General LFC Transfer rumours/gossip thread

In my eyes if you want to get top players you have two options. You either:

a) pay top dollar transfer fees and top dollar wages, and/or

b) find top players before they actually become top players, and before everyone else wants them and you get bid out of it.


Now the most depressing aspect of our approach is that Jürgen identified three or four targets last Summer, Dahoud, Zeilenski, Brandt, Pulicsic etc etc, but we didn't get the deals done. Now, the World and his brother are in for the players and as we ARE NOT going to pay top dollar in wages to compete, they'll go elsewhere. Jürgen may as well just work as a scout for the top spending clubs. 

In my eyes if you want to get top players you have two options. You either:

a) pay top dollar transfer fees and top dollar wages, and/or

b) find top players before they actually become top players, and before everyone else wants them and you get bid out of it.


Now the most depressing aspect of our approach is that Jürgen identified three or four targets last Summer, Dahoud, Zeilenski, Brandt, Pulicsic etc etc, but we didn't get the deals done. Now, the World and his brother are in for the players and as we ARE NOT going to pay top dollar in wages to compete, they'll go elsewhere. Jürgen may as well just work as a scout for the top spending clubs. 

Mick, how do you know they were targets?

Mick, how do you know they were targets?

Most of the club's mouthpieces (Pearce, Reddy, etc) named them as such. That's about all anyone has to go on unless the Manager names people specifically.

Most of the club's mouthpieces (Pearce, Reddy, etc) named them as such.

That they did and on numerous occasions... and a quick Google of 'Jürgen Draxler wages" will also prove fruitful - should anyone be interested.

A wee freebie - the latest propaganda [the CL excuse being made earlier than usual]... http://www.anfieldnation.co.uk/exclusive-interview-james-pearce/

Listen; if anyone believes that we were NOT interested in any of these players - fair enough, I fully understand. You may well be right - the interest was probably just feigned in order to keep some fans believing but...

There were definitely strong links made by the Company's favourite 'journalists': of that you can be sure. 😎

All true mate, then you get people saying "nobody gets their first choices, imagine if Jürgen wanted Messi". Thing is though, he didn't and doesn't. He is picking out players who are very affordable both in terms of wages and fees, and we STILL didn't get the f****** job done. Now of course, they are almost certainly unaffordable and ungettable as the clubs who spend bigger and win more are sniffing around.

THIS Summer coming, the owners, transfer committee and board MUST back the manager. Get the players HE wants, if they're affordable and nobody else is sniffing around, just f****** get it done!   

All true mate, then you get people saying "nobody gets their first choices, imagine if Jürgen wanted Messi". Thing is though, he didn't and doesn't. He is picking out players who are very affordable both in terms of wages and fees, and we STILL didn't get the f****** job done. Now of course, they are almost certainly unaffordable and ungettable as the clubs who spend bigger and win more are sniffing around.

THIS Summer coming, the owners, transfer committee and board MUST back the manager. Get the players HE wants, if they're affordable and nobody else is sniffing around, just f****** get it done!

So do you think Klopp is lying when he says he has the say on transfers?
I mean, considering he brought his own team with him as well?

So do you think Klopp is lying when he says he has the say on transfers?
I mean, considering he brought his own team with him as well?

I think Jürgen Klopp is buying players he wants and likes.

But I think the view many of us hold is that the strategy and structure of the club explicitly rule out players who could improve us the most or who would be the first picks of the manager.

Last summer he clearly wanted Dembele, Gotze and Dahoud and couldn't manage to sign any of those.

The club is continually in the situation and has been for over a decade and it makes us less competitive than we could be.

Ultimately the why FSG run Liverpool is to keep us vaguely competitive (4th ish) and hope for a perfect storm of youth development, good manager and marginal gains to close the gap. 

What happened to 'we have resources to compete with anyone in football'?

When did so many fans seem to accept this downgrade in the ambition at the heart of the club?

In the current Premier League everyone decent is doing the youth, good manger and marginal gains thing but some also spending more money. Doesn't strike me as likely we're going to be so much better that firstly we catch up to be title challengers every year or go on to dominate... which is surely what we all want.

I think Jürgen Klopp is buying players he wants and likes.

But I think the view many of us hold is that the strategy and structure of the club explicitly rule out players who could improve us the most or who would be the first picks of the manager.

Last summer he clearly wanted Dembele, Gotze and Dahoud and couldn't manage to sign any of those.

The club is continually in the situation and has been for over a decade and it makes us less competitive than we could be.

Ultimately the why FSG run Liverpool is to keep us vaguely competitive (4th ish) and hope for a perfect storm of youth development, good manager and marginal gains to close the gap. 

What happened to 'we have resources to compete with anyone in football'?

When did so many fans seem to accept this downgrade in the ambition at the heart of the club?

In the current Premier League everyone decent is doing the youth, good manger and marginal gains thing but some also spending more money. Doesn't strike me as likely we're going to be so much better that firstly we catch up to be title challengers every year or go on to dominate... which is surely what we all want.

A very fair post.

My question is still valid however, as it seems some either have short memories, or are deliberately ignoring what Klopp has repeatedly said.

For the rest (and I largely agree) where do you suggest we get the money, considering FSG are not going to put their own money in, and the club can only spend what it makes?
Another consideration is the mess H&G left us in.
Let's not forget the 50 million quid for a few sketches of a new stadium, the lawsuits which have not long been resolved, and the fact that h&g sold our best players.

Those aren't excuses, but imo they are mitigating circumstances.

So considering all that, and the fact we don't have as much money as the teams we want to compete for the title with, what's the answer? (kind of half rhetorical there, I don't think anyone has the answer).

Ins: Ruffier as GK, Sessegon as RB, Keita as DM, Brandt as AM, Malcom as WG and Dembele as ST.

Outs: Mignolet, Bogdan, Moreno, Lucas, Stewart, Wisdom, Sturridge, Ings (maybe on loan)

Full 2017/2018 squad that will lift the EPL next season:

GK: Karius, Ruffier, Ward

RB: Clyne, Alexander-Arnold

LB: Milner, Sessegon

CB: Matip, Lovren, Gomez, Klavan

DM: Hendo, Can, Keita

MD: Lallana, Wijnaldum, Coutinho, Grujic

WG: Mane, Brandt, Malcom

ST: Dembele, Origi, Firmino

Ins: Ruffier as GK, Sessegon as RB, Keita as DM, Brandt as AM, Malcom as WG and Dembele as ST.

Outs: Mignolet, Bogdan, Moreno, Lucas, Stewart, Wisdom, Sturridge, Ings (maybe on loan)

Full 2017/2018 squad that will lift the EPL next season:

GK: Karius, Ruffier, Ward

RB: Clyne, Alexander-Arnold

LB: Milner, Sessegon

CB: Matip, Lovren, Gomez, Klavan

DM: Hendo, Can, Keita

MD: Lallana, Wijnaldum, Coutinho, Grujic

WG: Mane, Brandt, Malcom

ST: Dembele, Origi, Firmino

We're not winning any Premier League trophy with that combination of centre backs IMO.

Surely the point isn't just to improve our squad, it's to close the gap between us and the team who is winning the league?

Aren't we on track this season?  We look set to finish with 10-20 more points than last season depending on how well we finish out -- quite an accomplishment considering we only signed the leftovers that no one else wanted.... 

If we make that sort of progress year on year, we'll be title winners in the very near future!! 

Won't be paying any attention to the tabloid rumors this summer, they seem to believe that if they link us with add many players as possible they'll eventually get one right, and say I told you so. It's ridiculous that we were linked with over 100 players in the last couple of seasons, I'd hate to see our wage bill if we'd signed half of those.

Aren't we on track this season?  We look set to finish with 10-20 more points than last season depending on how well we finish out -- quite an accomplishment considering we only signed the leftovers that no one else wanted.... 

If we make that sort of progress year on year, we'll be title winners in the very near future!! 

Rolling eyes? Really 'arry? 

Your take on football has grown to be weird mate. It's almost as of you've never played it, seen it played or have even the simplest grasp of how it works in reality. You used to dream; what happened harry? 😆

It may be futile but I'll try, one last time, to appeal to the football fan in you.

* how many more points, than last season, will (champions elect) Chelsea finish with?

* their [Chelsea] achievement: is it more, or less an "accomplishment" than ours?

* is Chelsea's "accomplishment" down to them having a better manager or better players than us?

* what is so offensive in the notion that Liverpool fans might want to see the best players playing for the Liverpool manager?

After all we can safely assume that the rationale behind 'signing' new managers was because we wanted a better [the best] person in that role: yes?. So why not the best players?

Anyways... like I say - my last attempt. Stay safe buddy. 😎

* how many more points, than last season, will (champions elect) Chelsea finish with?

Significantly more it appears, but other teams points totals should be an irrelevant topic for this discussion.  If we finish with 74 points this season (which we are on course for), and then make a more modest improvement of 3-5 additional points per season for the next couple of years, then we will be competing for and likely winning the league within 3-5 years.  If the players Jürgen recruits are able to support that level of sustained growth and improvement, does it really matter if they were 1st, 2nd, or 3rd choice? 

* their [Chelsea] achievement: is it more, or less an "accomplishment" than ours?

We haven't accomplished anything except for improvement (assuming we don't completely f**k up the last 10 games).  While improvement on its own is nothing, consistent improvement over time will lead to future accomplishments in the form of trophies. 

* is Chelsea's "accomplishment" down to them having a better manager or better players?

They have a better mix of players and manager, but we are not far off.  A few more 2nd/3rd choice targets of similar quality to Mane/Matip/Gini and we'll be right there!! 

* what is so offensive in the notion that Liverpool fans might want to see the best players playing for the Liverpool manager?

Nothing at all, but I think the more important question is:  "Do the best players want to play for LFC?"  Sadly, many of the best players have more attractive options than LFC -- Barca, Madrid, Juve, Munich, etc.  What I do trust is that Klopp is signing the very best players who are both available and willing to come to LFC.  Fortunately for us, there are still some very high quality players that fit into this category as is evidenced by recent transfers like Mane, Matip, Gini, Lallana, Firmino, and Coutinho.

After all we can safely assume that the rationale behind 'signing' new managers was because we wanted a better [the best] person in that role: yes?. So why not the best players?

I've never said that I don't want the best players, but part of the legacy of LFC  (at least as far as I'm aware) is that we have a tradition of developing good players into great ones, and that we build great sides rather than just buying them.  Sure, we have bought a few players in the past who were already in the elite category, but many of those arrived during a time when LFC was a more attractive option than it is today.  Ideally, we can continue to progress and improve under Klopp until we reach a point when "the best players available to us" is synonymous with "the best players in the world"  --  we're not there, but I believe we are moving in that direction and I have faith in Klopp's ability to get us there in the next few years. 

I know hes a blue but how about a cheeky bid for Lukaku? Scoring record is quite fantastic and still only 23.

If we lived in la la land and our owners would be prepared to fork out £70m on a single player

I know hes a blue but how about a cheeky bid for Lukaku? Scoring record is quite fantastic and still only 23.

If we lived in la la land and our owners would be prepared to fork out £70m on a single player

I firmly believe Origi can be the better player He just needs games, games and games!

I firmly believe Origi can be the better player He just needs games, games and games!

Origi will be better than Lukaku? lukaku is the bloke who plays for Everton mate. They're talking 60 million quid plus for Lukaku, how much do you think Origi is worth?

Origi will be better than Lukaku? lukaku is the bloke who plays for Everton mate. They're talking 60 million quid plus for Lukaku, how much do you think Origi is worth?

Nothing is for certain, but I really do believe Origi can be, I actually think he has more potential to reach a higher level, but he needs games to develop.

Nothing is for certain, but I really do believe Origi can be, I actually think he has more potential to reach a higher level, but he needs games to develop.

Well Lukaku has 81 LEAGUE goals in 177 appearances mate (including substitute games), playing in a pretty average team. He has 26 assists too.

This season so far he's got 21 goals in 28 games (league), and that's playing for Everton. If you seriously think Origi is going to end up being better than that and you're right, then we've got a very special player on our hands indeed. My own feeling is that by the time they're both old enough to play masters six a side football, as long as by then Lukaku has developed a beer belly bigger than mine there is a chance that Origi may become a better player. Until then though, IMHO obviously the chances are close to zero.

Origi IMHO if he played for West Brom, Everton or Bournemouth would be coveted by precisely none of us. 

I firmly believe Origi can be the better player He just needs games, games and games!

Bold shout mate, and I tend to think Lukaku is over-rated. It wasn't that long ago that Origi was getting selected ahead of him for the national team so I don't think it's absurd a suggestion as you'll probably be told.

Personally I think Origi has better physical attributes than Lukaku and in a couple of years will also be an absolute beast in terms of physical presence but he needs to work most on his mentality. Constantly allowing defenders to bully him, especially those that aren't even close to his physical stature is a big issue in my book. Far too nice right now, needs to start the match in an angry mood an I think you'll see a much better player.

Respect for this type of post though, adds a bit of flavour to the debate.

Well Lukaku has 81 LEAGUE goals in 177 appearances mate (including substitute games), playing in a pretty average team. He has 26 assists too.

This season so far he's got 21 goals in 28 games (league), and that's playing for Everton. If you seriously think Origi is going to end up being better than that and you're right, then we've got a very special player on our hands indeed. My own feeling is that by the time they're both old enough to play masters six a side football, as long as by then Lukaku has developed a beer belly bigger than mine there is a chance that Origi may become a better player. Until then though, IMHO obviously the chances are close to zero.

Origi IMHO if he played for West Brom, Everton or Bournemouth would be coveted by precisely none of us. 

Bold shout mate, and I tend to think Lukaku is over-rated. It wasn't that long ago that Origi was getting selected ahead of him for the national team so I don't think it's absurd a suggestion as you'll probably be told.

Personally I think Origi has better physical attributes than Lukaku and in a couple of years will also be an absolute beast in terms of physical presence but he needs to work most on his mentality. Constantly allowing defenders to bully him, especially those that aren't even close to his physical stature is a big issue in my book. Far too nice right now, needs to start the match in an angry mood an I think you'll see a much better player.

Respect for this type of post though, adds a bit of flavour to the debate.

I am not saying Origi is a better player now or will be in the future, I am saying he has the potential to be better and needs games to develop.

Lukaku has been a #9 more or less his whole career due to the fact that he's a big heavy player,and apart from Chelsea, he has pretty much had more opportunities to play week in, week out as the main center forward.

Origi on the other hand has been shafted left right and center because of his slimmer build and pace throughout the years, but also, having better strikers ahead of him. I reckon if you flipped it with Origi having Lukaku's pathway, Origi will probably be better.
 
I actually feel he has made the wrong choice in joining us and should have found a lesser club to develop by playing weekly. However, he is our player and I would love to see is take the gamble on him rather than spend millions on Lukaku or any other striker in the summer tbh.

If Origi would start bullying the opposition like Lukaku often does, I'd rate his chances of being better much higher. But as of now he just doesn't impose himself like he should.

It's all opinions and that I guess. For me though Origi is not in the same stratosphere, Lukaku is one of the best five centre forwards in the league, along with Costa, Kane, Aguerro and Ibrhamovic. Origi wouldn't IMHO get in the top twenty.

In all honesty IMHO it's waiting for players like Origi to come good that has cost us over the years.