2 PM, Liverpool confirm Steven Caulker’s loan move. 4 PM, Nemanja Vidic’s contract is terminated by Inter.
Was there ever any realistic chance that the Reds could have procured the services of the former Manchester United captain?
We’re not so sure but what we are sure of is that the former Serbia international will be one of the most sought-after free agents for some time and his experience would be welcome at any club.
We’ve looked at the five destinations with which Vidic has been linked in recent months and assessed the likelihood of each of them.
Liverpool
It would break many a heart to see Nemanja Vidic sporting the red of Liverpool and, in all probability, it was never anything more than a rumour.
There was no question about the fact that Liverpool had been left short at the back due to their ongoing hamstring crisis but they’ve already brought in QPR centre-half Steven Caulker on a loan move in an attempt to give themselves a fully fit back four.
Loan signing Steven Caulker, our new No.19, wearing #LFC colours for the first time. pic.twitter.com/QZg3B2tPs7
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 12, 2016
Klopp could well make a move for another defender in the January transfer window but, even if that is the case, we wouldn’t put our money on Vidic arriving on Merseyside.
Vidic’s struggles in his latter years at United proved that performing at the highest level in the Premier League was beyond him.
This was never really on the cards and we give it a generous 3% chance of happening.
Manchester United
What about a return to the club that he captained for three full seasons?
Vidic looked past his best in his final season at Old Trafford which was a massive fall from grace for the man who had so often looked an impenetrable force in Alex Ferguson’s back four.
If he was to return to United, he’d be no more than a bit-part player as Chris Smalling has cemented himself as the number one central defender under Louis van Gaal and there’d be a lot of slack left for Smalling to pick up if he was playing alongside Vidic every week.
Would Vidic be happy to sit on the bench in the hope of playing 5-10 games a season? Unlikely after the career that he had.
We’d give this a tentative 10% chance of happening.
D.C. United
This is undoubtedly the likeliest destination as it’s definitely become a trend in the last five years for high-profile players to earn a big pay-day in the States before calling time on their careers.
The majority of the bigger franchises in MLS have already filled their designated player quotas but one club that does stand out is D.C. United who only have one of their three designated player positions filled.
D.C. United is owned Erick Thohir, the Indonesian businessman who also owns Inter so he may look for a familiar face in the hope of raising interest in his franchise.
The 2016 MLS season doesn’t start until March which would give Vidic more than enough time to return to full fitness whereas he’d still have rehabilitation to do before being given the chance to play by a Premier League club.
We give this a 60% chance of happening.
Spartak Moscow
Before dominating the penalty box at Old Trafford, Vidic caught the eye of many for his two seasons with Spartak Moscow.
Reports in Russia claim that the defender is eager to see out his career with his former side and has actively told the club to make an approach for him.
The only issue with this move would be that a pay cut would almost certainly be necessary for the 34-year-old and Vidic could make a lot more in America.
Spartak are thought to be in the market for a defender and are eager to get a reliable player as they look to claw back the seven-point gap at the top of the Russian Premier League.
A solid 20% chance of seeing this take place.
Everton
We assessed the Premier League options besides Manchester United and Liverpool for Vida and Everton looked intriguing to us.
If John Stones were to get injured then the Toffees are done for and Vidic had been linked with Everton in the summer transfer window.
There are not many teams shorter at the back than Roberto Martinez’s men and Vidic could provide some much-needed cover for Stones and Ramiro Funes Mori.
But would his aggressive style of defending fit into Martinez’s idea of beautiful football? We’re not so sure.
We’d be 7% confident of seeing this happen.
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