NEXT SUAREZ

Next Suarez in Reds' sights
http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/latest-news/next-suarez-in-reds-sights
Author: Paul Hassall

Damien Comolli has revealed that Liverpool are in talks to develop a partnership that could see them recruit the next Luis Suarez.

The Reds secured the signature of their second Uruguayan last week when Sebastian Coates put pen to paper on a long-term deal.

The negotiations further strengthened the club's links with Nacional and our Director of Football admits we are now close to establishing a formal relationship.

Comolli told Liverpoolfc.tv: "I've got to thank the people from Nacional, the directors and their chairman, because they have been very helpful. They tried to help the player (Coates) complete his will, which was to come here.

"They tried to find a solution for us to make it happen. We now have strong links with them because both Luis Suarez and Sebastian Coates have come from this club and been developed by their academy.
"We are talking about a partnership with them that we would like to create over the next three, four or five years, to see if there is more talent coming through. Maybe we can help them to develop their standards and in turn have the ability to bring those young players here.
"
During the Copa America they had 14 players out of the 23 who had at some point played at Nacional or were developed by Nacional. That is a fantastic record for their academy.
"So it is very interesting for us. We already have a strong link with South America through Lucas, Maxi and Luis.

"Since it's been such a success with Luis - and I'm sure it will be for Sebastian - why don't we try to make it an even bigger success by bringing in other players from Nacional?"

7 THINGS YOU MUST KNOW ABOUT SEBASTIAN COATES

According to BBC Sport, Liverpool will sign Nacional centre-back Sebastián Coates for £12 million.

The 6'6" 20-year-old Uruguyan is set to fill the void left by Sotirios Kyrgiakos, who moved to Wolfsburg on a free transfer.

For the Liverpool fans who didn't watch the Copa América or don't follow Nacional, here are the seven things you must know about your new defensive acquisition. 

 1. When A.C. Milan bought Kaká, his younger, and less talented, brother Digão came as part of the package. With Liverpool, not only have they bought one of the best forwards in the world, Luis Suárez's influence in bringing along compatriot and talented youngster Sebastián Coates should be thanked.
Rather then sit idly and watch as the saga unfolded, Suárez rung Coates up and told him to come to Liverpool.
Coates said, "He [Suárez] got in touch with me and we had a chat. It is good there is another Uruguayan already in the team - it is easier if there is someone I know well."

2. Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini was hopeful of signing Sebastián Coates (though apparently management said no more spending).
Not that it would have mattered given that Coates told Ovacion,
"I'd prefer Liverpool to Manchester City [...] The Liverpool offer ticks all boxes, so fair to say it's a done deal. Luis's success is important for me as another Uruguayan joining."

3. For someone as imposing as Sebastián Coates is, he's not particuarly physical—certainly nowhere near as psycho as partner Diego Lugano.
The more games you watch of Coates, the more you find yourself uttering good positional sense.
Certainly from a defensive perspective, his football IQ is very high in predicting or having a good idea of where the opposing player will go.
Lugano is kneejerk, body on the line, overaggressive and safety first; Coates is the opposite in being calm, cool and, when in possession, looks up and surveys which option is best.
However, this could also be a bad thing as there were certain instances where he was very close to losing possession because he dibble dabbled.
The 2009 Copa Libertadores semifinal springs to mind, where it was Coates being too slow to release the ball which led to Mauro Boselli, the Wigan Athletic flop, scoring for Estudiantes.

4. Sebastián Coates wasn't supposed to start for Uruguay in the Copa América, nor was he even in the picture to be a legitimate partner to Diego Lugano.
If not for an untimely injury to first choice centre-back Diego Godín, and then an injury to backup Mauricio Victorino, Coates would have warmed the benches.
Credit to him who took the opportunity and ran with it.

5. Sebastián Coates was an excellent foil to Diego Lugano, who was winning challenges left, right and centre.
I ranked Coates as the sixth best player in the Copa América, with his partner Lugano ranking in at third.
Coates was easily the standout young player in the tournament and was awarded the Trophy Claro (though I do wonder if Coates would have played so well if he wasn't partnered up with Lugano).
For Coates to succeed, he needs to play with a more dominant, a more aggressive, a more fearless centre-back.

6. Back in June, a month before the Copa América, Ovacion reportedthat São Paulo was close to signing Sebastián Coates.
Obviously after Coates' breakout performances, European clubs like Porto, Manchester City and Liverpool became very interested.
Porto would have been a good stepping stone, but it seems Coates is confident he can break into the Liverpool first 11 and cement a position. I was wikiing Sami Hyypiä to see how old he was when he signed for Liverpool, but lo and behold, he shares the same birthday as Sebastián Coates.

7. I was wondering if anyone has noticed it, but I found out it was already a widespread reported little fact; which just goes to show how many people notice odd quirky things like me.
Oh and if you were wondering, Hyypiä was 25 years old when he signed for Liverpool.

LFC FAVORITES TO LURE COATES

Liverpool are expected to complete a deal for the Uruguayan international defender Sebastian Coates by the end of the week as long as Manchester City do not gazump the Merseyside club's offer for the 20-year-old defender.

Liverpool made their opening bid, of £7 million, in writing to the Uruguayan side on Monday as Kenny Dalglish seeks to complete a sixth signing of the summer.
Though that bid has not yet been accepted, Nacional are believed to be prepared to sell the player for that price should no other suitors crystallise their interest.
Coates's father, Peter, and his agent Matias Pittini have been granted permission to discuss personal terms with Liverpool and initial reports of those talks are extremely positive.
Nacional, though, are adamant they will not make a final decision on whether to accept Liverpool's offer until they have established whether the player - who trained in Montevideo yesterday - is happy to move to Merseyside and whether a more lucrative bid may be submitted.
As well as City, a Ukrainian side - believed to be Shakhtar Donetsk - have also registered an interest in the player, who impressed in Uruguay's victorious Copa America campaign last month, but Coates is thought to favour a move to the Premier League. He is believed to be keen to join international teammate Luis Suárez at Anfield.
Dalglish is keen to strengthen his defensive resources after Greek defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos left for Wolfsburg on a free transfer and 6ft 6in Coates, 20, is seen not only as another quality addition but also a sound investment for the future.
Though Roberto Mancini has tracked the 6ft 6in centre-back for several weeks and though City have held preliminary discussions with the Uruguayan side, they have not made a formal bid.
Sources at the Etihad Stadium have confirmed, though, that the Italian will be given no more funds once the deal to sign Samir Nasri from Arsenal is complete.
That would appear to place Mancini on a collision course with the club's Football Administrator Brian Marwood.
The Italian has made it clear he would like at least one more signing, though with the capture of Stefan Savic earlier this summer, a centre back would not appear to be a priority.
That would leave Liverpool as Coates's most realistic destination, as confirmed by Nacional's vice-president Hector Olmes.
"The offer is very good," he told the radio station Sport 890. "Coates will surely go to Liverpool."
The midfielder Dani Pacheco on Tuesday underwent a medical ahead of a season-long loan move to the Spanish side Rayo Vallecano.