Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours 2018

BullBlackNova

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/coutinho-lemar-guardiola-woodburn-what-14111040

Liverpool Echo goes through what we can expect for the month of January. Naturally, all speculative but shows where we are at the minute anyway.

In short, Coutinho - likely to leave in the summer, not now.
Replacements - Lemar, Draxler, Pulisic, Sanchez, Nabil Fekir, Manuel Lanzini are "potential options" apparently.
Exits - Sturridge and Ings likely, a heap of youngsters could all depart on loan. Wilson, Ejaria, Grujic, Woodburn, Brannagan all on the list, though Ryan Kent's failed loan at Freiburg means Klopp isn't as keen to let players go.
Klopp also intends to 'take his time' replacing Lijnders, but Michael Beale, who previously moved to Sao Paulo, is mentioned as an option.

The Echo also has this article...

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/liverpool-should-pay-45million-partner-14108481

Garth Crooks (I know, it makes sense now...) says that we should spend £45 million on Lewis Dunk to partner Van Dijk.

Posting that without comment.

rob316

You just know those ****e hawks barca will make their bid tomorrow a few hours before the derby game.

yourdeadwright

I really think our team will push on when Phil leaves, if we buy correctly,
He has class and can do amazing stuff but he is to light to play in a midfield 3 for us, Id only keep him if he was going to play as a wide forward,
Look at all the 3rd midfielders for all the top teams ,Inesta,Modric, Eirkson, Pogba , and so on , they all add more grit than Phil does and as a team we are worse at the back so need the extra help in the middle, plus our wide forwards are ultra attacking, we get left to light with Phil in the centre, he tires and we lose control of games,
Again he is world class but I'd never have him in the middle,. we need a creator who doesn't vacate the midfield,
Again he is unreal wide forward but we have them places covered with mane/Salah ,although we need cover / competition for them two spots .
We do not need a direct replacement for Phil but a proper 3rd midfielder, and a number 6
Even go further back and Gerrard and Lampard where 3rd midfielders who offered more bite than Phil

MD1990

Insigne would be near at the top of my list.

Napoli play a similar style to us as well. Only problem he is very small & only plays LW.

Kerrigooney

Garth Crooks has 2 spoons of LSD in his tea.

SuperTortoise

Bored in work, anyone recommend good podcast?

Vicxas

SuperTortoise wrote: »

Bored in work, anyone recommend good podcast?

Football related or normal?

If you're looking for normal the Blindboy Boatclub podcast is worth a listen.

Harry Palmr

Replacements - Lemar, Draxler, Pulisic, Sanchez, Nabil Fekir, Manuel Lanzini are "potential options" apparently.

It'll be Lanzini - prem proven at a small team. No wait Rodgers is in Scotland.

Dickerty

I think Pulisic is most likely, a player that Klopp can develop, or Lemar if the money is right. I don't think Sanchez would join us, Draxler is a bit of a risk I think for huge money...

murpho999

rob316 wrote: »

You just know those ****e hawks barca will make their bid tomorrow a few hours before the derby game.

What difference does that make as we know Coutinho is not playing anyway.

Agent Coulson

Lemar, Draxler, Pulisic

All three would be great.



Pulisic would be the poster boy for FSG in the States for marketing.

Irishmale0399

Agent Coulson wrote: »

Lemar, Draxler, Pulisic

All three would be great.



Pulisic would be the poster boy for FSG in the States for marketing.

Doubt Dortmund will let Pulisic go. He has a contract and Dortmund have more than 100 million in the bank from the Dembele deal. Added to that the lad (and his Dad when he is over here) is very happy in the area and very well intergrated.
He might go in 2 years or so but I get the impression that his old man has his career all mapped out for him.

Surely coutinho is worth double what we paid for Virgil?

BullBlackNova

rob316 wrote: »

You just know those ****e hawks barca will make their bid tomorrow a few hours before the derby game.

This strikes me as very, very unlikely.

We all know how Barca operate.

They won't even make a bid - they'll just unveil Coutinho at a gala ceremony timed to take place at half time in the derby match, broadcast over the screens at Anfield.

Mr.H

**** it we should ask for dembele in return

Agent Coulson

It's only fitting since Coutinho & Sturridge arrived in the same January window that they both leave in the same January window.

Signed for a combined £20m sold for a combined £200m £150m and a bag of crisps.

Knex*

Kerrigooney wrote: »

Garth Crooks has 2 spoons of LSD in his tea.

A man after my own heart.

Knex*

SuperTortoise wrote: »

Bored in work, anyone recommend good podcast?

The Anfield Wrap Podcast is worth a listen from time to time.

Knex*

Augeo wrote: »

Surely coutinho is worth double what we paid for Virgil?

And for the hattrick post...

Klopp said something about a great defender being worth 1/3 of a great attacker, when justifying the market for VVD.

So yeah, if Coutinho isn't on Neymar's level, we would still want to be looking at £150m.

MD1990

Draxler is not very good wouldn't want him.

Terrible at Wolfsburg and now PSG want rid.

Harry Palmr

Can't believe we've missed out on Robbie Keane.

Knex*

https://twitter.com/MelissaReddy_/status/948876954173870080

€150m is too little, all things considered. I'm actually annoyed.

MD1990

I think Klopp just wants him gone.

Doesn't want it hanging around all month.

Lallana will need to find form. Cant see us getting any one in this month.

Agent Coulson

3rd most expensive?

Who is second?

Barca's most expensive player ever?

She hasn't a clue does she?

yourdeadwright

What annoys me is we have City and Spurs coming up at home . we don't need anyone acting the maggot, 2 wins would be huge in getting us the chance of champions league football again next season,

GBX

Dembele - Dortmund to Barca £97/€105 million

Knex*

Agent Coulson wrote: »

3rd most expensive?

Who is second?

Mbappe when his transfer goes through next year. He's technically only on loan this season.

It's in her article linked to the tweet.

Benimar

Agent Coulson wrote: »

3rd most expensive?

Who is second?

Barca's most expensive player ever?

She hasn't a clue does she?

Well, she is correct!

Agent Coulson

Benimar wrote: »

Well, she is correct!

Dembele is the second most expensive player in the world and he is a Barca player.

NukaCola

Agent Coulson wrote: »

Dembele is the second most expensive player in the world and he is a Barca player.

The Mbappe fee is agreed though isn't it, so she is correct? IMO she isn't as well connected as she once was anyway. Seems to be second to Joyce a hell of a lot since last Summer. I'll wait to hear what Joyce says on it tbh.

Harry Palmr

Just went over to the Coutinho thread on RAWK - they are losing their heads bigly.

Benimar

Agent Coulson wrote: »

Dembele is the second most expensive player in the world and he is a Barca player.

Coutinho will be more expensive so will be Barcas most expensive player ever.

Mbappe is effectively the 2nd most expensive ever, as the sale has been agreed.

Can't see how what she said is wrong tbh.

Agent Coulson

Mbappe deal is only an option to buy.

Nothing is official yet on that deal.

RugbyLover123

MD1990 wrote: »

Draxler is not very good wouldn't want him.

Terrible at Wolfsburg and now PSG want rid.

Anytime I've watched he's been very good. Always having an impact, either scoring or assisting. There's a lot of competition at PSG so you can see why they might want to get rid because he won't get ahead of the front 3.

yourdeadwright

Just wondering did Phil ,get paid in August when he refused to play,
He shouldn't get a penny when he's refusing to play

Knex*

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Just went over to the Coutinho thread on RAWK - they are losing their heads bigly.

Forgot that place exists tbh.

The LFC subreddit seems a bit more level headed. Klopp's hands somewhat tied, Coutinho and Barca doing their best to cause a stink before the Everton game/this month. Klopp will likely just want him gone and a replacement in ASAP.

That said if Barca hold our season hostage and end up getting him for €120m + €40m addons, I'll be very annoyed. £106m initial fee feels like they've won the negotiations, which is a bitter pill to take considering their tactics and the way the 2nd half of our season is in jeopardy.

NukaCola

yourdeadwright wrote: »

Just wondering did Phil ,get paid in August when he refused to play,
He shouldn't get a penny when he's refusing to play

Can you diagnose a bad back? Isn't it a difficult thing to do?

Where's Je suis Jean to tell us the legalities of a fine?

Harry Palmr

Agent Coulson wrote: »

Mbappe deal is only an option to buy.

Nothing is official yet on that deal.

Legalese is a terrible thing, while it's true they haven't paid Monaco a penny yet the deal will go through interesting article here - have to hand it to PSG they played a blinder.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/09/01/psg-managed-sign-kylian-mbappe-loan-year-without-having-pay/

RugbyLover123 wrote: »

Anytime I've watched he's been very good. Always having an impact, either scoring or assisting. There's a lot of competition at PSG so you can see why they might want to get rid because he won't get ahead of the front 3.

He impressed me enough to think he'd be good enough at the Confed Cup I have to say - name Played of the Tournament as well.

Knex*

I think its highly unlikely that we can sign Lemar this January. Not without literally handing them the entire Coutinho money, which would be daft.

Draxler does seem more on the realistic side.

NukaCola

Barca aren't only trying to get him, they are trying to get him as cheaply as possible by getting the player to cause a fuss. Which is fair enough for them, but we'll need to take a strong stance. Its not just the player thats on the line for us.

LFC just have to say to Phil, if Barca want you, its a minimum €X amount. If not you stay. If they really want you they'll pay. Thats our valuation, end of story.

TBH I'm already sick of him, but I wont care much if he keeps banging them in for us. My fear is he will switch off completely if he cant force through a move for a second time.

Sappy404

Can anyone tell me: for FFP reasons, would this €150m need to be spent this financial year? If so, it might be better for the coffers if we got enough for Lemar/Aubameyang/Goretzka/Whoever and the rest in the summer.

NukaCola

https://twitter.com/OptaJoe/status/948184608855732224

23 - Despite only joining last summer, Mo Salah is already the 3rd top scorer in all competitions for Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp (23 goals), behind only Roberto Firmino (39) and Philippe Coutinho (37). Extraordinary.

Grayditch

Ask them for a public apology for their behaviour. And one from Nike.


And then decline the transfer offer anyway.

Agent Coulson

If we can keep him till the summer looking unlikely Madrid could play a huge role in the transfer market they will be having a huge clear out and rebuild.

Sappy404

Grayditch wrote: »

Ask them for a public apology for their behaviour. And one from Nike.


And then decline the transfer offer anyway.

I'd love to pull a Southampton on them. Follow Atletico's example and report them to UEFA over everything they've done, including the Nike thing. Everything points to selling him in Jan being a bad idea. Selling him after the WC makes infinitely more sense.

Knex.

Knex. wrote: »

And for the hattrick post...

Klopp said something about a great defender being worth 1/3 of a great attacker, when justifying the market for VVD.

So yeah, if Coutinho isn't on Neymar's level, we would still want to be looking at £150m.

I know you mentioned it before iirc

I can't fathom why the little magician is so keen to leave this window.... unless he's genuinely worried it mightn't happen in the future due to injury or someother event / misfortune.

We'll pay big bucks for our next incoming players you'd reckon after Virgil thing and Phil's fee whatever it maybe.

Utopia Parkway

Augeo wrote: »

I can't fathom why the little magician is so keen to leave this window.... unless he's genuinely worried it mightn't happen in the future due to injury or someother event / misfortune.

Yeah it's mad really. The Summer is just over 4 months away. No time at all.

If he goes in January it will be because Klopp wants a disruptive player gone. Klopp is all about the team ethos and anything that gets in the way of that will be out the door.

That said my gut feeling is that selling Coutinho in January will cost us a top 4 spot and any outside chance of doing something in the CL.

I'm a huge fan of lallana but couple him not being 100% match fit yet with the pressure/expectation of maybe replacing Phil in midfield and it's worrying enough.

Fingers crossed.

NukaCola

Any chance we'll try and push through the Keita deal in Jan?