Adam Lallana to Barcelona? Why a move for the Liverpool midfielder would make sense

Few Premier League players seem to polarise opinion like Lallana.

News linking the 28-year-old to some of Europe’s elite clubs brought about mainly sniggers on social media, but few can argue with his record this season.

Seven goals and seven assists in 20 Premier League games proves Lallana’s influence at Anfield – and he ably stepped up during the seven-week absence of Philippe Coutinho.

The challenge for Lallana will now be to maintain his impact alongside Coutinho – but this, coupled with the latest gossip, shows just how far the England international has come.

Following his £25m move to Liverpool from Southampton in July 2014, Lallana failed to live up to expectations in his first season, scoring just six goals all season.

By his own admission, his first term at Anfield was frustrating, but matters hardly improved the year after.

An advanced role in the 2015/16 campaign brought about just seven goals, and rumours persisted that Maurico Pochettino was looking to bring Lallana to Tottenham for £20m.

But not even 12 months later, Lallana has already outscored himself – eclipsing his goal tallies from the previous two seasons in the league, despite dropping back into midfield.

All this means it’s no longer talk of £20m and Spurs, but in fact £40m and Barcelona, Juventus and PSG.

It’s understandably difficult to see Lallana starting for Barcelona, but he would walk into PSG’s side and stand a good chance of featuring for Juventus too.

But of all the rumours linking Lallana away from Anfield, it’s the Barcelona link which is most fascinating, as it’s the one which simply makes the most sense.

The Liverpool midfielder is by far the most technically-gifted footballer England has to offer, and it does not seem far-fetched to suggest that Lallana would suit Barcelona’s approach.

And given that they are five points behind Real Madrid having played a game more, it’s clear the current La Liga champions need a shake-up.

Lallana is not the big-money move Barcelona fans would demand, but he’s a gifted footballer who would impress behind their famed and feared front three.

However, another name stands out for that role - a position Barcelona will no doubt look to fill with Andres Iniesta now 32 - and that is Lallana’s Liverpool team-mate, Coutinho.

If the Lallana rumours appear sensational, there is an air of the inevitable about Coutinho to Barcelona. It’s a move which is unlikely to happen this summer, but at 24, the Brazilian is yet to hit full stride, and there’s no telling where his talent could take him (apart from over to Spain).

Ultimately, the gossip around Lallana shows how far Liverpool have come as a club this season, and thankfully in Jurgen Klopp, they have the perfect manager to make light of these rumours and ensure his star men remain fully focused, as they will need the blinkers on if they are to somehow claw back Chelsea come what May.