d be pushed to find a Liverpool fan who didn’t agree. Now, things might be up for more of a debate.
Ruddock defends Henderson legacy
In terms of his 12 years at the club, you simply cannot argue that Jordan Henderson is not a Liverpool legend.
He won every trophy he competed in for the club, barring the Europa League, although he does leave with a runners-up
medal there, too.
Furthermore, Henderson lifted all of those trophies as captain of the club. He was instrumental in ending Liverpool’s 30-
year wait for a league title in 2020 and has been a key part of every success.
The 33-year-old started every one of the three major finals the Reds have won during Jurgen Klopp’s tenure. Henderson was
also in the starting XI for the Club World Cup, Super Cup and Community Shield successes as well. Heck, the former
Sunderland man was even on the teamsheet for the League Cup win back in 2012.
With that kind of pedigree, there shouldn’t even be a conversation surrounding this topic. Unfortunately though, owing to
way Henderson is leaving Liverpool, there will be.
The whole saga has been handled incredibly poorly. For an eight-year captain of any club to leave in this way just doesn’t feel
right. For one as successful as Henderson has been to slink out of the back door is really disappointing.
Maybe in time it will all be forgotten. But for now, it does feel as though the veteran is taking his legacy to the cleaners.
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