General LFC Transfer rumours/gossip thread

Well Lovren is already injured. And so is Gomez.

Yep and we've lost Lucas, who at some points was ahead of Klavan back there last season. Also not included Sakho as I expect him to leave.

Let's consider that mate:

GK Swapped Manninger for Ward = Improved

RB Gomez looking sharper, Trent a year older and now looking like the starter. = Improved

CB Worse for sure

LB Brought in Robertson = Improved

CM Worse at the moment due to losing Lucas, however if we signed another LB then Milner will move back this rank, then it's a straight swap Lucas for Milner in the squad, for me that's still worse but not as much.

AM Moved Coutinho into this rank late in the season, so it depends how you rate Salah, to me though AM has massively improved.

Wingers Brought in Salah but lost Coutinho, interesting one this because I actually think we'll improve on both counts as I've always thought Cou would be better from deeper and Salah will be more natural here. (let's say it balances out)

Striker Sturridge meant to be in the best condition he's been since Klopp arrived, Solanke brought in, Ings back in full training, clearly improved a lot in this area.

Which is:
5 Improved
2 Worse
1 Equal

Bringing in VvD would change that to 6/1/1 which would be looking very encouraging for our season in my opinion.

Starting Line-up:

                     Firmino
           Mane               Salah
             Coutinho Lallana
                   Henderson
Robertson  Van Dijk  Matip  TAA
                      Migs

Bench: Karius, Clyne, Lovren, Can, Wijnaldum, Solanke, Sturridge
Back-up Ward, Milner, Gomez, Klavan, Woodburn, Ings, Origi

That's a strong squad imo, just 1 top quality player from looking exceptional.

Yeah it looks great on paper but what you presented is an ideal scenario and you've assumed a lot of things: TAA all of a sudden a starter after a few flashes last year? Henderson being fit the whole season after he played 15 games/season in the last 2years ?
We're going to rely on Sturridge whom even if he's fit(that's a big if) he doesn't fit the system? Ings is a serious option after 2 years of not playing a single game ?
And let's let Robertson and Solanke play a few games and not jump the gun and overrate them before they even kicked a ball.

Let's just pretend Matip and Henderson will get injured for 10 games around October/November like it happened last year( I'm not even going to Coutinho or Mane)..how do the bench options look now with 4 competitions to play in..most likely 2 games/week ?

Yeah it looks great on paper but what you presented is an ideal scenario and you've assumed a lot of things: TAA all of a sudden a starter after a few flashes last year? Henderson being fit the whole season after he played 15 games/season in the last 2years ?
We're going to rely on Sturridge whom even if he's fit(that's a big if) he doesn't fit the system? Ings is a serious option after 2 years of not playing a single game ?
And let's let Robertson and Solanke play a few games and not jump the gun and overrate them before they even kicked a ball.

Let's just pretend Matip and Henderson will get injured for 10 games around October/November like it happened last year( I'm not even going to Coutinho or Mane)..how do the bench options look now with 4 competitions to play in..most likely 2 games/week ?

Of course injuries can change everything but I don't think we got the 'credit' for how well we did while having to endure a lot of injuries last season.

I agree that Matip/Lovren will probably miss plenty of games, hence why I think a starting CB is an absolute must with the remainder of the window. Beyond that I think Can can cover for Henderson well enough, even over-take him in the pecking order if he continues in the form he left off but I wouldn't say no to another CM either.

Up top I think we're stronger than we've been at any time under Jürgen. Solanke looks a real prospect in my opinion, I've been very impressed with him so far and am very happy for him to be our 3rd choice striker. I'm willing to listen to the lads regarding Sturridge but I'm certainly not expecting a full season out of him, in fact I think he'll be used more as an impact sub. I do think Ings will come back to some degree but when you consider that we went through a lot of last season with Firmino having to play almost every minute, Sturridge misfiring and Origi completely off form for the latter half of the season then I think it's obvious we're in a much better position up there.

Robertson I've honestly no idea about but I also think this was our weakest position last season, so any reinforcement here would give me hope of improving.

Wake up, switch on iPad, check newsnow, check BBC Sport, be dissapointed.

Eat sleep rave repeat!

The forced optimism of this window is hilarious to watch.. The "spin" delusion is immense.

The forced optimism of this window is hilarious to watch.. The "spin" delusion is immense.

We'll sign a couple mate, surely. I have to tell myself this!

Wake up, switch on iPad, check newsnow, check BBC Sport, be dissapointed.

Eat sleep rave repeat!

Trying to avoid that pattern is annoyingly difficult

Trying to avoid that pattern is annoyingly difficult

I've recently joined STWA (Shi....t Transfer Window Anonymous). It's been a real help.

Not for me no. With the money we have and the competitions we are going to be in, we should be buying 3-5 bang on first team starters at a minimum.

All very salient points FL.

You, like me, are probably asking could that squad win the league title and or the Champions League... not, the rather simplistic; is it better looking (on paper) than last season?

Remember - teams who finished above us will also look better on paper.

So far... so far... we have not signed anyone who would not have come either in January when, weirdly enough, there was "plenty of money" but "no one good enough to improve us" or if we had no CL football. In my opinion, obviously.

Thirty days left tho... where does time go; eh? 🙄

Daily Express have an 'exclusive'. Inter Milan are plotting a shock £35m bid for Sadio Mane, their words not mine! The only shock is the price!

Philippe Coutinho dominates the agenda, with Spanish outlet Diario Gol reporting Lionel Messi has told friends the Brazil international has agreed to join Barcelona.

Argentina star Messi is apparently confident Coutinho will join once Liverpool have advanced to the Champions League group stage


But that doesn't mean he is not preparing for Coutinho's departure. The same paper says Klopp has eyed Bayern Munich midfielder Renato Sanches as the ideal man to replace the Brazil star.

The Daily Telegraph carries a similar story with a different Coutinho replacement. Citing reports in Spain, it is claimed Liverpool will target Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil.


Don't you just love transfer rumors ??.... At least they are linking us with Top Quality Players

I think if Firmino and Solanke are playing well,sturridge will be cover up top or on the wing.

Daily Express have an 'exclusive'. Inter Milan are plotting a shock £35m bid for Sadio Mane, their words not mine! The only shock is the price!

Hate Italian Club... They refuse to pay the asking price, and always ask for way over the top

Not for me no. With the money we have and the competitions we are going to be in, we should be buying 3-5 bang on first team starters at a minimum.

Which positions?

Well Lovren is already injured. And so is Gomez.

Ah so you count minor injuries in this weird strength/weakness calculation of yours. You see I just count players in the squad so i actually think we are about the same if not a bit stronger with Gomez as extra backup. If we get VVD, which I expect us to do then we are much stronger in a key area.

Sign VVD, keep Cou and Can, sell outcasts -- Sakho, Marko, and Moreno -- good window? 

Not for me Harry, signing VVD, keeping Cou & Can & selling Mama, et al, is  not a good window, if we were to add Jack Butland, Naby Keita & Christian Pulisic to our squad that for me would be a very good window,

I know i know the goalie thing doesn't bother Jürgen else he would have acted, however, imo, i can't see Migs going thru the entire campaign unscathed, he's bound to have a few brainfarts along the way, rendering us with Jittery Karius, i'd feel more confidant, sorry let me rephrase that, our back 4 will be more confidant having a proper stopper behind them, having said that HAD we acquired the services of good old Jack i would be inclined to have him as my first choice keeper and let Migs & Karius fight it out for no2(Migs would win hands up for me)

as for my other hypothetical signings i think its safe to say they'd be starters from the get go, for me we would be a proper threat, not that we're not right now but you'll get my drift,  imagine the combinations right across the pitch, with quality in abundance and a bench we could use without disruption of flow/tempo/balance.

so a window adding...Salah, Solanke, Robertson, VVD, Keita, Pulisic & Butland would be a very good window, imo.

YNWA

I never thought I'd see the day where keeping a player who nobody had mentioned leaving until a week ago was being counted towards a "successful window". It's utterly bizarre.

Look, the squad wasn't strong enough or deep enough last season and we weren't in Europe or domestic competitions for long either. How on Gods earth is it going to be strong enough now with the signing of four players while letting the same number go, even if two are Salah and VVD?

Why must we endulge in this ridiculous self delusion all the time? "Ward is better than Manninger"? So am I, but I'm not likely to play for Liverpool either. "TAA is a year older/stronger/better"? Well he surely is, but Milner amongst others is a year older/slower/worse too.

What is all this nonsense? We were fourth in the league last season, one of the teams below us has strengthened massively, the other will. Above us, first and third have shot the lights out.

Of course it's nowhere near a good window as it stands, nor will it be if we keep Coutinho and get VVD. We WILL sign more players, if we don't then 4th again would be a huge achievement.

We’re still far too lightweight in the centre of defence and need at least one CB. I can’t explain the lack of urgency, unless they are sure about Virgil.

I would say that FSG are also holding out until they are sure that we get Champions League qualification. They will also want to make sure that we can move on Sakho, Moreno and Markovic too.

I think it will be truth to say that our expectations from this transfer window mightily crashed from the heights of 3-5 quality arrivals to the dark bottom of outright panic from this circling rumors about Countinho and Barcelona. I see apparent incompetency from FSG /transfer committee/scouts etc   

I'm sorry but it's an absolute F***ing joke if we settle for two first team signings (Salah and maybe VVD), one squad player (Robertson) and one kid (Solanke) after spending F**k all last year and being told we'd break our transfer fee at least three times and spend 200m+. Not having sh*te like keeping Coutinho and Can being spun as positives either. Of course we should be keeping them!

Every summer we seem to say it's a defining window for FSG. Well if this summer truly is their 'defining' window then they've got one month to sort their sh*te out.

I never thought I'd see the day where keeping a player who nobody had mentioned leaving until a week ago was being counted towards a "successful window". It's utterly bizarre.

Look, the squad wasn't strong enough or deep enough last season and we weren't in Europe or domestic competitions for long either. How on Gods earth is it going to be strong enough now with the signing of four players while letting the same number go, even if two are Salah and VVD?

Why must we endulge in this ridiculous self delusion all the time? "Ward is better than Manninger"? So am I, but I'm not likely to play for Liverpool either. "TAA is a year older/stronger/better"? Well he surely is, but Milner amongst others is a year older/slower/worse too.

What is all this nonsense? We were fourth in the league last season, one of the teams below us has strengthened massively, the other will. Above us, first and third have shot the lights out.

Of course it's nowhere near a good window as it stands, nor will it be if we keep Coutinho and get VVD. We WILL sign more players, if we don't then 4th again would be a huge achievement.

Which team below us has strengthened massively, Arsenal, Everton?? Arsenal have a number of player who are itching to leave.

TAA will be like a new signing this coming season, I expect him to play plenty of games. On the left we have Robertson who together with Milner will massively strengthen the left side of defence. I expect us to get VVD which will bolster our central defence. In midfield we have the addition of Salah, which will make a huge impact, and we have plenty of other players there anyway, ok not all top top class but plenty of very good players as cover. In attack we have added Solanke, maybe not a world class striker yet but showing plenty of potential, and in any case we technically have 5 strikers now which should be adequate cover don't you think.

In summary yes I'd maybe love to see us getting more top class expensive players in, ala Citeh, but I really think Klopp rates the youngsters who are now emerging much higher than you do and if he can fit them into the team then we will become a formidable force at home and in Europe.

I think it will be truth to say that our expectations from this transfer window mightily crashed from the heights of 3-5 quality arrivals to the dark bottom of outright panic from this circling rumors about Countinho and Barcelona. I see apparent incompetency from FSG /transfer committee/scouts etc   

How would you have dealt/negotiated with Leipzig out of interest?

Which positions?

Well Klopp probably doesn't agree with me but I'd target players that can walk into the team at CB, LB, Striker, DM and GK.