BT Pundit Steve McManaman Believes Liverpool Should Sign Borussia Dortmund's Erling Haaland Over Salzburg's Karim Adeyemi

Originally posted on FanNation LFC Transfer Room
By Damon Carr | Last updated 11/17/21

Former Liverpool player Steve McManaman says that Liverpool should be looking to sign Borussia Dortmund and Norway striker Erling Haaland instead of Karim Adeyemi.

Liverpool have been heavily linked with RB Salzburg striker Karim Adeyemi over the past few months and are being tipped to sign him in January with both Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane leaving for AFCON.

Erling Haaland, who also played for Salzburg like Adeyemi, has been one of the most talked about footballers in the world.

His sensational form for the Bundesliga side has attracted all the big clubs across Europe in getting his signature.

This season, Haaland already has 9 league goals in 11 matches, with his counterpart Adeyemi having 11 goals to his name in 14 matches respectively.

Speaking to Horseracing.net, the former Liverpool and Real Madrid winger had his say on choosing Haaland over Adeyemi. He states that the Salzburg striker is a raw talent, like Belgium's Jeremy Doku.

“He’s very raw isn’t he? It’s like when Jeremy Doku came on for Belgium during the Euros, when he played for ten minutes and was then immediately linked with a move to Liverpool.

“It’s just because both players are young, fit, dribblers who match the profile of the players that Liverpool like to sign.

“Liverpool have a good relationship with the Red Bull clubs, which is a really good breeding ground for them and they trust the type of players that come out of that system. Adeyemi is 19, very inexperienced but is playing high quality football.

“However, it’s a bit of a shot in the dark. Liverpool may as well stump up the money for the almost finished article rather than target the unknown. But Liverpool already have players in their academy that show plenty of promise.

McManaman believes signing Erling Haaland would be less of a risk, with him already proving himself at the highest level.

“If Liverpool have the money then they’re better off going for Erling Haaland because he’s already proven and it will be worth it in the long run.

"Some young players play well over a short period and then all of a sudden they’re worth £50 million, when their true value is £15 million. It’s the selling club trying to make as much as possible out of a player.

“Nowadays when Liverpool want to sign a player then they won’t solely consider what they do on the football pitch. They’ll speak to the player’s family, friends and agents to make sure they know what this player is like. They don’t just sign the player but they sign the whole person."