5 Best Transfer Options for Adam Lallana This January
This summer we saw a wholesale change of approach from Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp. Investing in and around 94 million on two central midfielders to add depth and quality to this problem position was seemingly needed by the club. However, one man that has had his struggles in the last eighteen months on Merseyside is former Southampton wide-man Adam Lallana.
The energetic Lallana played an instrumental role in Klopp's first two seasons at Anfield, showing his lead by being the high press midfielder, pushing the Liverpool team further up the pitch and his tenaciousness to turn over possession in higher positions. This set the tone really for how we expected this Liverpool team to play, a characteristic that so far during this current season we have not seen enough of from the current squad and certainly from the midfield three.
Investing in Naby Keita has been a success thus far, he has seamlessly slotted into the heart of the Liverpool midfield. However, the former Monaco man Fabinho has found life at Anfield harder to adapt to. Then the three options who were already at the club, Jordan Henderson who will always have his doubters, and the two consistent performers of James Milner and Georgio Wijnaldum, it must be said that to see Lallana breaking back into the team in this role looks highly unlikely at this point of his Liverpool career. Long-term injury sufferer Alex Oxlaide-Chamberlain would almost certainly be ahead of fellow countryman Lallana when he returns and there is a preference to play Xherdan Shaqiri just ahead of a midfield two partnership rather than play Lallana.
The former Southampton captain has certainly suffered during his time in the last year at Anfield, but despite only 16 appearances last season in which only included 3 starts, he was still on the reserve list for the England squad for the summer World Cup squad. This is an indicator of just how highly he is regarded within the set-up still. A move away at this point of his career would be the smartest decision Lallana could make.
At the age of 30, and with his football intelligence the former Bournemouth trainee has an opportunity to really cement a first-team role elsewhere and give himself every chance to regain a place in this current England squad, which despite the average age of the team coming down, it is easy to see a role for Lallana still within the current group.
His experience and accolades would undoubtedly help him with potential suitors, he is a runner-up in both the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League as well as a runner-up for the EFL Cup, when we consider he was the England National Teams player of the year back in 2016, it has to be admitted that Lallana could still operate a top level for another few years given his current age and his injury history. His 143 appearances playing for a club of Liverpool's stature would certainly be a promising benefactor for a club looking to acquire the English attacking midfielder.
Where does Lallana go after Liverpool? A move abroad would look highly unlikely. Perhaps a move to Serie A should anyone show an interest, most likely though, a move to a Premier League club would be on the cards.
#5 Crystal Palace
This January could be a vital month in how this season works out for Crystal Palace. They certainly need to address the lack of threat they have in the final third of the pitch, and this could include potentially trying to link up Adam Lallana with his former National Team Manager.
Lallana really thrived in the Three Lions shirt while under the management of Roy Hodgson, usually playing the inside left role allowed Lallana the opportunity to play in dangerous areas of the pitch, coming of his flank and getting involved in between the lines of midfield and attack. This would be the perfect investment that Hodgson would need with his current team as they just do not look threatening enough.
A move to London would have to be an attractive proposition for Lallana and despite playing for Liverpool who have operated in the top region of the Premier League table, this challenge would be one that he could really thrive upon.
Having the talents of Andros Townsend and Wilfried Zaha in an attacking line up would be a handful alongside Lallana, the energy and movement would be hard for most teams to cope against. Hodgson knows Lallana well, and even playing centrally would be an option should Palace show a strong interest.
This is a role where from watching Lallana, his pressing is top class but his positioning gets lost somewhat and that high energy style might not be the best role for him at this point of his career.
The groin and hamstring injuries that have hampered Lallana in recent times at Anfield would potentially make the England midfielder have to change his role in a certain way, perhaps relying more on his football brain rather than his high press nature.
A fee for Lallana would not be extortionate come January, with his contract up in the summer of 2020, a 20 million fee would certainly for a reasonable figure for both Liverpool and Palace.