Liverpool Set to Sign McCarthy at Second Time of Asking
Wigan Athletic could be set to lose one of their prize assets as Liverpool step up their interest in James McCarthy. The 20-year old midfield star turned down a move to Anfield in favour of the DW Stadium in 2007 as he felt the chance of first team football with the Lancashire club would be better for his career, but it is rumoured the player is now ready to step up and make the move to Merseyside.
Having proved himself to be as reliable as a GPS running watch in the Premier League since his £1.2 move from Hamilton Academicals, McCarthy has also caught the eye of Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti and it is reported that the London club have also registered an interest in the player. The murmurings coming from the DW stadium however indicate the Republic of Ireland international has urged Wigan executive to strike a deal with the reds.
Wigan has slapped a £16 million price tag on their star man though the Anfield club has only submitted a bid for £10 million. This may cause a stumbling block which could make way for Chelsea’s megabucks chairman to sneak in ahead of their rivals. Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has long been an admirer of McCarthy however and has said funds will be made available to improve the squad over the summer and may be prepared to lift his bid if Wigan turns down the initial offer.
The move for McCarthy could seal the fate of Alberto Aquilani who had a miserable season at Anfield in 2009/2010 before returning to Italy on a season long loan to Juventus by previous manager, Roy Hodgson. The playmaker made a good impression with the Bianconeri and if Juve chiefs come in with an offer to make the move permanent, Dalglish may be interested in recouping some of the £20 million to boost his spending power.
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