General LFC Transfer rumours/gossip thread

"Just to annoy"? More like give everyone a laugh - fair play to you and your optimism is certainly better than last season's "version" of reality. Which went something like this...
We got around £75m for Suarez;
We spent £16m of it on Balotelli, £10m on Origi and £4m on Lambert [£30m];
We put the rest towards a "quality" centre-half, a "quality" left-back, two "quality" attacking midfielders and a "quality" utility player.
We got the lend of a "quality" right-back - Manquillo.
With Luis [£200k], Pepe [£120k] and Danny [£70k], off the wage bill, this [signing a quality striker or two] was affordable (certainly as we also managed to shift another 14 unwanted players); pandering to FSG's financial "prudence". (* as for Raheem's £100k a week - well that's really only around £35k but carry on)...
Wasn't that last season's big test?

Wasn't "the big test" that, with all that money and all those 'savings'; they would shell out for a top class striker. We [all us "doom merchants"] thought it was possible they would.
They didn't and yeah... we were in trouble. 
The fact was they could have done it last season and without breaking the bank.
Good for you fella - big respect 

What with you being a whole season more patient and ergo, better than us "doom merchants" - you've got to be proud of yourself. 

And heck, sore monad... if FSG don't do what you suggest (this season) sure there's always next season; eh?

They say that "patience is a virtue"; that "things will come to those who wait" and you know what?...

I reckon if FSG do change tack next season it will be down solely to people like you sore monad; [people who just sit, nice and quiet, waiting]. It will not be down to, the thousands who are now making their voices heard louder than before or the newspaper articles and headlines written of the back of that discontent.

Good for you buddy. 

You're right we could have done and obviously should have done the same thing last summer.

FSG chose to take a punt on Balo, who could have worked, but was always odds against, instead of spending more going for somebody who was odds on to work.

The question is - have FSG learned their lesson?

My point is we'll find out this summer, not that I know they have learned it ( anymore than you know they haven't).
Its definitely not that we as fans shouldnt push them to learn that lesson.

The doom mongers are the ones on here who are saying we've had it and who have obviously already resigned themselves to another sh*t season. I dont know if you have or not, but I haven't.

( I know - " good for me " eh?)

I know - " good for me  " eh?

We've all got our own thresholds mate and yes... good for you for being a season more patient than some and three more than me. 

We've all got our own thresholds mate and yes... good for you for being a season more patient than some and three more than me. 

What would you prefer? New owners? New manager? New transfer committee? Perhaps you'd like old sheikh Mansour to buy us too....

What would you prefer? New owners? New manager? New transfer committee? Perhaps you'd like old sheikh Mansour to buy us too....

I don't blame you for not reading my posts Harry; I'm sure they can be tedious - given I've banged the same drum so often but, as you seem to have missed it...

a) I would like owners who: spend, the money available, on players who are: better (now) than what we already have and who can contribute (now);
b) I would like owners who: don't ignore the fact that successful football teams are built on having the best players [you'll often here the phrase "football is a simple game" - that's true in that; the team with the best players, invariably, compete for and win titles and trophies on a consistent basis];
c) I would like owners who: don't ignore the fact that (in the modern, big money era) reducing the average age of the team and paying players low, incentivised, contracts has 1: never brought sustained football success. 2: never attracted top quality players and 3: never kept top quality players.
d) Above all else [being that I'm a football fan] - I would like owners who: care less about optimising their investors' profit and more about football;

[*basically all the things which any football fan wants]

Now; that said and read (I hope) - you might have sussed that: all those are within the gift of FSG. They [FSG] can choose a path which delivers those things (comfortably and without additional personal investment) and they can choose that path now.

It's really, really, simple Harry - we only need new owners if this lot don't change tack.

And... to be clear - the same would hold true if "old sheikh Mansour" was our current owner and currently overseeing a policy which won't bring football success. For you see - all that matters to me [and most Liverpool football fans] is the success of the football team we love.

That much cleared up - I trust you'll also be able to appreciate my stance on the position of 'manager'. i.e. - I would prefer to see if Brendan can deliver, given a chance with the type of players that everyone who knows, even the slightest bit about football, acknowledges we need. If, after that, he fails, it's time to go.

And... to be clear - the same would hold true for any new manager, should Brendan be sacked. For you see - all that matters to me [and most Liverpool football fans] is the success of the football team we love.

What about you harry? What do you want for your football team?

I know you are huge advocate for using the money we have to buy and nurture young talent; that you believe it can work but have you given yourself (or FSG) a timescale for success: a point at which you might have to re-think? Exactly how open-ended is your time-frame for FSG to deliver Harry?

I mean; you do have a limit don't you? So what is it harry; 5, 7, 15, 25 years - monkeys at a keyboard maybe; what?

Lots of stories doing the rounds we are set to make Eduardo Salvio our first Summer signing for €35 million.

I imagine he will be Sterlings replacement.

Lots of stories doing the rounds we are set to make Eduardo Salvio our first Summer signing for €35 million.

I imagine he will be Sterlings replacement.

We could buy Benfica for the amount we've paid for Markovic and potentially Salvio

We could buy Benfica for the amount we've paid for Markovic and potentially Salvio

Joke isn't it?

Not that's a club with a committee and scouting system that actually works.

Joke isn't it?

Not that's a club with a committee and scouting system that actually works.

Porto included. Those two clubs bring in some great young players for much smaller fees and develop them very well.

Porto included. Those two clubs bring in some great young players for much smaller fees and develop them very well.

Has alot to do with third party ownership, spreading financial risk. They partially pay transfer fees and wages. Alot of the scouting and transfers was outsourced to these super agents and investment companies. They scout and attract young players, then if the players do well the clubs can acquire a bigger percentage along the line if they wish to. Markovic for instance was 50% owned by a third party when we acquired him. Will be interesting to see what happens now as there's a third party ownership ban in place starting this month, although that only applies to future transfers, not past ones. But it could mean the downfall for Portuguese football, or perhaps they'll find some way to circumvent it.

Has alot to do with third party ownership, spreading financial risk. They partially pay transfer fees and wages. Alot of the scouting and transfers was outsourced to these super agents and investment companies. They scout and attract young players, then if the players do well the clubs can acquire a bigger percentage along the line if they wish to. Markovic for instance was 50% owned by a third party when we acquired him. Will be interesting to see what happens now as there's a third party ownership ban in place starting this month, although that only applies to future transfers, not past ones. But it could mean the downfall for Portuguese football, or perhaps they'll find some way to circumvent it.

It's also easier for them to sign South American players, particularly Brazilians. English clubs would struggle with work permits.
Portuguese clubs often find gems and make a lot of money with their Brazilian stars - see Ramires, David Luiz, and so on - but they also sign a lot of failed prospects and/or players of questionable quality. However the ones that do succeed more than compensate for the failed signings, with third part ownership spreading the risk as Bier has pointed out.

Has alot to do with third party ownership, spreading financial risk. They partially pay transfer fees and wages. Alot of the scouting and transfers was outsourced to these super agents and investment companies. They scout and attract young players, then if the players do well the clubs can acquire a bigger percentage along the line if they wish to. Markovic for instance was 50% owned by a third party when we acquired him. Will be interesting to see what happens now as there's a third party ownership ban in place starting this month, although that only applies to future transfers, not past ones. But it could mean the downfall for Portuguese football, or perhaps they'll find some way to circumvent it.

Of course mate, I completely forgot about the third partnership aspect.

Watched the Rome-Lazio derby. Pjanic came off the bench and made an instant impact; it had been all Lazio until he stepped on. Someone please tell me we are still in for him. The lad is legit.

I'd be all in for Pedro and Illarramendi as well, both of whom we've also been linked with. They'd be three excellent additions and instant starters.

So of course none of them will be here

Watched the Rome-Lazio derby. Pjanic came off the bench and made an instant impact; it had been all Lazio until he stepped on. Someone please tell me we are still in for him. The lad is legit.

I'd be all in for Pedro and Illarramendi as well, both of whom we've also been linked with. They'd be three excellent additions and instant starters.

So of course none of them will be here

Pjanic is quality, isn't he?

The way I see it, if we do buy Pjanic, I actually think we need a strong imposing defensive midfield, someone like, Schneiderlin Would be a dream!!!!

Pjanic Schneiderlin
     Coutinho

or

Hendo Schneiderlin
      Pjanic

Watched the Rome-Lazio derby. Pjanic came off the bench and made an instant impact; it had been all Lazio until he stepped on. Someone please tell me we are still in for him. The lad is legit.

I'd be all in for Pedro and Illarramendi as well, both of whom we've also been linked with. They'd be three excellent additions and instant starters.

So of course none of them will be here

I'd so f***in excited if we managed to sign Pedro! Also, Illarramendi seems to be a pretty good player being wasted at Real. Sadly I don't expect us to sign any of them

Tottenham lead race for Trippier

Tottenham are leading the race to sign Burnley full-back Kieran Trippier following the Clarets' relegation. Liverpool have also been linked with the £3.5 million-rated defender.

Source: Daily Mail

£3.5M? I'd say absolutely go for it! I liked what I've seen of Trippier and at that price it would be a pretty low risk transaction.
I know the last thing some people want to hear right now are about "low risk" signings, but the fact we do need some top proven players shouldn't make us allergic to looking for value as well

Watched the Rome-Lazio derby. Pjanic came off the bench and made an instant impact; it had been all Lazio until he stepped on. Someone please tell me we are still in for him. The lad is legit.

I'd be all in for Pedro and Illarramendi as well, both of whom we've also been linked with. They'd be three excellent additions and instant starters.

So of course none of them will be here

Pjanic is a class act. If we don't make a serious move for him this Summer we will never get him.

Question what was Rodgers doing in Rome that time a few months back? Rumour was he was trying to broker a deal for Pjanic. I guess that might have depended on us retaining CL football. Or else he was just taking his bird on a romantic break? Who knows.

Tottenham lead race for Trippier

Tottenham are leading the race to sign Burnley full-back Kieran Trippier following the Clarets' relegation. Liverpool have also been linked with the £3.5 million-rated defender.

Source: Daily Mail

£3.5M? I'd say absolutely go for it! I liked what I've seen of Trippier and at that price it would be a pretty low risk transaction.
I know the last thing some people want to hear right now are about "low risk" signings, but the fact we do need some top proven players shouldn't make us allergic to looking for value as well

This is a transfer that I'd like. I'm not sure why Spurs would be after him, they have Walker and the new lad Yedlin.

This is a transfer that I'd like. I'm not sure why Spurs would be after him, they have Walker and the new lad Yedlin.

True. It would make sense for the lad as well. With Johnson gone and Flanagan still out for a while due to injury, he'd have a much better chance of regular football here than at Spurs where he would be competing with the England right back

More on Trippier:

SPURS LEAD TRIPPIER RACE

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino is set to beat Liverpool to the £3.5m signing of Burnley defender Kieran Trippier, according to the Telegraph.

The former England U-21 right-back will leave Turf Moor this summer following the club’s relegation from the Premier League.

And Spurs have moved ahead of Liverpool and newly-promoted Bournemouth in the race to sign the 24-year-old.

http://www1.skysports.com/transfer-centre/

Metro (I know...) linking us to Geoffrey Kondogbia and Aymen Abdennour: http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/media-watch/metro-double-swoop-on-monaco

I've never watched much of any of them but Kondogbia is very highly rated and has been linked to many other clubs before, such as Arsenal.
Abdennour used to be one of my favorite defenders on FM 13 or 14 - turned into a real beast in a couple of years. But if I remember correctly, he's another left sided defender (even being able to play left back in the game). Not sure if we need another one.

One defender I'd like to see us linked with is Otamendi who has been strongly linked to Man Utd recently

I'm not sure why Spurs would be after him, they have Walker and the new lad Yedlin.

Maybe because they both are sh*te.

This is a transfer that I'd like. I'm not sure why Spurs would be after him, they have Walker and the new lad Yedlin.

Yedlin is a burner, more of an attacking fullback, needs to work on his defense a bit.

Liverpool target Luciano Vietto: Villarreal president Fernando Riog reveals €20m release clause

Villarreal striker Luciano Vietto has a release clause of €20m (£14.5m, $22.2m), the club's president has revealed amid mounting speculation linking the player with moves to Liverpool and Real Madrid.

Vietto, 21, has been one of La Liga's breakout stars this season following his summer 2014 move from Racing Club in Argentina.

He has struck 11 league goals in his first seven months in Spanish football, adding another seven in Villarreal's Europa League campaign, and his rapid rise has caught the attention of a number of potential suitors, according to his agent Jorge Cysterpiller.

But Villarreal president Fernando Riog is hopeful the player will honour his contact at the Estadio El Madrigal, despite his relatively low release clause.

Speaking to Cadena Ser, Riog said: "Vietto is a Villarreal player for the next four years. He has a buyout clause of around €20m".

Liverpool are unlikely to have little problem in activating Vietto's release clause should they pursue a move in the summer transfer window. But the interest of Champions League holders Real Madrid and two unnamed German sides suggest any attempt to sign the striker is unlikely to be easy.

"We know that a lot of big clubs are watching Luciano Vietto," his agent Jorge Cysterpiller was recently quoted as saying by Spanish daily AS.

"There is a lot of competition for him. He could sign for Liverpool, we know that he is admired by the Reds, as well as Real Madrid and two Bundesliga clubs. I think he could leave Villarreal in the summer."

Amid the growing talk surrounding his long-term club future, Vietto was recently quoted discussing his options and insisted he would only consider a move that satisfied both his and Villarreal's demands.

"If any big clubs come along with a genuine offer, we will see what emerges," Vietto reportedly told AS. "But it would have to be an offer that would suit everyone concerned, then we could consider what to do. It would have to be a good proposal for me and for the club."

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/liverpool-target-luciano-vietto-villarreal-president-fernando-riog-reveals-20m-release-clause-1490412

Have no idea about the legitimacy of this, but Vietto is a talent. 12 in 32 in La Liga and 8 in 12 in the Europa League are great returns. I've been pretty sold on this kid after watching him more closely since we were first linked back in November or December.

£14.5m is very doable too.