Philippe Coutinho (Barcelona)

Out of curiosity, if you could keep Coutinho and the squad stayed as it was or lose him and sign Van Dijk and Keita, what would everyone do?

Was talking about this with one my mates earlier. I'd let him go for the other pair myself. Think you can put together a better XI with a squad consisting of Van Dijk, Keita and no Coutinho than you can the other way around.

Having said that, if people did their jobs right we'd have all three of them.

https://twitter.com/btsportfootball/status/896456629977305088

Anyone else sensing a deadline day transfer for Coutinho, coupled with some panic buying on our part?

Anyone else sensing a deadline day transfer for Coutinho, coupled with some panic buying on our part?

We'll sell him and announce the major sponsorship of the tea ladies pinny

Barcelona have signed Brazil and former Tottenham midfielder Paulinho, 29, for 40m euros (£36.6m) from Chinese side Guangzhou Evergrande. (Mail on Sunday)

Germany midfielder Mesut Ozil, 28, does not want to stay at Arsenal and is pushing for a move to Barcelona. (Don Balon via Daily Star Sunday)

Chelsea would be willing to sell Belgium's attacking midfielder Eden Hazard, 26, to Barcelona for 120m euros (£110m). (Diario Gol via Daily Star Sunday)

It's going to be perfect I can feel it.

Just like when we replaced...

Aqualani for Alonso
Carrol for Torres
Balotelli for Suarez

Top business right there.

I think if Barca get Dembele, Coutinho stays and he's put himself in an awkward position, more so with Klopp.

Out of curiosity, if you could keep Coutinho and the squad stayed as it was or lose him and sign Van Dijk and Keita, what would everyone do?

Was talking about this with one my mates earlier. I'd let him go for the other pair myself. Think you can put together a better XI with a squad consisting of Van Dijk, Keita and no Coutinho than you can the other way around.

Having said that, if people did their jobs right we'd have all three of them.

I'm with you on this one mate. My point is even we keep Coutinho but with this squad we are not likely to win any trophy this season. One thing is if Coutinho finally leave next season why we do developing player for other team. If the like of VVD and Keita come even we lost Coutinho but overall squad is strengthen, plus we can still add player to replace him (if Klopp want). 

Out of curiosity, if you could keep Coutinho and the squad stayed as it was or lose him and sign Van Dijk and Keita, what would everyone do?

Was talking about this with one my mates earlier. I'd let him go for the other pair myself. Think you can put together a better XI with a squad consisting of Van Dijk, Keita and no Coutinho than you can the other way around.

Having said that, if people did their jobs right we'd have all three of them.

Mate, I think most would agree that we need both to happen. We're 3-4 players short regardless, one look at our bench again yesterday confirms that. The window still has a couple of weeks to go so I'm pinning all my hopes on the club doing some Proper business and also keeping hold of Coutinho if they've got the balls.

Funny how now all of the sudden, transfers aren't decided by Klopp...they are decided by someone above him. Peter Moore told us that Klopp and Edwards were in charge of player movement. So now Klopp says it's not up to him.

This is getting a bit worrisome....never good when your manager appears to be drawing lines in the sand (one way or the other).

Exactly FL. The implications are far reaching and probably deeper than just the Coutinho clusterfuck.

I had been very assured, by Jürgen, when he told us categorically: "He's NOT for sale", I really was.

I guess, fool as I was and going against my basic instincts: a part of me needed to believe the ITKs who said he was in 'total control' of transfers.

Below is exactly why I "needed to believe"...

Jürgen said he's 'Not For Sale' and I believe that. 

I have to. I cannot let myself believe that the big fella is no different from Brendan - a weak man who talked the talk but just couldn't walk the walk because, when push came to shove; he had no power, no say and was nothing more than the fall guy for the then real power, Edwards.

If what Jürgen now says is the truth [like a lot of us in the... er... "Tin-Foil hat Brigade" said] and "The bosses" [presumably FSG] really have the final say then sadly nothing has changed. 

Remember the first time Luis 'wanted away'?

'Rodgers' said there was no longer enough time remaining in the transfer window to countenance losing last season's top scorer.

"It's very difficult at this time [for a Suarez bid to succeed]" Rodgers said.

"We are trying to get one or two more quality players in through the door. If we lose Luis at this stage it would be difficult to replace him.
"There might have been a point a few months ago where there was time to do it but with 11 days to go it would be difficult to replace him."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/liverpool/10261231/Its-too-late-to-sell-Luis-Suarez-now-says-Liverpool-manager-Brendan-Rodgers-as-Real-Madrid-plan-late-bid.html

And now this?...

Klopp acknowledged this, saying it was "a question of timing" as much as it was a question of the importance of the player.

"But a transfer is also a question of timing and if you have the opportunity and the need to react to such a transfer...

Also you have to ask, if you have the time to react. But just because of one request of one club, we don’t have to think about that. We are not in that situation."

https://www.thisisanfield.com/2017/08/no-price-limit-let-go-Jürgen-klopp-adamant-philippe-coutinho-staying/

[Deja F***ing Vu or what?  ]

Listen: The truth is: No matter what the ITKs try to tell you, no matter how they squirm or flip-flop... there has been no change to who has final say.

FSG operate a transfer policy which "transcends managers", Edwards is the man with the power and Jürgen accepts that. The same way Brendan accepted the Transfer Committee.

For anyone who still doubts that truth... Here, read this, quotes and all: 

Liverpool’s Jürgen Klopp welcomes sporting director Michael Edwards

Edwards has been promoted from technical director to sporting director at Anfield as part of a restructuring of the club’s football operation and will take the lead role on future transfer negotiations.

Fenway Sports Group, Liverpool’s owner, has been impressed by Edwards’ impact on player recruitment at all levels of the club from the academy to development squad to the first team. Klopp, who worked alongside a sporting director at both Borussia Dortmund and Mainz, expressed his support for Edwards’ appointment, saying: “This decision is hugely positive for us."

The Liverpool manager also claimed the appointment of a sporting director would help maintain stability at Anfield in the event of any managerial upheaval...

"Football managers get sacked because results are not good but a lot of things around them could have been good. We have tried to create a situation where everything around is perfect. If the manager changes in the future, this club will have a good base."

Edwards, who joined Liverpool in November 2011 and has been part of the club’s transfer committee.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/nov/04/liverpool-Jürgen-klopp-sporting-director-michael-edwards

To be clear tho': none of this is to say FSG will sell this summer (after all it's too late to get a replacement). 

Exactly FL. The implications are far reaching and probably deeper than just the Coutinho clusterfuck.

I had been very assured, by Jürgen, when he told us categorically: "He's NOT for sale", I really was.

I guess, fool as I was and going against my basic instincts: a part of me needed to believe the ITKs who said he was in 'total control' of transfers.

Below is exactly why I "needed to believe"...

If what Jürgen now says is the truth [like a lot of us in the... er... "Tin-Foil hat Brigade" said] and "The bosses" [presumably FSG] really have the final say then sadly nothing has changed. 

Remember the first time Luis 'wanted away'?

'Rodgers' said there was no longer enough time remaining in the transfer window to countenance losing last season's top scorer.

"It's very difficult at this time [for a Suarez bid to succeed]" Rodgers said.

"We are trying to get one or two more quality players in through the door. If we lose Luis at this stage it would be difficult to replace him.
"There might have been a point a few months ago where there was time to do it but with 11 days to go it would be difficult to replace him."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/liverpool/10261231/Its-too-late-to-sell-Luis-Suarez-now-says-Liverpool-manager-Brendan-Rodgers-as-Real-Madrid-plan-late-bid.html

And now this?...

Klopp acknowledged this, saying it was "a question of timing" as much as it was a question of the importance of the player.

"But a transfer is also a question of timing and if you have the opportunity and the need to react to such a transfer...

Also you have to ask, if you have the time to react. But just because of one request of one club, we don’t have to think about that. We are not in that situation."

https://www.thisisanfield.com/2017/08/no-price-limit-let-go-Jürgen-klopp-adamant-philippe-coutinho-staying/

[Deja F***ing Vu or what?  ]

Listen: The truth is: No matter what the ITKs try to tell you, no matter how they squirm or flip-flop... there has been no change to who has final say.

FSG operate a transfer policy which "transcends managers", Edwards is the man with the power and Jürgen accepts that. The same way Brendan accepted the Transfer Committee.

For anyone who still doubts that truth... Here, read this, quotes and all: 

Liverpool’s Jürgen Klopp welcomes sporting director Michael Edwards

Edwards has been promoted from technical director to sporting director at Anfield as part of a restructuring of the club’s football operation and will take the lead role on future transfer negotiations.

Fenway Sports Group, Liverpool’s owner, has been impressed by Edwards’ impact on player recruitment at all levels of the club from the academy to development squad to the first team. Klopp, who worked alongside a sporting director at both Borussia Dortmund and Mainz, expressed his support for Edwards’ appointment, saying: “This decision is hugely positive for us."

The Liverpool manager also claimed the appointment of a sporting director would help maintain stability at Anfield in the event of any managerial upheaval...

"Football managers get sacked because results are not good but a lot of things around them could have been good. We have tried to create a situation where everything around is perfect. If the manager changes in the future, this club will have a good base."

Edwards, who joined Liverpool in November 2011 and has been part of the club’s transfer committee.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/nov/04/liverpool-Jürgen-klopp-sporting-director-michael-edwards

To be clear tho': none of this is to say FSG will sell this summer (after all it's too late to get a replacement). 

It is beginning to look like Jürgen has insisted on and has operated with a veto on players coming in.........but the reality is nothing has actually changed re outgoing.

In retrospect the FSG "statement" (even typing that gives me the fear!) was just their way of trying to show Jürgen they are listening (because they are fu**ed if he walks) whilst in reality forcing Coutinho's entourage to retaliate......and hurtle to the inevitable denouement.......

Some shouts that we're going for Insigne to replace Phil now.

If so, I think we'd actually be getting one of the next best in line to fill his boots in a like-for-like way.

Isn't he a deodorant ?

So the 11 o'clock statement was bollocks, what a surprise

So the 11 o'clock statement was bollocks, what a surprise

 

I think he stays, I think if they were doing a deal it would have happened already, it will be a tough road back for Couts and I really hope Klopp isn't the kind of guy to hold  grudge, although I suspect he does, but I hope for one more great season from him then to leave with our blessing, like Suarez did.

Chelsea would be willing to sell Belgium's attacking midfielder Eden Hazard, 26, to Barcelona for 120m euros (£110m). (Diario Gol via Daily Star Sunday)

Haha, that's two massively unreliable sources.

Id sell the c**t

150m no less but he's a pr**k and I'd sell him

He'll be sold now IMHO. FSG won't want to take a chance on his "back problem" becoming a full blown issue or his form "dipping", and/or Barca switching their attention/money elsewhere.

He'll go for around 113 mill, we'll sign Van Dijk, Kieta and Insigne. You heard it here first.

He'll be sold now IMHO. FSG won't want to take a chance on his "back problem" becoming a full blown issue or his form "dipping", and/or Barca switching their attention/money elsewhere.

He'll go for around 113 mill, we'll sign Van Dijk, Kieta and Insigne. You heard it here first.

I'd tear your arm off for that deal bud.

He'll be sold now IMHO. FSG won't want to take a chance on his "back problem" becoming a full blown issue or his form "dipping", and/or Barca switching their attention/money elsewhere.

He'll go for around 113 mill, we'll sign Van Dijk, Kieta and Insigne. You heard it here first.

He'll be sold and not replaced. That's my honest opinion.

He'll be sold and not replaced. That's my honest opinion.

This is more likely sadly.