Liverpool’s reported target Daniel Alves claims he knows the Reds have made an offer for him, but says he’s not given the offer much thought yet.
The Spanish season has only just finished and Alves claims he wants to go back home to Brazil for a holiday before he makes his mind up. Maybe the player is also waiting to hear what Barcelona have to say, with the new European Champions also reported to be very interested.
The Sevilla right-back, who can also play a more advanced role, says he may yet decide to stay with his current club: “There are only offers, nothing certain, and I have to study them. I always want to improve and continue to grow as a player and if I have to leave I will, but if I see that my improvement can happen in Sevilla then I will continue a few years more here.”
It seems Alves does feel slightly concerned about whether a move to England would suit him, but the Spanish flavour at Anfield might just sway him towards the Reds: “They have made an offer and the interest is there, the truth is that they are a strong team who have very good players and a Spanish coach. Also they are one of the best clubs in Europe, and last season they won the Champions League and very few teams have achieved that. They are a big club.”
For now though, he’s desperate for a break: “At this time I am at Sevilla and I only want to go on holiday to Brazil.”
One Liverpool signing that is hoping to finally get the chance next season to play in the Red shirt is Chilean winger Mark González. Liverpool fans based in Ireland will get the chance to see him show his wares on Wednesday though when Chile face the Republic of Ireland at Lansdowne Road in a friendly.
21-year-old “Speedy” was bought by Rafa last summer but was unable to get a work permit. That decision stunned the player and the Anfield management – because the reason given was that he wasn’t good enough for a work permit. Recent performances whilst on loan at Real Sociedad – Xabi Alonso’s favourite club – prove that the decision-makers were wrong. Whether they see it that way remains to be seen, but they’ll also be able to see him in action against France on May 30th and Sweden on June 2nd.
Chile not being in the top 70 clubs according to FIFA’s odd ranking system was another factor in the work-permit refusal. They are there now, but need to stay there according to González: “The most important thing right now, is that my national team stay in the top 70. In the three games coming up, it would be nice if we can get good results so that we can keep going up and that can help me get the work permit, which is what I’m waiting for right now.”
He’s not letting the lack of that permit get him down, and is feeling very confident: “I have a winning mentality and this is what has brought me a lot of good things and got me to where I am. I think all footballers have to have it and that is the simple reason why we are where we are.” Thanks to Mark’s winning mentality, Sociedad managed to avoid relegation after being bottom of the table when he arrived in January. He’s scored five times in that spell in their side, and some of those goals won’t be forgotten in a hurry by those that saw them.
Despite his success in Spain, he wants to play in England: “Spain is a very good league, but I wanted to play here. Liverpool offered me a long-term deal, which was a gamble on their part as there are lots of players who don’t recover from that type of injury. A big club doesn’t do that for anybody and I hope I’ll be playing here soon to show those people that they weren’t wrong when they took a risk on me.”
Now though he has to wait for a decision from the Department of Employment over that work permit, but has also applied for Spanish citizenship after spending two years living in Spain. That would give him a European passport and the green light to live and work in the UK. Now he’s just waiting on everyone else’s decisions: “The club have tried their hardest, but it’s out of our hands. The good season I had in Spain should help but these people who don’t understand football, maybe they will still say ‘no’. Hopefully I can convince those who didn’t believe in me that I can play here no problem.”
González also feels confident that Chile can become a force in world football soon: “Chile have a lot of other promising players at the moment — besides myself and Jimenez — who nobody outside the country has heard about yet. Good, technical players who like to have the ball at their feet.”