General LFC Transfer rumours/gossip thread

Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp is targeting one of two English centre-backs this summer, Newcastle's Jamaal Lascelles, 24, or Burnley's James Tarkowski, 25

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/transfers/liverpool-transfer-news-Jürgen-klopp-shortlist-tarkowski-lascelles-premier-league-epl-a8361576.html


Jürgen Klopp has identified Burnley's James Tarkowski and Newcastle United's Jamaal Lascelles as his summer centre-half targets, as he seeks to bolster his Liverpool squad for next season.

The Champions League finalists want to bring in three to four players in the close-season window - including a goalkeeper, likely Jack Butland, and another attacker - but centre-half is again a priority position.

Klopp and the Liverpool hierarchy feel Tarkowski and Lascelles both fit what they want, and the club will try to buy one.

Most players we have signed from lower teams have actually worked out for us - Clyne, Lovren, Van Dijk, Robertson, Henderson, Lallana, Mane have all had success (some a lot more than others).

Lascellas looks solid but would probably cost an arm and leg with being English and Newcastle's main man.

Tarkowski for me mate, he's the perfect partner for Virgil IMO

Tarkowski for me mate, he's the perfect partner for Virgil IMO

Yes I'd be very happy with him or Maguire at Leicester

Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp is targeting one of two English centre-backs this summer, Newcastle's Jamaal Lascelles, 24, or Burnley's James Tarkowski, 25

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/transfers/liverpool-transfer-news-Jürgen-klopp-shortlist-tarkowski-lascelles-premier-league-epl-a8361576.html


Jürgen Klopp has identified Burnley's James Tarkowski and Newcastle United's Jamaal Lascelles as his summer centre-half targets, as he seeks to bolster his Liverpool squad for next season.

The Champions League finalists want to bring in three to four players in the close-season window - including a goalkeeper, likely Jack Butland, and another attacker - but centre-half is again a priority position.

Klopp and the Liverpool hierarchy feel Tarkowski and Lascelles both fit what they want, and the club will try to buy one.

The fact that it names Butland as a target invalidates the entire “article”

Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp is targeting one of two English centre-backs this summer, Newcastle's Jamaal Lascelles, 24, or Burnley's James Tarkowski, 25

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/transfers/liverpool-transfer-news-Jürgen-klopp-shortlist-tarkowski-lascelles-premier-league-epl-a8361576.html


Jürgen Klopp has identified Burnley's James Tarkowski and Newcastle United's Jamaal Lascelles as his summer centre-half targets, as he seeks to bolster his Liverpool squad for next season.

The Champions League finalists want to bring in three to four players in the close-season window - including a goalkeeper, likely Jack Butland, and another attacker - but centre-half is again a priority position.

Klopp and the Liverpool hierarchy feel Tarkowski and Lascelles both fit what they want, and the club will try to buy one.

Interesting that.

He says Jürgen wants to add 4 - CB, GK and 2 more - possibly Fekir and another attacker, means we are not bringing in a #6? Are we probably looking at Gini and Hendo rotating for that #6 role, with Naby, Fekir, Lallana, Milly, Ox and Grujic for the other 2 midfield spots?

Interesting that.

He says Jürgen wants to add 4 - CB, GK and 2 more - possibly Fekir and another attacker, means we are not bringing in a #6? Are we probably looking at Gini and Hendo rotating for that #6 role, with Naby, Fekir, Lallana, Milly, Ox and Grujic for the other 2 midfield spots?

Have been thinking more that Gini and Hendo will share that deepest mid role for us. I had previously thought of that position as being our #1 priority for a buy this summer, but I can see this approach as well.

You also have to remember the club and English-trained players limits for EPL and UEFA Replacing, say, Klavan, with an English center back (and Klopp decides which defenders are first choice). We should also hope that Joel Matip, only 26, can return to form next season.

Have been thinking more that Gini and Hendo will share that deepest mid role for us. I had previously thought of that position as being our #1 priority for a buy this summer, but I can see this approach as well.

You also have to remember the club and English-trained players limits for EPL and UEFA Replacing, say, Klavan, with an English center back (and Klopp decides which defenders are first choice). We should also hope that Joel Matip, only 26, can return to form next season.

Isn't Keita a Defensive Midfielder?

Midfield 3 looks like this for me next season given we have the same players;
               Chamberlain
    Keita                Hendo

I guess Klopp will buy another central/attacking midfielder to replace Coutinho

Isn't Keita a Defensive Midfielder?

No

More of a box to box number 8

No

More of a box to box number 8

I think a true number 6 is our biggest and most urgent need. For me, after what Ox has shown this season, both sides of the midfield trio are set. Ox on one side and Keita on the other. Its the middle man that is still to fix.

We need some serious and reliable covering in front of our center-backs. In the first half of the season and even after Van Djik came in, this problem cost us many goals and made the back 4 look much more brittle than they were at times.

The problem is less noticeable when Milner is in the squad, but he is old and we can't expect him to be a regular starting XI guy.

We need somebody with a high work-rate, preferably a high and strong stature, good tackling skills and ideally a good eye for interceptions. If the guy can also create from the back, its a plus, but far from being a requirement with Keita and Ox on either sides of him.

Why does everyone keep talking about us needing a 6? Isn’t that the role Klopp has Hendo playing?

Why does everyone keep talking about us needing a 6? Isn’t that the role Klopp has Hendo playing?

Probably because Hendo really isn't that great, he's not terrible but he's not good enough and we need great if we are to push onto the next level.

Why does everyone keep talking about us needing a 6? Isn’t that the role Klopp has Hendo playing?

Squad depth.

Who played #6 when Hendo was out injured? Emre Can. And is he going to be here after Sunday? No.

Squad depth.

Who played #6 when Hendo was out injured? Emre Can. And is he going to be here after Sunday? No.

Gini

Gini

So you're happy with that are you Hendo and Gini as our #6, you think that will make us good enough to challenge for the Prem? Do you no think it makes sense to get a top notch DM to sure up our defence and allow us to attack with even more confidence?

Isn't Keita a Defensive Midfielder?

Midfield 3 looks like this for me next season given we have the same players;
               Chamberlain
    Keita                Hendo

I guess Klopp will buy another central/attacking midfielder to replace Coutinho

As Kopite pointed out, Keita is not likely to be the deepest-lying midfielder. He will be deployed further ahead. Each midfielder in Klopp's system has defensive responsibilities, but two of them have more attacking duties than the other. You mention Chamberlain, but he has suffered a serious knee injury. When they list him as back at the soonest by November, that tells me it is much more likely to be at the beginning of 2019, and then there is a major question about how quickly he comes back into form, what his mobility will be like. We treat these injuries like they are a holiday sometimes, and that's not how it is.

Even if he is back by November, we were out of contention for a league title by November this season. We need to be ready to go with a strong team from day 1. Then when he gets back, he can add to our squad depth. I think we buy a #7 or #8 (to go alongside Keita) and probably go with Gini and Hendo at d-mid unless an especially good opportunity  arises.

Also, I think the idea of "replacing Coutinho" is not really how this will work. If you mean using money from his sale, OK, but if you mean finding a player who is just like him, that's probably not where we are looking.

The only keeper I’d have really liked us to go for instead of keep progressing with Karius was Oblak. Just seen he’s signed a new deal though, doubling his release clause to the best part of 200mill.

The only keeper I’d have really liked us to go for instead of keep progressing with Karius was Oblak. Just seen he’s signed a new deal though, doubling his release clause to the best part of 200mill.

Really?

I can't see why agents agree to that type of buy out

Really?

I can't see why agents agree to that type of buy out

In the hope it will be paid one day maybe. PSG can make that happen.

The only keeper I’d have really liked us to go for instead of keep progressing with Karius was Oblak. Just seen he’s signed a new deal though, doubling his release clause to the best part of 200mill.

Interesting that he'd choose to extend his contract with the likely departure of Griezmann and potentially Simeone, which would take the team on a very different direction. Good for him, though.

Since Oblak would no longer be an option i am even more firmly in the camp that Karius should be our #1 next season.

So you're happy with that are you Hendo and Gini as our #6, you think that will make us good enough to challenge for the Prem? Do you no think it makes sense to get a top notch DM to sure up our defence and allow us to attack with even more confidence?

Spot on mate.

A good DM is a necessity especially with Ox and Keita being two players who won't shy back from making straight and deep runs into the opposition's half.

I also think that we should not forget that this team is not filled with tall players especially in midfield. A tall and strong DM comes in handy for these aerial battles in the middle of the park where you want to gain possession or simply break the opponent's buildup. A little support on the defensive side of set-pieces would also be welcome and relieve Firmino a bit from this task he has to do at times. Apart from Henderson we have no midfielder at 6ft or above.

Any thought on Wilfrid Ndidi? Remarkable numbers in terms of tackles and decent ones in terms of interception. Tall guy too. I like him. I think its a question of time before the usual suspects come looking for him.

Spot on mate.



Any thought on Wilfrid Ndidi? Remarkable numbers in terms of tackles and decent ones in terms of interception. Tall guy too. I like him. I think its a question of time before the usual suspects come looking for him.

I've just looked at his numbers out of interest

His tackle success rate is 8% less than Henderson's (71%-63%)

The rest of his numbers look pretty good though

His interceptions are 86 in 50 games.. if you work that out at that rate against Henderson's numbers then the comparison would be

Henderson 376
Ndidi 478

Note. Obviously this is no exact science but they don't do % for interceptions so for the want of trying to compare their numbers.
There is of course no way to say  that Ndidis numbers stay the same over the next 230 games but as I said for comparison

Recoveries

Again using same maths

Ndidi is currently 413 in 50 games

Comparison

Henderson 1519
Ndidi 2296

Arial battles

Henderson
Won 192 lost 209
Ndidi
Won 176 lost 152

However I think what goes against Ndidi is what Klopp looks for as his number 6 and that someone who uses the ball well and Ndidi doesn't stack up there

What is also hard to quantify in these numbers is how teams play against us as how they play against Leicester.. teams don't tend to try to play through our midfield as if they lose it and get turned around they are in big trouble. Also looking at Vardys numbers he doesn't do what Bobby does to stop the ball coming onto his 6 as often

If you were looking for a traditional number 6 in the Macherano style he would be a really good shout.. however Klopp isn't looking for that type

He's also only 1cm taller than Henderson

Yes I'd be very happy with him or Maguire at Leicester

I like Maguire as well but I don’t tho k he’d be the right fit for us. He is a little bit slow on the turn for me and I think he’d get shown up playing in a higher line.

I like Lascelles, would be in the England squad for me. He would be a good compliment to VVD and he talks just as much and would be another natural captain.