Your Transfer Rumour is Bullshit: Robbo to Real

Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images

Of all the transfers that won’t be happening, this won’t be happening the most.

Liverpool fans may still be recovering from last night’s 19-goal thriller at Anfield — where the young and promising Reds showed drive and determination beyond their years to come back from a series of deficits to ultimately win on penalties — and subsequent admission by Jürgen Klopp that they may not even play the game they fought so hard to earn, courtesy of the international space station brains over at the FA and their ludicrously overstocked fixture list, but in this media landscape, there is always, always some new story to consume and digest.

Today, it is the shocking revelation that Real Madrid, European giants and not reigning champions of anything but still pretty good, are coming for Andy Robertson. If squinting, it’s not an entirely unreasonable idea on paper, as Real’s current first-choice left-back, Marcelo, is 31 and has considerable mileage on his legs, having recently passed 500 career appearances.

Furthermore, the left-back position is generally one with a relatively shallow talent pool, and world class players are few and far between, with the Scottish national captain currently one of the very best in the world. As such, it would make sense for los merengues to be interested int he former Hull man.

Now to the reasons this is nonsense that will never come to pass. First of all, Liverpool do not want and do not need to sell Robertson. The 26-year old is a crucial starter for a side competing on two or more fronts on an annual basis, and the club’s finances are secure enough that no amount of money will be able to force their hand. Secondly, there is no indication that the player himself would be open to a move, nor do Real really represent anything other than a lateral move at best at this point.

The Spaniards also spent big money on Ferland Mendy this summer, and, unless Zinedine Zidane or his overlords have already decided that the French international is not the right man for the job, should not be desperate to splurge on a second starting caliber player so soon.

And finally, the rumour, wherever you may have discovered it, originated on a Real Madrid fansite. Now, there is no publication that is not shady as all hell when it comes to transfer talk, but fan sites, the auspicious Liverpool Offside notwithstanding, are doubly so, and should never be trusted in any capacity whatsoever.

So. Robbo is going nowhere. Exhale. Now go rewatch the baby Reds celebrating again.

Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com