Rumor Mongering: Liverpool’s Jorginho Move to Be Hijacked by Manchester United?

We’re hoping this one isn’t true.

With Liverpool looking in a comfortable position in the Premier League, all but through to the next round of the Champions League, and in a generally healthy position, there’s nothing to do but generate doom and gloom about how this summer’s transfer window will be a disaster that sees all our top targets head out to rival clubs.

And right on queue, the Daily Star report that Manchester United have entered the race to sign Napoli midfielder Jorginho. With the generally reliable Paul Joyce of The Times having stated that the 26 year-old is our top target in midfield, albeit one that likely interests a lot of other clubs, losing out on a player to that other historically successful team from the North West would indeed be a bitter pill to swallow.

With a tabloid such as the Daily Star there’s always a significant reason to be doubtful of such a claim, especially in an era when such publications are in a desperate need for quick clicks. And a transfer battle between Liverpool and Manchester United is inevitably something that would generate a lot of interest, this story lining up nicely with the meeting between the two sides next weekend.

It’s obvious that Jorginho could offer a lot to Liverpool. A natural number six (deepest lying midfielder), he fills a clear hole in the squad to compete with Jordan Henderson for that role assuming Emre Can is to leave in the summer. His sumptuous passing range is certainly a quality that could significantly improve Liverpool’s ability to control games through possession and see out results, making it pleasing that Jürgen Klopp is apparently looking at such a profile of player. Conversely, he feels like exactly the type of midfielder to be unceremoniously dropped by José Mourinho after trying to play some good football instead of parking the bus one day.

This is definitely a rumour we hope will prove to fall under the “completely made up” category, since Manchester United’s deep pockets could persuade many players to put up with their dull football. Either way, it’s a long time until the summer transfer window opens, let alone closes, and we’re sure to get a number of stories exclaiming how Liverpool are set to fail to get the players we want between now and then.

Or maybe everything will just go perfectly and we’ll win the treble next season. Watch this space.

Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com