Former Liverpool skipper Phil Thompson believes that the sale of Raul Meireles, who was bought for £11 million, to Chelsea for a fee of around £12m was a “fantastic deal” for all the parties involved.
Meireles, who impressed and became a fan favourite in his one and only season on Merseyside, was sold at the eleventh hour on the final day of the transfer window.
The Portuguese played a key role in Liverpool’s revival in the latter half of the season and made his disappointment with the Anfield club known in his first interview as a Chelsea player when he expressed “surprise” over the fact the Reds wanted to sell him in the first place.
The 28-year-old showed what he is capable of over the weekend by providing the assist for Daniel Sturridge’s goal in the 2-1 win over Sunderland, as did Alberto Aquilani, who was shipped away on loan to AC Milan despite being one of the side's best performers in pre-season, by playing a part in the two goals scored against Lazio.
However, Thompson feels his old club made the right choice in getting rid of the duo, who he feels did not fit in.
“I think it's decisions and you have to make decisions. Alberto Aquilani spends last season on loan and he came back in the summer. Yeah, he was [the best player in the pre-season] but you have to look at the quality of the opposition as well," Thompson told Goal.com.
“The two players are quite similar in many ways – Meireles and Aquilani. Both are central midfield players, both are forward midfield players, so it’s a forward midfield player of a three (up front). They would have to fit in to how you are going to play the game.
“I think the way Kenny [Dalglish] has probably looked at it at the time, he has not seen them fit in."
The 58-year-old also stated that there was a slight change in the attitude of Meireles before the season started as he realized he had gone down in the pecking order with the arrivals of Jordon Henderson, Charlie Adam and Stewart Downing in the summer.
“Raul, I think, had a real good purple patch last year when he scored vital goals, good goals - him and Maxi Rodriguez," Thompson continued.
“But when the season was starting and the transfer signings were coming in, I think he’s looked at it and not being in the team [got him] thinking. He didn’t look happy. Let’s put it that way. That’s just me looking from the outside and around since I have the privilege.
“But I have seen the games, I have seen the way he was, his attitude. And I think once Chelsea’s interest came in, and of course Fernando Torres was down there, and he then wanted to leave.”
He added that had Liverpool not sold Meireles in the summer, they possibly would not have got the same fee for him later and hence could not let the opportunity to sell him go away.
“I think it was a fantastic deal because £12m for Raul was great," Thompson added.
“And I think if he wasn’t going to be playing a major part in the team, if then come January and he wasn’t too happy, would you have got £6m for him? I think both things suited both parties.
“Alberto and Raul got what they wanted, because Alberto knew his results weren’t needed to go and play (for Liverpool) and Raul was not going to be in the first team – he wanted to leave.”
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