Liverpool would be mad to sell Raul Meireles - the man at the heart of the Dalglish bounce
The seemingly unshakeable faith the manager receives from the Kop will be tested if he sells the popular Portuguese midfielder in order to help finance his rebuilding
It's all change at Anfield with Liverpool's ambitious and diligent owners Fenway Sports Group presiding over their first summer since taking over the club in October last year.
After the disastrous and debt-ridden reign of Hicks and Gillett which took Liverpool to the brink of administration, FSG's revolution and the changes that have come with it have been largely welcomed by the club's supporters not least the decision to install club legend Kenny Dalglish as caretaker manager.
The populist choice was vindicated last season as Dalglish helped Liverpool pick up 33 points from 18 games.
Central to the 'Dalglish bounce' were the performances - and goals - of Raul Meireles. With Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard suffering an injury-hit season, the midfielder signed from Porto for £10.7m in August - formed a solid partnership with Lucas Leiva providing energy and steel in midfield.
During one purple patch, he scored five goals in six games - including the winner in a memorable victory at Stamford Bridge in February. And amidst fears that Liverpool lack the wide men to provide the crosses for £35m striker Andy Carroll, it was Meireles who found the head of the big Geordie helping him notch his second goal for the club in a stunning win against Manchester City.
In the second half of the season Meireles demonstrated both his quality and versatility for Liverpool.
His PFA Fans' Player of the Year award at the end of the season showed how appreciated he was by Liverpool fans who are not afraid to demonstrate their collective power in online forums and polls.
It is of little wonder then, that reports that Meireles could be heading for the exit door this summer, have been met with incredulity.
How could last season's Mr Dependable become expendable? Why would Liverpool want to sell one of their best performers of the previous season? A player known for his exemplary attitude and quiet life off the pitch.
Money - as is often the case - lies at the heart of this problem. Liverpool's new owners have balked at the number of under-performing players close to the age of 30 on high wages whom they are now struggling to find buyers for.
Yet Raul Meireles cannot be described as one of these high-earning bench warmers. Meireles is believed to pocket around £35,000-a-week at Anfield - a modest sum compared to what his less than successful teammates earn. Joe Cole, Milan Jovanovic, Paul Konchesky, and Christian Poulsen earn significantly more than Meireles - and between them they made just 38 starts for Liverpool last season - just six more than the Portuguese midfielder's total of 32.
It is understood that when Meireles signed for Liverpool he had a loose agreement that, should his first season go well, he would get a pay rise - taking him to at least £65,000 a week. Despite the fans' award, the accolades and the key role in Dalglish's side, FSG are believed to be reluctant to grant a 28 year-old player with little sell on value the rise he expects.
Furthermore, Dalglish seemingly cannot see a place in his first team for Meireles next season. With Gerrard raring to go after an extended period on the sidelines, plus new acquisition Jordan Henderson and the incoming Charlie Adam all vying for places with work horses Lucas and Jay Spearing (not to mention the currently unsellable Alberto Aquilani and Christian Poulsen) - Meireles has been deemed the odd man out.
Yet it hard to conceive how the 21-year-old Henderson, a player who has shown promise but is very much a work in progress, would offer more to the team than Meireles, an experienced international who has played at the top level for both Portugal and Porto.
Moreover, Charlie Adam may have had a sensational season for Blackpool, but there remain serious questions about his mental strength and capability to perform at a top club stemming from his time at Rangers.
For Liverpool fans it all seems painfully familiar. In 2008 the popular, likeable and classy Xabi Alonso was informed by manager Rafa Benitez that he was surplus to requirements. The Spanish manager made a not-very-secret bid to sign Gareth Barry as Alonso's replacement but the two clubs failed to agree a price for the England man. It was the footballing equivalent of wanting to trade in your Lexus for a Volvo. The seeds of Alonso's departure were sown that summer and the terrace-favourite left for Real Madrid the following year hastening Liverpool's slide out of the top four.
Meireles may not be in Alonso's league - but he's not far off. Liverpool fans have gone into this summer salivating at the prospect of new signings to excite much like the acquisition of Luis Suarez did in January.But expecting the likes of Charlie Adam, Stewart Downing and Jordan Henderson to take Liverpool to that 'next level' and help break the Premier League curse requires a leap of faith from supporters.
Fortunately Kenny Dalglish can rely on a bigger abundance of faith from his fans than most in the game.'In Kenny We Trust' say a growing number of ardent Liverpool supporters - many of whom remember when he fashioned a cluster of modestly-priced players such as Steve McMahon, Ronnie Whelan and Ray Houghton into one of the most formidable midfield units in English football.
But if Meireles is sold it will smack of a business decision rather than a footballing one. Few will argue against the importance of making sound business decisions in Liverpool's new era - particularly after the money-borrowing madness of Hicks & Gillett.
But at Liverpool where a player is embraced by the fans if they work hard, keep the ball and show a willingness to play for the team (the odd long range screamer also helps), even the most vaunted manager of all will need to justify selling a Kop favourite like Meireles.
