Are you ok with what it would cost to land Virgil Van Dyke?

[Guest]

The fee is patently ridiculous, but the days of big clubs and football in general not being ridiculous are well gone. I am stuck between despising the way we pay so much for players that we could've had for much cheaper a season or two before, and just wanting to win and thinking, 'well, it ain't our money, so fuck it'. In this case, we get a leader who can organise and control the others in the box. We have needed a player like him for a long, long time. So, you know, fuck it.

 

*Wince*

But it is the money of the paying fans that gets the players and pays the wages. At least to get the players to reach the competitions that bring in even more revenue.

 

So long as tickets don't go up to being unaffordable to the loyal fans who are paying to support/watch the teams then it's all fine. The moment fans are priced out of tickets that's when it starts to look obscene.

[Numero Veinticinco]

But it is the money of the paying fans that gets the players and pays the wages. At least to get the players to reach the competitions that bring in even more revenue.

 

So long as tickets don't go up to being unaffordable to the loyal fans who are paying to support/watch the teams then it's all fine. The moment fans are priced out of tickets that's when it starts to look obscene.

There's a disconnect, I believe. The fans are paying the same - too much - regardless of whether we spend or not. We get so, so much front sponsorships, European Cup involvement, the League place finish, etc; I don't think it should be thought of in the 'buy big, pay more at the gate' type of way. Plus, we have spent a fraction of our income these last few years. Ticket prices aren't falling because of that, unfortunately. At least matchgoing fans will have something decent too look at for the money going forward!

[Creator Supreme]

£13m to £50-60m on the back of 2 seasons in the premier league is beyond a joke, I'd like us to fuck him off for somebody cheaper, but we'll pay it.

 

Would be easier to buy Southampton's scouting team! I think that's what gets to me most, 30-35 years ago we'd have had him signed before he even went to Celtic if he was any good.

[Lee909]

 

 

£13m to £50-60m on the back of 2 seasons in the premier league is beyond a joke, I'd like us to fuck him off for somebody cheaper, but we'll pay it.

 

 

And then everyone spends the next few years moaning that we never paid the extra and ended up with the second coming of Lovren. Gibson,Sakho and Keane are going in the 20-30ml range. Stones went for 50ml,Ottamendi 30ml and Mustafi 35ml. He is far better than all those. Top quality CB are in short supply

[Jose Jones]

Defenders especially centre backs often only mature in their mid twenties. I agree the fee is ridiculous but you can't just go along buying 20 year olds.

They will rarely be good enough for the team and we won't give them the games they need to develop.

 

Once they have developed elsewhere then they cost more money. If we can afford it it's a more effective way of getting players really, and I don't think anyone would accuse us of overspending recently.

[Paulie Dangerously]

After years of spending mid-bucks on bang average punts I'm happy to spend big

[Scooby Dudek]

The price seems astronomical but as others have said it is the market. 

 

As an aside I remember last season when we bought Mane early and his fee seemed very high. By the end of the transfer window he seemed a bargain. 

[Rex Banner]

I'm torn. I love a good bargain, Matip for free still makes me smile. 60mil is crazy money and the wages are even worse but if Klopp really wants him and if his price doesn't mean we have to change our other targets then I'm reluctantly OK with it.

What will make me really Ok with it is if we can get 30 odd million for Sakho. If we can do that then it will be a lot easier to swallow.

[Creator Supreme]

I see where you're all coming from about paying for quality, I'd just like us to spot the quality earlier.

[Biscao]

We're buying possibly the best defender in the Premier League. If he costs John Stones + £10m, then so be it. 

[Trumo]

If this deal actually goes through, whatever we end up paying will be an astronomical fee so it is imperative that we get the same impact and longevity from Van Dijk that Man Utd got with both Pallister and Ferdinand, who were both signed for astronomical fees themselves.

[setreal]

Didn't one of the more reliable hacks report the fee to be more in the 45m price range?

[Captain Turdseye]

Didn't one of the more reliable hacks report the fee to be more in the 45m price range?

One of the more reliable Twitter ITK's. Seemingly more reliable than the hacks but not in the same league as Paulie Dangerously.

[The Golden Eel]

Yes, but it's a big gamble

[joe_fishfish]

I think it's ridiculous, we can get much better value elsewhere. If we end up lowballing Roma and Leipzig and missing out on Salah and Keita who are much more important signings then I'll be yet again wondering how the fuck FSG justify their transfer decisions.

[dave u]

There's a disconnect, I believe. The fans are paying the same - too much - regardless of whether we spend or not. We get so, so much front sponsorships, European Cup involvement, the League place finish, etc; I don't think it should be thought of in the 'buy big, pay more at the gate' type of way. Plus, we have spent a fraction of our income these last few years. Ticket prices aren't falling because of that, unfortunately. At least matchgoing fans will have something decent too look at for the money going forward!

 

This is all true, yet I can't shake the feeling that if we have a good season then in a year's time (when the two year 'freeze' runs out) we're going to get hammered with an increase in ticket prices, and they'll use the spending on Van Dijk & co as justification for it.

[chrisbonnie]

If this deal goes through it'll be the first time since Stan collymore that we beat our rivals for a players signature.

 

Once the guy is a success, I couldn't care less what it costs.

[Ipplfc]

I personally couldn't care less how much any player costs,I want to see my season ticket money on the pitch

[Simbo]

I see where you're all coming from about paying for quality, I'd just like us to spot the quality earlier.

Whose to say he would have progressed the way he has if we'd signed him for £13m direct from Celtic?

 

Maybe he's needed these 2 years to mature and develop into the player he is today.

 

There's no way of knowing BUT if the owners are willing to sanction this transfer then we can obviously afford it.

 

Fuck it. Let's just enjoy the ride.

[Dr Nowt]

Southampton now reporting us for tapping up.

 

What a load of bollocks that is, it's the equivalent of doping in athletics. Everyone does it in some form or other. Everyone knows it. Everyone pretends to hitch their skirts up over other people doing it.

 

Southampton will have spoken to their own targets this summer to check they're up for it, well before they speak to their clubs.

 

And anyway, half his old team mates are on our books so he no doubt just chatted to them about how awesome Klopp is.

[stringvest]

I am absolutely ok with the rumoured price.  It seems pretty clear that he's not our only target, and it seems clear that the club are willing to invest indecent players in this window.  I'll be happier once he's committed pen to paper, but no issues so far.

[RobbieOR]

£13m to £50-60m on the back of 2 seasons in the premier league is beyond a joke, I'd like us to fuck him off for somebody cheaper, but we'll pay it.

 

Would be easier to buy Southampton's scouting team! I think that's what gets to me most, 30-35 years ago we'd have had him signed before he even went to Celtic if he was any good.

 

I don't think he's worth £60m but the idea that we just sign him from Southampton removes all context of how he has improved. He probably wasn't good enough for the step up to Champions League level then but he is now. Just like Luis Suarez and Gareth Bale weren't at Barcelona's or Real Madrid's level when they joined us and Spurs then they improved to that level. 

 

It has happened with 90% of transfer that have ever gone through. 

[Hades]

Always good to weaken a competitor.

[VERBAL DIARRHEA]

Southampton now reporting us for tapping up.

What a load of bollocks that is, it's the equivalent of doping in athletics. Everyone does it in some form or other. Everyone knows it. Everyone pretends to hitch their skirts up over other people doing it.

Southampton will have spoken to their own targets this summer to check they're up for it, well before they speak to their clubs.

And anyway, half his old team mates are on our books so he no doubt just chatted to them about how awesome Klopp is.

Put a price out there and moan when it's met. Got tapped up ? He has not spoken personally and as regards for wages ? Found out we were interested and wanted to join, no problem.

As you say it happens all the time. Saving face or wanting more ?

[Paco]

Put a price out there and moan when it's met. Got tapped up ? He has not spoken personally and as regards for wages ? Found out we were interested and wanted to join, no problem.

As you say it happens all the time. Saving face or wanting more ?

He must've spoken to someone as he was impressed by klopps vision for the club and he was told he'd get whatever city were offering.

 

Southampton are being wankers though.