Liverpool Transfer News: Rodgers Smart to Target Fabio Borini for First Signing
By
(Featured Columnist) on July 7, 2012
Paolo Bruno/Getty Images
Brendan Rodgers has been searching for the right player for his inaugural signing as the Liverpool manager, and he appears to have found his man in Roma's Fabio Borini.
Luke Edwards of the Telegraph reported that the Reds are close to a deal with Roman and Parma—who co-own the 21-year-old striker—that would bring him to Anfield for around £7 million.
Rodgers has been targeting attack-minded players this summer. He was linked heavily to Gylfi Sigurdsson, and continues to appear in the tabloids with his pursuit of Mark Davies.
It is no surprise that Rodgers' first signing is a player who will make his impact in the attacking third, and Borini is an excellent fit for several reasons.
First, Rodgers has coached him before and will know how to maximize the striker's talents.
Borini has had a whirlwind career for such a young player. He was a standout with the Bologna youth program and caught Chelsea's eye. The Blues brought him to London in 2007 and he made his first-team debut as an 18-year-old in the 2008-09 season.
It was with the Chelsea youth squad that Borini first met Rodgers, who was coaching the youngsters at the time. In 2011, Rodgers was able to get his former player on loan from the English giants.
Borini played in just nine games at Swansea City under Rodgers, but he scored six times and helped the club earn promotion.
He ditched Chelsea after his time in Wales and headed back to Italy where he signed for Parma. He was subsequently loaned to Roma, creating the tricky situation where he partially owned by both clubs.
If Rodgers completes the deal to get Borini, what grade would you give the signing?
· A
22.3%
· B
51.1%
· C
20.6%
· D
3.2%
· F
2.8%
Total votes: 2,602
With Roma this past season, he scored nine goals in 24 appearances. He is an instinctive striker with a nose for the goal. He has a knack for being in the right position in the box to knock the ball in off a cross or a rebound.
With Borini in the squad, Rodgers could team him up with Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll to throw out a formidable trio of strikers.
Liverpool scored the 11th most goals in the English Premier League last season, and the team must improve upon that in order to finish higher than eighth in the table.
A poacher like Borini will immediately help. Given his age, he can be a fixture at Anfield for many years to come.
Rodgers will still need to add more players this summer, but Borini would be an excellent signing to start his tenure.
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