Liverpool ignore wise advice as Kalvin Phillips lives off the land

There are some people who just won’t be told, as my grandfather used to say. No matter how much sage advice is offered to them, some ill-advised independent streak within them forces them to find their own way and ignore the wise words of others. My grandfather was rather wearily talking about me, to be honest, but now I’m in a position to say the same of John Henry, because apparently Liverpool just don’t want to know.

Just last week we offered them several alternatives in their hunt for new midfielders after they were priced out of moves for Jude Bellingham and Mason Mount – so what do they do? Completely ignore everything we say and start scouting completely different players. They just have to be different.

Kal to arms

First up on their freshly constructed shopping list is Kalvin Phillips. The Star reckon that the Manchester City midfielder is getting tired of warming the bench at the Etihad – and given that the seats in the dugout are surely heated, warming them does seem like a waste of time, so we understand. Apparently the “Manchester City outcast” – is he an outcast? Is he roaming the wilds of Lancashire, living on freshly poached game, shunned by human society? – would cost about £35m.

The 3AM Verdict: Phillips has proven – both at Leeds United and for England – that he’s a damned good player who offers many of the kind of attributes Klopp likes in his midfielders. He’s happy playing in a high press, will run tirelessly and likes to use the ball efficiently and simply – basically, he’s no Bellingham but would be a pretty good long-term Jordan Henderson replacement. £35m is also a pretty decent deal in this day and age, even if my ageing brain still struggles to compute the idea of a holding midfielder being worth 233% of an Alan Shearer.

Klopp needs a pal

Another subject of regular scouting reports sent back to Anfield is Fulham’s João Palhinha, who has had a hugely impressive first season in the Premier League. Football Insider reckon that Liverpool are increasingly keen, although presumably they’d lose interest if I wrote an article recommending him to them. Honestly…

The downside is that he wouldn’t come cheap, having arrived for £20m last year and being just one year into a five-season deal, and both Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United are circling the Brazilian too, which presumably drives the price up even further. Everything’s overpriced in West London these days, anyway. Houses, pints, Palhinhas - inflation is rampant everywhere.

The 3AM Verdict:There have been a few reports linking Palhinha with a move away from Craven Cottage, and it’s easy to see why – his energy, dynamism and technical ability make him a natural fit for several top sides, and he’s been a standout player in Fulham’s fine campaign. None of the reports seem to have yet mentioned a reliable price tag, however, so it’s hard to assess how likely a deal is, or how good the value would be. He’ll move on eventually, but with so many midfielders likely to be seeking new employment this summer, Fulham might be able to ward suitors off with a suitably high fee.

Gaga Onana

Chelsea haven’t even finished crossing Is and dotting Ts on Mauricio Pochettino’s contract and already the Argentinian is plotting moves – or perhaps the rumours emanating from Stamford Bridge are just the latest products of Todd Boehly’s extended fever dream, rather like the ones we went over yesterday.

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Either way, the fresh news from Italy is that Chelsea are taking a look at a deal for former Ajax shot stopper André Onana, who currently plays for Inter Milan but has lost his place to Samir Handanović. The curiosity here is that Chelsea plan to send a goalie back the other way as part of a deal, and plan to make that Kepa Arrizabalaga. Which makes precious little sense given Kepa’s resurgence this season, or Edouard Mendy’s status as a wantaway backup, or given that either of them would almost certainly be second fiddle in Milan anyway. Still, Gazzetta dello Sport reckon they’re in the know on this one.

The 3AM Verdict: Sometimes, you just have to put on your doubtful face when looking these rumours over. Even Boehly isn’t daft enough to try and fix one of the few parts of Chelsea’s squad that aren’t broken – right? A few other outlets have picked up on the idea of Onana to Chelsea as well, so it may have some slight legs, but surely he would be taking Mendy’s place if the Senegalese goalie does find a new home this summer - it’s hard to imagine Kepa going in the other direction.