Life’s a Pitch: Is Liverpool’s Agger worth £20m?

With the Olympic Games taking centre stage of late many people have forgotten about the little old transfer window grinding away in the background.

But with the start of the new football season just over one week away and the conclusion of this summer’s transfer window (31 August) getting ever closer it appears as if things are about to get serious.

Chelsea, Arsenal and to a lesser extent Tottenham have largely gone about their own business this summer, landing their principle targets early. But for those clubs yet to achieve their main transfer aims, such as Manchester City and Liverpool, the games of cat and mouse are well underway.

In short, Man City want to buy Liverpool’s Daniel Agger. Liverpool want in excess of £20m for him – in order to fund other purchases – but Man City feel that’s a lot for an injury prone 27 year-old defender with only two years remaining in his contract.

Life’s a Pitch panellist David Walker also reckons £20m is too much, but Tom Hopkinson disagrees. Check out the Liverpool discussion video and its numerous comments to see what everyone else thinks.

But the main event in transfer talk this summer is Arsenal’s Robin van Persie. Manchesters United and City, as well as Juventus, want him, he apparently fancies Man Utd, but Arsenal and Man Utd are nowhere near agreeing a fee. Plus, there’s the latest suggestion that Van Persie has been so impressed by Arsene Wenger’s wheeling and dealing this summer that he’s actually considering staying. Watch the panellists try and get to the bottom of what will actually happen with Van Persie.

Two other players who could also get embroiled in the transfer market are Van Persie’s team-mate Andrey Arshavin and Chelsea’s Daniel Sturridge. Both have been on the periphery of the first-team – Arshavin’s even been out on loan – and we discuss whether they’ll be on the move shortly.

Mike Calvin, meanwhile, takes a look at the career prospects of West Ham’s Ravel Morrison after the former Man Utd starlet agreed a season-long loan to Championship Birmingham.

We also analyse all the biggest transfer rumours and assess whether the handful of deals that have been completed end up with in success or failure.

Expert pundit videos

“Agger is not worth £20m of anyone’s money”

The Life’s a Pitch team discusses the news that Manchester City can sign Liverpool’s Daniel Agger so long as they pay a whopping £20m.
Value for money? >

Decent signings prompt Van Persie to “consider staying”

The Life’s a Pitch team looks at the Robin van Persie situation and wonders if the Dutchman might end up extending his contract at Arsenal after all.
U-turn? >

“Arshavin not given the credit he sometimes deserves”

The People’s Tom Hopkinson goes against common convention by explaining why Arsène Wenger should keep Arsenal misfit Andrey Arshavin.
Going against the grain >

“I can see Sturridge leaving Chelsea”

The Guardian’s Dominic Fifield explains why he believes Daniel Sturridge no longer has a future at Chelsea.
On his way out >

Lively opinion blogs

Is Morrison’s West Ham career already unraveling?

With West Ham’s Ravel Morrison being sent out on loan to Birmingham, Mike Calvin fears for the career of the former Man Utd starlet.
Downward spiral? >

It’s time the Suárez boo-boys moved on

Mike Calvin explains why the Luis Suárez boo-boys need to look at the bigger picture of racism in football before the game descends into tribal disarray.
Enough already >

Cole and Sturridge tarnish football as Olympians flourish

Ashley Cole and Daniel Sturridge’s actions this weekend highlighted the gulf in behaviour between your average footballer and Olympian, writes Mike Calvin.
A bad example >

Why it makes sense to play Huddlestone in central defence

Scott Oliver puts forward the argument for why Tom Huddlestone would make an excellent ball-playing central defender at Tottenham.
Big Tom at the back >

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