Could Liverpool afford to sign Saka?
Stefan Bienkowski
- 12 Jan 2022 15:31 GMT
- 5 min read
Former Liverpool defender Glen Johnson believes Liverpool’s pursuit of Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka would be expensive but also just as “appealing” for the England international.
The young talent has become a surprise addition to the rumour mill over the course of the month, with the Anfield side now heavily linked with making a move at some point in the future.
Jurgen Klopp’s side may need a long-term successor to either Mohamed Salah or Sadio Mane next season and Johnson believes Saka could offer that.
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"I do think it’ll be an expensive transfer to pull off because Arsenal wouldn’t want to sell one of their best players to a rival,” warned Johnson in an interview with Betting Odds.
"As he’s a fantastic player, a young player and English then it would have to be a big deal. In terms of Liverpool and the player being interested in a move then I believe that for sure but I just think it would be quite a complex deal to pull off.
"I do think it would be a good move for Saka because any chance you get to sign for one of the best teams around, as a young player, it’s going to be appealing. I think the way that Liverpool play will suit him down to the ground."
Interestingly, when asked about the apparent link between his star player and their league rivals, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was far from combative.
"I think that’s great news when you have a lot of talk and people willing for you players, it’s a really good sign," Arteta told The Mirror .
"They should be proud because that means they are doing extremely good work."
But beneath Arteta’s apparent ambivalence may be a slight concern that another big club had come calling for one of his star players.
So how likely is a move to Liverpool for Saka and how much would he end up costing the Anfield side?
How much would Saka cost?
Arteta’s relaxed stance will likely be down to the fact that Saka currently has a contract with Arsenal that doesn’t expire until 2024.
As such, the London club would likely be able to charge whatever they want for Saka, with the player currently valued at no less than €59 million.
That means Liverpool could be forced to pay as much as €73 million for the England international, if not more. Not to mention salary demands that would likely rival some of Liverpool’s highest earners.
On paper Saka would certainly be an outstanding signing for Liverpool, but at the moment it doesn’t seem to make much sense.
