Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread

MementoMori

A lot of the reports about Keane seem to be quoting a price of £18m possibly rising to a maximum of £20m, if we win the CL or PL, which strikes me as a very decent price.

Assuming the following prices our net spend so far aint exactly massive.

Out: Kewell (0) , Riise (4) , LeTallec (1) , Crouch (11) ,Guthrie (2.5) , Carson (3.25) => Total Cash In £21.75m

In: Degen (0) , Dossena (6.8) , Cavalieri (3) , Ngog (1.5) , Keane (18) => Total Cash Out £29.3m

Net Spend so far £7.55m

Itandje - no word on where he'll end up - all gone quite with Gala at the £2m mark
Pennant - rumours of a possible Blackburn bid around the £6m
Voronin - don't know about the rumoured German talks at the £3m mark
Benayoun - unlikely to go in my opinion given his versatility
Xabi - doubt he's going to move on now
Finnan - wonder if he might end up at Villa if the Barry deal doesnt happen. Villa clearly need at least one RB if not two.

The only one of those I definately don't expect to see at Anfield next season is Itandje. The rest I'd say are more likely to stay than go.

Karmafaerie

estebancambias wrote: »

karmafaerie can I just say that detailed post about Keane on the last page was amazing, and so to was the equally brilliant response from eze.

Fair play.

Cheers man.

Just so excited by the prospect of Keane and Torres together!:D

zing

If the deal for Keane is as close as some reckon then there's a good chance the club would look to finalise it before Tues lunch time. We play in Spain on Wed evening (on SS1 btw) which most likely mean the squad (with Parry & co. tagging along) would fly out sometime on Tues and would effectively be gone for 48 hours. Not necessarily expecting Keane to travel or be unveiled before they travel but just don't expect much business to be done during those 48 hours.

Also those reporting medicals for Keane during the week weren't neccessarily that far off the mark. They may have been told about a medical but just not given the players name and assumed they were for Keane rather than Ngog.

therecklessone

Karmafaerie wrote: »

He was pulled from the Spurs squad in Spain on Wednesday, and flew back to England.

He was never named in the squad, but sat on the bench Wednesday evening all the same.

rosboy

Some of todays media stories:

Liverpool are ready to abandon their chase of Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry and will spend their money on Tottenham's Robbie Keane instead. (News of the World) Link

The sale of Keane to Liverpool will allow Tottenham to chase David Villa, who is valued at £25m. (Sunday Telegraph)link

Liverpool's owners failed in their latest attempt to show they have the finances to pay for the club's new £400m Stanley Park Stadium. (News of the World) link

STEVE FINNAN’S Liverpool career may be saved following an injury to new right- back Phillip Degen. Swiss ace Degen, 25, who joined earlier this month, is suffering from a groin strain which may need an op.
link

Rafa Benitez reckons silence is golden when it comes to Liverpool’s bid to lift the Premier League for the first time. (Sunday Express) link

Stewart Downing has warned Middlesbrough he may have to look for a move away from the Riverside Stadium, if the club cannot fulfil his ambition of playing in the Champions League (Sunday Express, Setanta) link link

Owen warns Newcastle he is ready to walk out on a free (The Guardian) link

No mention of Liverpool at all in that one, but we can dream. Attacking options of Torres, Keane, Gerrard, Babel and Owen wouldn't be bad:)

PiE

Eh, no thanks.

mike65

I'd take Owen back in a flash for free! (admitedly he'd probably want 100k a week)

Mike.

rosboy

mike65 wrote: »

I'd take Owen back in a flash for free! (admitedly he'd probably want 100k a week)

Mike.

He's on 105k a week at Newcastle. If he were to move here on a Bosman, that would surely go up.

Dont be at yourself

Wouldn't take Owen back. Apart from anything else, he's a shadow of the player he was when he left.

mike65

Dunno if you watched the latter Newcastle games of last season, he was very effective as the withdrawn striker.
I should add I'm not expecting him to be at Anfield next season for a second.

Mike.

rosboy

He scored 10 goals in 19 games at the end of last season. Thats not a bad return.

Like Mike, I don't really see him coming back. I wouldn't be shocked if he did though. Remember, after the capture of Torres last summer mentioned that Owen was one of the players considered for the new striker position.

Now, that consideration could have been a matter of "What about bringing Owen back? No he's past it". I doubt he was ever a serious contender to be our sole striker considering his previous form. However if his form & fitness picked up, and he was available on a Bosman, Rafa may consider a move....or not. I just posted the link because of the Liverpool Legend that Owen is.

Dont be at yourself

I don't think Owen can ever be considered a Liverpool legend, but that argument's been had a thousand times.

Owen is a player on the decline. He did well under Keegan when he got a good run in the side, but there will always be question marks over his fitness and his form. He's a player who needs to be constantly playing to maintain form, and I doubt he'd get that opportunity at Liverpool.

In the withdrawn striker role, I'd rank him below Keane, Babel, Gerrard and Kuyt.

Rafa was supposedly in for him when he signed for Newcastle too, so it's possible he still rates him...

gixerfixer

Wouldnt like to see him in a Liverpool jersey again.Had his chance with us and turned his back on Rafa.Wouldnt say he is "past it" as many have,but not the player he once was.Anyways even if he was the best player in the world at present id still say no to having him back.Liverpool legend? dont make me laugh:)

Thanx 4 The Fish

I would not like to chase Owen, would rather have pacheco or Memeth come through, young lads who are not after a big payday.

Boggles

Liverpool Legend or not.

Owen has a consistent 2:1 match to goal ratio throughout is career. Strikers like that are rare, even with all his injury problems, more often or not he guarantees goals.

It would be silly not to want a player like that at a football club.

Remember the hardest part of football is still scoring goals.

copacetic

whats his playing to injured ratio though?

his record at newcastle is scored 20 in 44 apps? but thats over 3 years.
So he has played in about 1 out of 3 games in 3 years. thats not going to
get any better as he gets older. taking on someone so injury prone at high
wages would be a mistake imo.

gixerfixer

The reason Owen is at Newcastle is because he is not the player he once was.Simple as that.If he was still the player he once was he would be playing for one of the big four.Think he would be worth a punt for someone on a free but no manager in their right mind would pay him wages over 100k a week.Anyway Owen's first loyalty is to the English national team and there is no way he would join say Chelsea or Liverpool and play second fiddle to Torres or Drogba as it would make it less likely he would be one of Englands two front men.

Boggles

gixerfixer wrote: »

The reason Owen is at Newcastle is because he is not the player he once was.Simple as that.If he was still the player he once was he would be playing for one of the big four.Think he would be worth a punt for someone on a free but no manager in their right mind would pay him wages over 100k a week.Anyway Owen's first loyalty is to the English national team and there is no way he would join say Chelsea or Liverpool and play second fiddle to Torres or Drogba as it would make it less likely he would be one of Englands two front men.

Playing for Newcastle does not devalue a player, they did have Shearer for 10 years.

Owen has been incredibly unlucky with injuries. If and it is a huge if, he can stay fit this season I can see him getting 20-25 goals.

He has shorter odds than Keane to be top scorer next season.

Mr Alan

Boggles wrote: »

He has shorter odds than Keane to be top scorer next season.

who scored more between them last year? and the year before?

and who has shorter odds to miss at least half the season through injury?

morning boggles

zAbbo

We're not in for Owen, this is a non-story.

He will not be making a return to Anfield, he has his chance but fcuked us over when we could have got him for the same 8m we let him walk for. All he had to do was state a preference for Liverpool and Real would have done a deal.

He didn't, Newcastle bid 17m (When Real were looking 16m...) - Owen got twitchy because he needed to play for any club in England to ensure he made the WC06 squad, which he did and then suffered a nasty knee injury at that tournament as well.

With his priorities, wage, injuries, and everything else - he would not be welcome back in Anfield. In all his time at Liverpool he never got more than 19 league goals, which Torress has just done, and Robbie Keane has come close to that, but with a much better all round game.

Please no-more Owen return nonsense, a massive step backwards to the squad that Rafa has put together.

Boggles

Mr Alan wrote: »

who scored more between them last year? and the year before?

and who has shorter odds to miss at least half the season through injury?

morning boggles

Good Morning Mr. Alan.

Fancy a wager? Top Scorer betweem Owen and Keane season. Winner gets to decide the other persons sig?

Mr Alan

my sig is not up for grabs, i'll put money on it though.

Boggles

Mr Alan wrote: »

my sig is not up for grabs, i'll put money on it though.

No. Sig is far more valuable. But if your chicken, forget it.

---

I see Barry played in the inter toto, If Liverpool sign him, is he cupped tied for the CL?

Mr Alan

no, not as far as i know.

Reganio 2

Boggles wrote: »

I see Barry played in the inter toto, If Liverpool sign him, is he cupped tied for the CL?

Nah if you play the Intertoto, they have different rules to the Champions League and the Uefa cup, so he would be free to play in either.

jesus_thats_gre

I would love to have owen come back to the club. Concerns about his fitness are justified but that you really only be an issue if we were dependent on him like we used to be. If he was singed as as backup a striker, him only being fit for 25 odd games as reason wouldn't be an issue if if was sticking in 15 goals goals a season. Hello from portugal by the way

~Rebel~

jesus_thats_gre wrote: »

I would love to have owen come back to the club. Concerns about his fitness are justified but that you really only be an issue if we were dependent on him like we used to be. If he was singed as as backup a striker, him only being fit for 25 odd games as reason wouldn't be an issue if if was sticking in 15 goals goals a season. Hello from portugal by the way

I wouldn't mind this at all tbh, but it wont happen. Backup strikers dont get 100grand a week and thats what he'll be wanting. If, however, he was willing to take a big pay cut then id welcome him back to Liverpool.

Dub13

Owen has had his day in the sun,he can stay up in the North East for the rest of his injury prone career.

raven136

never understand the pining for owen,he's long gone,the two guys we have now are better and as a backup id prefer to see us develop some of the young lads.
How many games would you get injury free from him and anyhow he wouldnt try his best unless there was an england fixture coming up;)

mormank

raven136 wrote: »

never understand the pining for owen,he's long gone,the two guys we have now are better and as a backup id prefer to see us develop some of the young lads.
How many games would you get injury free from him and anyhow he wouldnt try his best unless there was an england fixture coming up;)

who are these two guts we have??? torres is better but who is the other guy??

Anyway F**K Owen. the way he left us for madrid im glad he is rotting now. Harsh i know but we really needed him back then and he left. Dont want him back ever. Maybe as a physio cos he has bags of experience there!!

As for him being a legend. Pfft...that sort of talk insults true anfield legends like Fowler, Rush, Keegan and dalglish etc...

Karmafaerie

mormank wrote: »

who are these two guts we have??? torres is better but who is the other guy??

I'm guessing he mean Keane, seeing as he's all but in a number 7 jersey now!
But to be honest I'd take Babel at the £30-40,000 a week he's being paid, with all that potential, over Owen at £100,000 a week and the chance of him missing every third game with an injury.

As for Owen being a legend.
He could have been.
But he's not.
We all know why.

mike65

Its a done deal it seems.

clicky article updated at 4.42pm today

Along the M62, Liverpool will make their own high profile signing in Keane. The Republic of Ireland striker, 28, has agreed to a five-year deal believed to be worth £80,000 a week. He will travel to Anfield tomorrow for his medical, allowing Liverpool to unveil the player before the squad fly out to Spain for pre-season games on Tuesday.

Rafael Benitez, the Liverpool manager, has secured the striker he believes has the "game intelligence" to best complement the talents of striker Fernando Torres. The deal had hit problems in the early stages after Daniel Levy, the Tottenham chairman, reported Liverpool to the Premier League for making their interest in Keane public.

also here

Mike.

PHB

25 mill?

mike65

Thats about 20 million pounds. I'd take prices with a pinch of salt tbh until a club says.

Edit - it appears the Sindo can't convert currency.

Mike.

~Rebel~

mike65 wrote: »

Thats about 20 million pounds. I'd take prices with a pinch of salt tbh until a club says.

Edit - it appears the Sindo can't convert currency.

Mike.

noticed that too, think they're working off something closer to the old 'pre recession' 1.47 ratio.

Karmafaerie

Over the bloody moon!!!:D

leninbenjamin

~Rebel~ wrote: »

noticed that too, think they're working off something closer to the old 'pre recession' 1.47 ratio.

no they are just plucking random figures out of their heads. lazy journalism, the ratio's are different all over the shop. frequently within the same paper, which just goes to show the standard of journalism into soccer these days.

Chardee MacDennis

leninbenjamin wrote: »

no they are just plucking random figures out of their heads. lazy journalism, the ratio's are different all over the shop. frequently within the same paper, which just goes to show the standard of journalism into soccer these days.

standards and the indo dont go hand in hand, they are a tabloid in the guise of a broad sheet...

mayordenis

BastardPrince wrote: »

standards and the indo dont go hand in hand, they are a tabloid in the guise of a broad sheet...

depends which version you buy, one doesn't even try to hide it :P

~Rebel~

leninbenjamin wrote: »

no they are just plucking random figures out of their heads. lazy journalism, the ratio's are different all over the shop. frequently within the same paper, which just goes to show the standard of journalism into soccer these days.

christ i never noticed that, thats scandalous tbh! If they're gonna be wrong, at least be consistant. I assume this just means they rob random values from various other articles they steal from and dont bother to check that they match up with anything else. Awful stuff from the editors.

HashSlinging

Great news for pool fans :cool: Keane must be in dreamland... well done mate.

http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,8652_3876918,00.html

egan007

HashSlinging wrote: »

Great news for pool fans :cool: Keane must be in dreamland... well done mate.

http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,8652_3876918,00.html

If he pulls that 'sitting on the ground with my hands in the air because the ref did not give me a free sh!t! ' in front of the Kop I'm throwing my mobile at him

Karmafaerie

ROBBIE KEANE today completed his medical - edging the striker ever closer to sealing a £20m move to Anfield.

The Irish international arrived in Liverpool last night and was booked in for a series of tests at a Merseyside hospital.

A fee of £18m with add ons of up to £2m has been agreed with Spurs and terms have been agreed with the player.

Just awaiting the photocall now!:D

Dub13

Rumor has the press conference at 13:00.

Dr_MaSoN

Chuffed with this news

woodyg

out of interest this will bring his total transfer value to £58 million sterling which is quite a serious out lay over 10 years! I'm glad we got him as he's got the potential to be a great foil for Torres and will bring goals, assists, big game influence and an end to the dodgey number 7 we have had since Maca.

Boggles

Good Signing! He is a fan aswell I think?

Where did Liverpool get 20 million?

Mr Alan

Boggles wrote: »

Where did Liverpool get 20 million?

banks probably.

Boggles

Mr Alan wrote: »

banks probably.

There is alot of that going on.

spockety

Boggles wrote: »

There is alot of that going on.

Meaning what?
What are you trying to get at?