Liverpool’s pursuit of Iker Casillas appears to be stepping up a gear.
Liverpool have been rumoured to be in the market for a new goalkeeper for a while now, and legendary stopper Iker Casillas is the latest player to enter the discussion.
The Spaniard has, simply put, had a remarkable career which has included silverware such as five La Ligas, three Champions Leagues, two European Championships, one World Cup and so much more. Because of that, the recent report from Mi Otra Liga linking him to Liverpool has caused quite the stir on Merseyside.
While it is all well and good to envision a scenario in which a legend like Casillas is playing in the Premier League, there needs to be some perspective here. Sure, the idea is great in theory, but this reeks of Liverpool just throwing money at a high profile name for the sake of it without really thinking about the long-term consequences.
On his day Casillas is a world beater, but those days are few and far between now. His inconsistency is what eventually led to his exit from Real Madrid, alongside other circumstances.
While the Reds can probably afford his wages, that is a risk that makes very little sense when you consider how unproven Casillas is in English football. Sure, he did well in Portugal, but it is no secret that the quality of their top division is relatively low – as evidenced by Liverpool’s rout of Porto in the Champions League earlier in the campaign.
Plus, and this should be seen as a contributing factor, Casillas will turn 37 in May. As we know many goalkeepers tend to get better with age, but when you consider that Jurgen Klopp is supposed to be building for the future, investing in youth seems like a much smarter decision as opposed to having one or two years of nostalgia with no guarantee of success.
Iker Casillas will be playing at a high level regardless next season, but it should not be at Anfield.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
