Summer 2017 Transfer Thread

[Captain]

It matters quite a lot what the teams around us do.

[Chip Butty]

fuck what everyone else is doing, if we get our business right it doesn't matter what everyone else does.

 

And here endeth the lesson

[Guest]

It matters quite a lot what the teams around us do.

 

I'm not sure it does, Chelsea didn't have a great record this season against the other 'top' teams but smashed past all the 'bottom' teams. They won the League at a canter with arguably a poorer record against the teams around them. All we need to do is smash past the 'bottom' teams and if we maintain the record against the other 'top' teams then anything is possible.

[Josef Svejk]

I'm not sure it does, Chelsea didn't have a great record this season against the other 'top' teams but smashed past all the 'bottom' teams. They won the League at a canter with arguably a poorer record against the teams around them. All we need to do is smash past the 'bottom' teams and if we maintain the record against the other 'top' teams then anything is possible.

Maintaining that record is unlikely. Especially if our five main rivals make signings so as to improve relative to us.

[amli]

Couple of (unreliable) sources saying we have signed Keita.

 

BREAKING: Sources at Melwood & in Germany tell us that Liverpool have agreed a deal with RB Leipzig over Naby Keita for £48M + Add-ons #LFC

 

The Firm‏ @thefirmBL 20h20 hours ago

We understand that Naby Keita will have his Liverpool medical within the next 7 days before an official announcement will be made by #LFC

 

The Firm‏ @thefirmBL 20h20 hours ago

Jurgen Klopp identified Naby Keita as his No1 target and is delighted with how swiftly the club have acted & concluded the deal #LFC

 

The Firm‏ @thefirmBL 20h20 hours ago

BREAKING Naby Keita who is managed by the same agent & management company as Sadio Mane has agreed personal terms on a 5 year deal with #LFC

 

 

 

 

 

There are unconfirmed reports in Germany that suggest #LFC have agreed a fee with Leipzig for Naby Keita, believed to be around £48m.

 

#LFC are looking to splash upwards of £150m, with a figure of £200m to match City and United not out of the question. (Maddock)

[Guest]

Maintaining that record is unlikely. Especially if our five main rivals make signings so as to improve relative to us.

Like I say, it doesn't matter that much either way as Chelsea have won the League with a relatively poor record with their rivals. 

[aRdja]

They pretty much have the best two young wingers in the game atm in Dembele and Pulisic (who just won a pen, which Aubameyang uses to put Dortmund 2-1 in front).

Sane and Sterling are definitely up there.

[aRdja]

I've seen Naby Keita play about a handful of times, and I have to say I would be a bit underwhelmed if he's our only midfield signing, because it means Henderson or Can will remain our chief defensive midfielder. Keita looks a good player, but I don't think he's a holding midfielder as he roams about the pitch.. position wise more a young Steven Gerrard than Didi Hamann.

[amli]

Mamadou Sakho out, Momodou Sonko in.

 

 

 

Liverpool have handed trials to super junior Momodou Sonko.

 

The 12 year-old Swede plays for Västra Frölundas and will test with the Reds academy this week.

 

Master Sonko told Göteborgs Posten: "I was completely shocked when I was told about their interest."

 

His coach Ibrahim Hassan also said, "We have many talented guys, not only in this team, but also in many of our other sides.

 

"But Momo has that little extra."

[Carvalho Diablo]

Sane and Sterling are definitely up there.

.

[Paul]

I've seen Naby Keita play about a handful of times, and I have to say I would be a bit underwhelmed if he's our only midfield signing, because it means Henderson or Can will remain our chief defensive midfielder. Keita looks a good player, but I don't think he's a holding midfielder as he roams about the pitch.. position wise more a young Steven Gerrard than Didi Hamann.

Why are you comparing Keita to Can and Henderson (or indeed Gerrard for that matter)? He's nothing like any of them. He's a fast dribbler and incisive passer rather than a defensive midfielder.

[aRdja]

Why are you comparing Keita to Can and Henderson (or indeed Gerrard for that matter)? He's nothing like any of them. He's a fast dribbler and incisive passer rather than a defensive midfielder.

That was exactly my point, no?

 

If we're still playing the same 4-3-3 formation, he would displace Gini or Lallana.. and our DM would still be Can or Hendo.

[Gym Beglin]

Maintaining that record is unlikely. Especially if our five main rivals make signings so as to improve relative to us.

Don't agree. We beat them because they all tried to have an expansive game of football against us and couldn't match our industry. We're the hardest working and fittest team in that top four.

 

The top teams are all going to buy big names to complement what they're already doing, not get in players to change their style of play.

 

Our signings will make an already very good system even more efficient and potent. Me loves it.

[Lee909]

Whick wont matter if Arsenal and Utd do a better job at battering the shite teams. Everyone below 7th was crap last year and we droped points to what nearly everyone on the bittom half

[El Dangerous]

I don't see him signing a holding midfielder. Even if Lucas goes, we'd be more likely to replace him with a centre back. He fancies Hendo to be our Kante and a static holding player just doesn't seem to be on his agenda. Keita is mobile as fuck and looks adept at those tricky little interceptions that we do instead of full blooded tackles.

[Remmie]

Who does Keita replace in the starting XI?

[Cardie]

Who does Keita replace in the starting XI?

With Klopp wanting Coutinho to play deeper you'd imagine him and Lallana will have that left hand side to themselves on rotation (with both being able to play further forward as well)

 

Henderson in the centre (backed by Can?), so i guess he fights for a place with wijnaldum on the right hand side.

 

Can, Henderson and Wijnaldum are somewhat interchangeable so you could see various combinations.

 

Whether thats what we need is up for debate.

[El Dangerous]

Henderson, Coutinho and Lallana are so injury prone I don't see any of our midfielders struggling for games. With the extra games we'll have if we qualify we'll probably see Lucas in there on occasion. As long as it's not alongside Ovie Ejaria away at the Bernabeu.

[Gym Beglin]

Think you're right Cardie,

 

Can/Henderson

Wijnaldum/Keita

Lallana/Coutinho

 

That said, I think Hendo's injury might force something, and it seems Klopp rates Grujic.

[Gym Beglin]

Throw in the fact that Can has confed cup duty coming up, and only has 12 months left on contract, it could be that if he doesn't sign a contract this summer then we have to sell to get a good fee for him.

 

With Hendo as the only other option, it seems likely we'll address that deeper position somehow. Keita cannot play there.

[dylstar]

I can also confirm Jon Flanagan will not join Barcelona this summer. (Source: Independent)

[barosrocks]

Mes que un club my arse!

 

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[Ne Moe Imya]

Who does Keita replace in the starting XI?

 

Keita is like a midfield Coutinho who covers more ground.  Everything good we get when we move Coutinho back we get with Keita, but without the vulnerability we show to a counterattacking team that moves the ball quickly through midfield.

 

I'd really like to see us try the diamond with both Coutinho and Keita.  Either Can or Henderson at the base and Firmino at the top, with Mane and another pacy forward up front.  I don't see how you defend against that.  We wouldn't be great defensively, but with Keita and Coutinho feeding through balls to the front men we would destroy teams going forward.

 

But the short answer to your question is probably Wijnaldum.  Even if we go back to a 4-3-3 with Coutinho part of the front 3, Gini's the likely one to miss out.  Which is fine with me; if we want to challenge for the league we have to move past the idea of a first XI and get to a point where we have players like Gini, Lallana, Henderson and maybe even Firmino as bench/rotation options when everyone's fit.

[Funkasy]

Keita replacing wijnaldum is going to be hard as no one can find him most of the time.

[sir roger]

I hate this insistence on ' who will they replace in the team ? '. Most of the problem last year was having a good first 12 or 13 and nothing after that. We will have loads of games this year and loads of injuries so every good player we have will have lots of games.