Ragnar Klavan- Augsburg

was skrtel so bad that we had to sell him and find a 'backup' replacement for the same position in the span of a week?   

i dont know the guy,  cool name tho but if he isnt at least an upgrade to skrtel then imo we have taken a small step backwards?  skrtel wasnt a starter for us either last season.  hope he is a good defensive cover

A great time to be had in Estonia for a nice cheap weekend coty break getting smashed.

Wouldn't be going about buying their 30 year old centre halves though if we have serious desires of winning anything.

Fair enough saying hes defensive cover but the guy still could play a lot of games as defensive cover.

Surely there is better out there.

Doesn't this fella play every week in the Bundesliga and captain his country.  Why would he come here to sit on the bench at this stage in his career?

Doesn't this fella play every week in the Bundesliga and captain his country.  Why would he come here to sit on the bench at this stage in his career?

Money ?

Doesn't this fella play every week in the Bundesliga and captain his country.  Why would he come here to sit on the bench at this stage in his career?

Increased wages?

I've never heard of the fella but you don't get to captain your country and play 107 times or whatever it is (even if it's Estonia) if you haven't got a bit of something about you. 4 million quid is chump change, quite literally if we need him for half a dozen games and he comes in and does a solid job then the transfer makes sense.

It's not transfers like this which get my goat at all, it's the lack of investment in a quality, game changing midfielder which gets me. It's the reluctance on the part of the money men to go out and get a quality left full back, the inability to secure a like for like replacement in terms of class for when Sturridge gets injured. These players don't have to be "big names" nor do they necessarily need to be "expensive", but I'd be surprised if we'd get them for wages which wouldn't make our owners eyes water.

We are a 1.16 billion pound club which was bought for 350 million quid six years ago, and our NET spend on transfers is likely to be less than 30 million quid once all the dust has settled. Not only that, but our wage bill will probably have stayed the same too. We oughtn't to be surprised if it proves to be beyond Jürgen and the squad to really get in amongst it, but if we don't it won't be because we signed players like Ragnar Klavan, it'll be because of players we HAVEN'T got over the line.     

YES! GET THAT TRANSFER IN! The best player of Estonia. Experienced and he was a leader of Agusburg´s defence. His dream is to play in the Premier League so thats why he is probably ready not to be in the first 11 in the beginning but it is a matter of time when Lovren fu**s up again and then Klavan can nick into the starting lineup

He is like Kolo only that Klavan still has his legs. It would be a very awesome signing, you are not excited because you don´t know how good he is in defence

Also it would mean that there is more TV time for Liverpool in my country when Klavan signs!!

Everton tried to sign him last year but Klavan refused... glad he chose the right side

I've never heard of the fella but you don't get to captain your country and play 107 times or whatever it is (even if it's Estonia) if you haven't got a bit of something about you. 

I said the exact same thing about Poulsen.
Was proven wrong.

Anyway even if he's that bad it's not a big deal, with Sakho not being banned he's going to be fourth choice.

Lovren, Matip, Ilori as the RCBs
Sakho, Klavan, Gomez as the LCBs

Looks like we are sorted for at least 2-3 seasons

I trust Klopp with our money😉

Medical tomorrow apparently.

Not hanging around with this signing.

Medical tomorrow apparently.

Not hanging around with this signing.

I'm pretty stoked about this signing. Think this guy might actually be  able to contribute and  we  always  have issues with depth at CB so good work covering that.

Interesting player. Started out in the Eredivisie as a leftback. He is good at passing from CB so this transfer makes a lot of sense.

Interesting player. Started out in the Eredivisie as a leftback. He is good at passing from CB so this transfer makes a lot of sense.

I've seen him a few times and although he never actually stood out and is probably no better than what we let go; his experience alone makes sense in this deal.

Another squad player? More than likely.

I'm pretty stoked about this signing.

Wouldn't take much to get you going so

Wouldn't take much to get you going so

I literally don't even know what that's supposed to mean

I literally don't even know what that's supposed to mean

Haha sorry pal I'll translate "It doesn't take a lot to get you excited"

Haha sorry pal I'll translate "It doesn't take a lot to get you excited"

I think you would find me to be quite the contrary. I've not exactly been doing somersaults over our signings so far.

Fun(ny) thread to read at times. A few thoughts:

1. This transfer should be a reminder of just how much sh*te most of the transfer rumours are - and I mean total sh*te, not a part sh*te part sawdust mix. When it's real, you tend to find out about it when it is about to happen.

2. With Sakho and Gomez both injured, Klopp had to bring in some cover. I notice the English press (and to some degree fans) are incredibly optimistic when discussing the return of injured players that they will be just as good as they were pre-injury, whenever they come back. I noticed this with Flanagan last season, and I hear it with Ings and Gomez this year. with Gomez i particular, we should hope for the best but we truly don't know what he is going to be like for us this year at all. Sad truth.

3. Someone keeps listing Lovren and Matip on the right side of central defense and then Sakho as first choice on the left. Is the consensus on here that Lovren and Matip won't play together, because I've been thinking of Dejan and Joel as the two starters. No?

1. This transfer should be a reminder of just how much sh*te most of the transfer rumours are - and I mean total sh*te, not a part sh*te part sawdust mix. When it's real, you tend to find out about it when it is about to happen.

Agreed.

2. With Sakho and Gomez both injured, Klopp had to bring in some cover. I notice the English press (and to some degree fans) are incredibly optimistic when discussing the return of injured players that they will be just as good as they were pre-injury, whenever they come back. I noticed this with Flanagan last season, and I hear it with Ings and Gomez this year. with Gomez i particular, we should hope for the best but we truly don't know what he is going to be like for us this year at all. Sad truth.

Very true mate, that's why I've been so encouraged by Ings' performances in the friendlies. He looks just as quick, just as sharp. Of course the stamina is yet to be tested but that's hardly what the injury should rob him of long term. You're right with Gomez we just don't know but i would have thought age should play some part in stacking things in his favour a little.

3. Someone keeps listing Lovren and Matip on the right side of central defense and then Sakho as first choice on the left. Is the consensus on here that Lovren and Matip won't play together, because I've been thinking of Dejan and Joel as the two starters. No?

This one has me most intrigued. Lovren was undoubtedly improved last season but I didn't personally buy into the overwhelming improvement that some were/are suggesting. I wonder too if Jürgen's first choice pairing might be Matip/Sakho. The interesting part so far is that it's been Lovren that has moved position out of the two. Perhaps it's that Lovren is more comfortable on the left than Matip so it was a simple choice with nobody else to play the left hand side and that Matip has come in as understudy for Lovren on the right but I'm not totally convinced that both will start as the first choice pairing.

This one has me most intrigued. Lovren was undoubtedly improved last season but I didn't personally buy into the overwhelming improvement that some where/are suggesting. I wonder too if Jürgen's first choice pairing might be Matip/Sakho. The interesting part so far is that it's been Lovren that has moved position out of the two. Perhaps it's that Lovren is more comfortable on the left than Matip so it was a simple choice with nobody else to play the left hand side and that Matip has come in as understudy for Lovren on the right but I'm not totally convinced that both will start as the first choice pairing.

Lovren has always been comfortable on the left side. Used to play on that side when he was partnered with Fonte at Southampton and even when he started with us he began on the left side paired with Skrtel.

In my opinion, the first choice pairing will have Sakho in it one way or the other. He'd been emerging as a key leader for us last year before the "doping" set-back. I personally would have him and Dejan as first choice when all fit and I'd leave Matip as a very capable third choice to push competition, or possibly try him out in the midfield. When he's on his game and confident, Lovren is a complete defender, good build, pretty intelligent tactically, and has always been touted as capable of leading the line as well when called upon. I wouldn't write him off to keep improving to be honest.

This one has me most intrigued. Lovren was undoubtedly improved last season but I didn't personally buy into the overwhelming improvement that some where/are suggesting. I wonder too if Jürgen's first choice pairing might be Matip/Sakho. The interesting part so far is that it's been Lovren that has moved position out of the two. Perhaps it's that Lovren is more comfortable on the left than Matip so it was a simple choice with nobody else to play the left hand side and that Matip has come in as understudy for Lovren on the right but I'm not totally convinced that both will start as the first choice pairing.

I think if Matip stays fit we will see Lovren and Matip as our first choice pair. As you say it will be interesting to see how this one plays out.

I have never been 100% convinced by Sakho defensively, although I do think he has been our best distributor of the ball from the back even with his strange style and the odd passing mistake.

The one thing that may convince Jürgen to choose Sakho and Matip ahead of Lovren is pace. I think even Skrtel could have given Lovren a run for his money over 10 or 20 yards and if we play with a high line it could be the deciding factor.

I'm going with Lovren and Matip for now anyway... but not dismissing Sakho completely.

Lovren has always been comfortable on the left side. Used to play on that side when he was partnered with Fonte at Southampton and even when he started with us he began on the left side paired with Skrtel.

I know mate but his major improvement came on the right hand side.

In my opinion, the first choice pairing will have Sakho in it one way or the other. He'd been emerging as a key leader for us last year before the "doping" set-back. I personally would have him and Dejan as first choice when all fit and I'd leave Matip as a very capable third choice to push competition, or possibly try him out in the midfield. When he's on his game and confident, Lovren is a complete defender, good build, pretty intelligent tactically, and has always been touted as capable of leading the line as well when called upon. I wouldn't write him off to keep improving to be honest.

He could easily keep improving but unlike you I think Matip is the most guaranteed to be in the starting pairing. We conceded so many headers and set pieces last season that I think he's the natural solution. After that it becomes a straight fight between Lovren and Sakho and personally I think Lovren is better on the right than he is on the left so I don't think it's a foregone conclusion that if Sakho avoids a drug ban that he's actually first choice.