Source: Daily_Mail
Rafa's Italian gamble: Aquilani joins Liverpool with a health warning
Alberto Aquilani flies into England with a series of medical woes but a playing reputation more in keeping with Steven Gerrard than Xabi Alonso.
Crowd favourite Alonso's belated £30million departure to Real Madrid proved the catalyst for Aquilani's £20m acquisition, but the Roma midfielder hardly counts as a like-for-like replacement at Liverpool.
There is also a risk element to Rafa Benitez's latest transfer, given a worrying list of injuries culminating in surgery on Aquilani's ankle in May.
However, Aquilani is renowned for bearing down on goal, beams with pride at his years in the No 8 shirt for his boyhood idols and is coolness itself from the penalty spot.
Sound familiar? He will have to look for a new squad number, should he be given a clean bill of health after exhaustive tests at Melwood this afternoon, and spot-kicks will no longer boost his goals output, seeing as Gerrard has first say on both.
But the 25-year-old will otherwise be encouraged to replicate the way he could become a major influence on Roma's team in a move that should signal an even more attacking approach from Liverpool in the coming season.
Aquilani only signed a new four-year deal with Roma worth £70,000 a week in May, following interest from Arsenal a few months earlier, but he has been enticed away by a five-year deal that will increase his weekly wage to £85,000.
His eye for goal suggests he will link up with Gerrard just behind Fernando Torres, in a departure from last season's favoured system of using Alonso and Javier Mascherano as midfield anchor men.
Benitez is clearly optimistic Liverpool's support will warm to Aquilani's close control and weaving runs. 'Alberto has a winning mentality and great experience in Serie Aand the Champions League,' said the Liverpool manager.
'He has long been recognised as a top-class talent in Italy, captaining his country at Under 19 and Under 21 levels before establishing himself in the senior national side.' The stakes could hardly be higher. Already smarting from Alonso's belated defection to Real, the mood among a disgruntled Anfield support was hardly helped by a dig from the departing Spaniard, who claimed his career had stalled under Benitez (pictured), and Sir Alex Ferguson dismissing Liverpool as title contenders.
Alonso, at his presentation as a Real Madrid player, said: 'This is an important step in my career to come to a club like Real Madrid. I was very excited for this day to arrive.
'This is the best opportunity for me months ago I took thatdecision because I thought it was the right moment to find a freshchallenge. It is a challenge I felt was necessary for my career.'
Fergierunning down Liverpool's prospects is a tried and trusted formula andhe appeared to be at it again this week. The memory of being pushed allthe way by Liverpool last season must have been fresh in his mind, buthe was adamant. They had taken a backward step and could be discounted.
Chelsea were the ones to worry about this time. Par for thecourse, perhaps, given his enmity towards Benitez, but his latestassessment may owe more to sound reason than any preconceived attemptat reopening hostilities.
The influential Alonso has been allowedto leave and Liverpool remain dangerously reliant on Gerrard and Torresstaying injury-free to avoid frontline duties being passed on to thelikes of David Ngog or Ryan Babel, who are not in the same league.
JanMolby, a member of the 1990 title-winning squad, believes Alonso'sabsence could prove costly. 'Liverpool will miss him a lot,' said theformer Denmark midfielder. He is the one who directs the tempo of play.That ability to spot a pass, to give Gerrard a split second on the ballto do his stuff, will be a big loss to Steven.'
There are sure tobe concerns over whether Liverpool should have strengthened more. Hewill have his work cut out, will Signor Aquilani, going by the Kop'sresponse last year to a plan to sell the hugely-popular Alonso toJuventus and replace him with Gareth Barry.
They sang Alonso's name throughout the following home game and added one or two anti-Barry chants, for good measure, in the nearest they have come so far to rebelling against their equally popular manager.
Benitez was soon forgiven by the fans but not by Alonso, who sensed he was no longer valued and began to look for a way out.
