Liverpool need a new central defender and Didi Hamann has a solution.
The club had looked set to sign Virgil van Dijk from Southampton for £60m. The only problem was someone had seemingly forgot to tell Southampton.
They got wind of the reported agreement between Liverpool and the Dutch defender, who has five years remaining on his contract, and raised the issue with the Premier League.
But, before things could develop any further, Liverpool performed an embarrassing U-turn and the deal was called off.
That's that https://t.co/ULfDc8NiVF
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) June 7, 2017
Liverpool could return for Van Dijk, but if they don’t Hamann has a short-term solution.
- He’s a free agent, so there’d be no transfer fee.
- He has won three Spanish titles, three Champions Leagues and Euro 2016.
- He’s played over 300 games for Real Madrid.
- And he’s actually a very good player.
However, he’s also Pepe.
The Portuguese defender is a free agent after leaving Madrid, and Hamann says he would sign him up if he was in Jurgen Klopp’s shoes.
Hamann was on punditry duty for Irish television, covering Portugal’s Confederations Cup 1-0 win over Russia, when he made the suggestion.
I'd take Pepe to @LFC in a heartbeat
— Didi Hamann (@DietmarHamann) June 21, 2017
The former Liverpool midfielder has a point. Pepe is a very good defender. He was named man of the match in the Euro 2016 final and was a regular for Madrid over the past decade.
He may be 34, but considering there’s a lack of top level defenders available, Pepe could be worth a punt for a team in Premier League.
But because of his infamous on-pitch antics, Pepe isn’t the most popular figure amongst football fans, and Hamann’s suggestion didn’t go down well with Liverpool fans on Twitter.
Look what he's won my friend.If he was that rash he wouldn't have played for biggest club in the world that long.He's a winner and is class https://t.co/W0upecmwfo
— Didi Hamann (@DietmarHamann) June 21, 2017
Yep, because if we lack something, its a rash defender with no positional awareness. We dont have enough of that.
— Arvin Singh (@shanklysmen) June 21, 2017
https://twitter.com/jagusak/status/877548263427256322
They still serving pints in the rte studio?.😆😜
— Padraic R (@LfcAlonso) June 21, 2017
I'd rather have Igor fuckn biscan at cb than that bloody disaster off a player, big fairy is wat he is. Didi you on the glue again.
— elpistolero (@elpistolero85) June 21, 2017
Pepe's too much of a Bastard to play for LFC. If ever there was a player who was anti the Liverpool way he is it
— Maurice Macken (@MauriceMacken) June 21, 2017
Sod that Didi he is a dirty horrible man. Spits on players and cheats…
— Howard (@howie82xx) June 21, 2017
https://twitter.com/oliver_golden1/status/877564781447827456
No thanks mate
— Spriggs (@ElSpriggo) June 21, 2017
https://twitter.com/mickbailey64/status/877556089151246336
Not the dirty real madrid one, how he is even allowed to play football after his antics is beyond me..
— Stuart Jones (@Sph90457xp74) June 21, 2017
With his antics he would be far more suited to hollyoaks #goodactor
— Ray Leahey (@raygleahey) June 21, 2017
https://twitter.com/luke_edwards88/status/877553747974656000
https://twitter.com/brianlfc0210/status/877566714850021378
Some thought Hamann was referring to Pepe Reina, the former Liverpool goalkeeper. Unlike the Portuguese defender, Reina is popular with Liverpool fans.
https://twitter.com/james_byrne1979/status/877555177531879425
Reina?
— @[email protected] 🏴 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 🦣 (@MikeTaylor) June 21, 2017
https://twitter.com/dsclfc/status/877547329376616448
However, there were a few people who actually agreed with Hamann.
https://twitter.com/McHammer888/status/877551770251276289
https://twitter.com/HaukurGudnason/status/877552555055656961
Remember, dirty players like Suarez, Ramos, Pepe, Costa don't win you fair play awards, just loads of useless trophies, who would want that?
— Peter Hobbes (@PeterHobbes) June 21, 2017
Agree, think he would fit the Premier League perfectly, strong, can play out of defence and gets share of goals #lfc
— Andi Smith (@AndiRMSmith) June 21, 2017
Pepe and JT would keep more clean sheets together than we did last season and they're both free agents
— RPC♠️ (@ryancottingham) June 21, 2017
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