Heads up: Subotic scores for Dortmund against
Borussia Moenchengladbach last month
EXCLUSIVE
Neven Subotic has delivered a stunning putdown to
Liverpool by claiming he would be taking a backward step by leaving
Borussia Dortmund for Anfield.
The 22-year old centre-back, hailed as the new Nemanja Vidic in
Serbia, has been identified as one of the leading candidates to
shore up a Liverpool defence missing injured duo Jamie Carragher
and Daniel Agger.
He has already attracted strong interest from Manchester United
and Arsenal and has now joined Stoke’s Ryan Shawcross on
Liverpool’s shortlist, following transfer discussions between
manager Roy Hodgson and recently-appointed director of football
strategy Damien Comolli.
But Dortmund’s Serbia defender reacted with dismay today, when
told that a Liverpool bid could be imminent, as they seek to
strengthen an injury-depleted backline during the January
window.
'Why should I leave such a team like Dortmund?’ he said. ‘I have
not heard anything from Liverpool.’
Hoping to turn things round: Liverpool boss Roy
Hodgson
Subotic’s stance illustrates the difficuties Hodgson may
encounter, recruiting the calibre of player he would
like.
After surrendering their place in the Champions’ League last
season, and doing little to suggest it is about to be reclaimed,
Liverpool’s name has lost some of its allure for Europe’s top
players.
Unless they can come up with a financial package to turn his
head, Subotic will continue providing the defensive stability for
what looks sure to be Dortmund’s first Bundesliga title in nine
years.
A 2-0 win at Nuremberg on Sunday was their 13th out of 15 league
games this season and put them 10 points ahead of Mainz at the top
of the table.
They play before crowds of almost 80,000 at the renamed Signal
Iduna Park every home game and are heading for a Champions’ League
return that looks like keeping their prize defender from the
clutches of a long list of Barclays Premier League admirers.
United and Arsenal both explored the possibility of signing him
in the summer, and Everton manager David Moyes is also keen.
But, as Liverpool have discovered, he will not be easy to prise
away from a rejuvenated Dortmund.