Are We Really After Top Players... Or Is It A Smoke Screen?

Liverpool did pull out of Depay deal, according to Dutch magazine

Reports from Dutch magazine Voetbal have suggested that Memphis Depay did not become a Liverpool player because we pulled out of the deal…

The story says that we were interested in the attacker, and that we were in pole position to sign him, until we changed our minds and allowed first PSG and then Man United to take the lead in the chase for his signature.

The winger had become one of Europe’s hottest properties, after a stunning season guided his current side PSV Eindhoven to the Eredivisie title. The 21-year-old was the league’s top goalscorer, bagging 22 goals, three clear of his teammate Luuk de Jong.

The Daily Mail reported that the Netherlands international ended one of the summer’s earliest transfer sagas last week, by completing a £25m move to our Premier League rivals Manchester United.

We were pretty miffed, especially as Brendan Rodgers suggested that we were not after the player once the deal had been done, according to The Guardian.

But, Voetbal International claimed that Depay was ready to pick Anfield over Old Trafford, before we decided that our transfer priorities changed at the last minute.

The injury to Daniel Sturridge, as well as the number of options already in Depay’s position, meant that buying a striker in the summer has become our main concern. And, to find one of Premier League standard, we will have to spend a large amount of money. Unfortunately, the £25m that United ended up spending on the Depay would represent a sizeable amount of our transfer kitty. Buying the Dutchman, when we already have a cluster of wingers, and not going after a forward, would be perhaps naive.
http://www.empireofthekop.com/2015/05/16/liverpool-did-pull-out-of-depay-deal-according-to-dutch-magazine/

I don't know how reliable the sources are, but you never know.

Cloak and daggers, smokescreen and all that.

That's pretty scary if true.  It means that up until Studge had to have surgery we were happy with the strikers we have plus Origi and possibly Ings.

My mind is truly boggled 

Here's my issue...how did we just "all of the sudden" realize that a striker was our main priority? Sturridge has been injured all season...it's not like it was a revelation. To be honest, I was quite surprised that we were being linked to another winger, but I just assumed it was a replacement for Sterling. Hopefully, this means we are pretty confident that Sterling will be staying because if Sterling goes, it will have been stupid to have not actually snatched this kid up.

We excel at that., well Ayre does.

That's pretty scary if true.  It means that up until Studge had to have surgery we were happy with the strikers we have plus Origi and possibly Ings.

My mind is truly boggled 

Consistent if anything Debs, how many times have we pulled out of a deal in the face of a potential rival bid?
Resignation more than boggled.

Smokescreen all the way, nothing will change as long as FSG is the owner. We will continue to link to every top player available in the market with no serious intention to buy them and wages must be super low. 3 seasons on and the pattern is all too familiar. Do I expect anything different this coming close season transfer market, no it will get worse, I hope I am wrong. I really do.

I used to love reading transfer rumours and I'm sure a fair percentage of my posts here are in the Transfer boards.

But it's too depressing to go in now.

People will be all over Illarramendi, Kovacic and Vietto or equivalents all summer, when we all must surely know we won't sign any of those players. 

The sad bit is I am now resigned to us not even signing lads who are at the level below the top tier all the teams above us will be buying from.

I remember fellow reds getting giddy about Villa rumours previously and being able even back then to recognise we lacked the money or ambition to sign that level of player. Now we don't even have the money, ambition or competency to sign lads who aren't even the finished article.

It's all gonna be free transfers, wage cutting and then a late move for an overpriced and incompatible Benteke.

We are the only club arrogant enough to thick we can bridge an ever growing gap by spending less and less relatively and not even spending that outlay smartly... that is assuming the people running Liverpool are aiming at first place and not fourth as the ceiling for our ambition.

I used to love reading transfer rumours and I'm sure a fair percentage of my posts here are in the Transfer boards.

But it's too depressing to go in now.

You're not alone, the worldwide fans have the same feelings because the last 3 years have turned us fans into having one with a  defeatist attitude.

That's pretty scary if true.  It means that up until Studge had to have surgery we were happy with the strikers we have plus Origi and possibly Ings.

My mind is truly boggled 

It is Ayre's negotiating skills that keep us from getting any good players. This is nothing new and had been going for few years.

Quite simply, Ayre has to go from footballing side except for commercial interests. Actually, I would get rid of Ayre completely,

Get rid of Ayres and the transfer boys club but lets face it who will we be signing this summer that can replace the likes of Stevie or Luis and if we do that takes us back to where we where end of last season. TO actually improve this team we need 4 major names to come in and that will not happen.
Daniel could be back but then again he may not the ground will be full again so FSG dont have to do much with increase in TV money they are sitting pretty.

Does Ayre ever have any chance of signing targets when his bidding price and wage structure is likely to be 25% less than any of the other top clubs.
Like asking Messi to sign for villa on £ 40k a week !
It just ain't gonna happen, regardless of how good a salesman you are.
Not particularly supporting Ayre, but he must be embarrassed comparing what he is authorised to offer compared with the competition.