Liverpool should turn their attention to Atletico Madrid defender Diego Godin rather than Croatian Domagoj Vida, according to former full-back Steve Nicol.
Vida partnered Liverpool centre-back Dejan Lovren for Croatia at the World Cup en route to the final, as Zlatko Dalic’s men would eventually finish runners-up to France.
As a result, the 29-year-old, who performed well throughout, has been linked with a move away from Besiktas with Liverpool tipped as a potential destination.
But former Liverpool man Nicol believes the club would be better setting their sights higher and looking to entice Godin away from Atletico, with just one year remaining on his current deal.
“I would say no [to signing Vida],” Nicols told ESPN. “If I could right now, I would go to Atletico Madrid and get Godin.
“He’s got another couple of seasons left in him and the guy is just an out-and-out defender who organises a defence.”
When it was put across that Liverpool would represent a step down for Godin, Nicol added: “They got to the Champions League final last year – who got further last season, Liverpool or Atletico Madrid?
“How many times have Atletico Madrid won it? Zero. How many times have Liverpool won it? Five. It’s not a step down.”
Liverpool have already enjoyed a good summer with regards to their transfers, bringing in midfielder Fabinho, playmaker Xherdan Shaqiri, goalkeeper Alisson and creative Naby Keita.
Despite Vida reaching the final with Croatia, Godin was in spectacular form for Uruguay en route to their quarter-final exit at the hands of France.
In La Celeste’s opening game of the World Cup against Egypt, former Arsenal defender Martin Keown hailed Godin as “the professor of defending” while commentating on the match for the BBC.
Keown also backed Godin to be possibly the only natural defender playing at the World Cup, speaking at the start of the tournament.
“Godín might be the only natural defender”
“Against #TUN you get away with just Dier”@martinkeown5 and the panel discuss the #ThreeLions and the art of defending. ?
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Liverpool will however have to face competition from Juventus. Godín remains a target for Juventus even though he himself has rejected the many reports. The Serie A side are reportedly trying to lure him to Italy on a three-year deal. His buy-out clause is a criminally low €20 million but that, of course, is contingent on the player wanting to leave and the club wanting to get rid.
The Uruguayan is 32 and has been the backbone of Diego Simeone’s side for the best part of the last decade. Atlético Madrid are gearing up for an assault on titles on domestic soil and in Europe next season after their disappointing elimination from the Champions League in the group stage last season. Letting Godín walk and Godín wanting to walk now would be bizarre.
Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain have also shown interest in the defender over the years, no surprise really given Godin has been perhaps world football’s most reliable centre-back for five or six years now. But Atletico have always fought to keep him, and the player himself has regularly spoken of how money was not the most important for him.
“There was a team who offered me a lot of money last summer and I did not want to leave,” Godin admitted in 2016. “Maybe other clubs are more financially powerful, but none gets so much out of the individual player as Atletico. I’m with Atletico because of the love given by the fans. For me that is more important than any individual trophy.”