Brendan Rodgers wanted Raul Albiol at Liverpool – but Celtic would face competition from Swansea City if they were to make an approach.
Jamie Carragher’s retirement pushed Brendan Rodgers in Raul Albiol’s direction
How do you replace a legend, an icon of a club who made over 700 appearances in 17 years of loyal service? Well, in the eyes of Brendan Rodgers, by attempting to sign Raul Albiol.
According to The Express, Real Madrid’s Spanish international centre-back had been head hunted by Rodgers as a potential replacement for Jamie Carragher after Liverpool’s veteran defender announced he was retiring at the end of the 2012/13 season.
Napoli’s Raul Albiol
Eventually, however, Albiol joined up with former Reds boss Rafael Benitez at Napoli instead, winning the Coppa Italia 12 months later. However, after four seasons at the Stadio San Paolo, and four failed attempts to wrestle the Serie A crown off Juventus, it appears that the 31-year-old is heading for the exit.
The Mirror claims that Albiol could be available for as little as £6 million this summer – and Swansea City are reportedly planning an ambitious swoop. Only relegated Hull City conceded more goals than Paul Clement’s side (70) last season.
However, though Albiol isn’t exactly the young, unpolished diamond that Celtic usually go for in the transfer market, perhaps Rodgers should consider re-igniting his interest.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers
World champion
After all, the Northern Irishman has made progressing in the Champions League a primary target for the upcoming campaign after crashing out in the group stage last time out. And Albiol has been a regular in Europe’s premiere club competition since his days at Valencia over a decade ago.
Therefore, the 2010 World Cup winner is the kind of experienced, proven talent that Celtic should perhaps consider bucking the trend for.
Reported Premier League interest in defensive duo Jozo Simunovic and Erik Sviatchenko may also serve to justify what would surely be one of the most intriguing deals in Scottish football history were it to come off.
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