Summer 2021 transfer thread.

[Sugar Ape]

4 hours ago, Scott_M said:

Can somebody past Pearce’s latest article on Grujic & Wilson please. Cheers.

Marko Grujic was the first signing of Jurgen Klopp’s Anfield reign. This summer, he’s one of the most valuable assets Liverpool are preparing to sell to bolster their transfer kitty.

 

Porto, where the Serbian midfielder spent the 2020-21 season on loan, are the front-runners to secure his services on a permanent deal.

 

With plenty of interest in Grujic, Liverpool are increasingly confident they will command a fee of around £15 million for the 25-year-old. Sporting director Michael Edwards has also fielded enquiries from a number of clubs in Italy and Germany, but Porto are currently in the box seat.

 

Grujic blossomed under the guidance of coach Sergio Conceicao last season as he clocked up 36 appearances in all competitions for the Portuguese side. He caught the eye in their impressive run in the Champions League as they knocked out Juventus in the last 16 before losing narrowly to eventual winners Chelsea in the quarter-finals.

 

Conceicao, whose side finished second behind Sporting domestically, recently ended speculation about their coach’s own future by him penning a new three-year contract and he’s made it clear that he wants Grujic on board for next season, too. Porto had initially hoped to extend the Serbian’s loan for a further 12 months but with Grujic down to the final two years of his current deal, Liverpool informed them that they will only consider permanent offers.

 

Midfielder Sergio Oliveira, the Portugal international, is being pursued by Fiorentina and his sale is expected to give Porto sufficient funds to buy Grujic.

 

Liverpool look certain to make a hefty profit on a player who cost them £5.1 million from Red Star Belgrade in January 2016. He was initially loaned back to his home-town club for the rest of that season.

 

Despite his undoubted potential, Grujic was never able to convince Klopp that he was worthy of a regular starting place at Anfield. He has made just 16 senior appearances in all competitions for Liverpool and hasn’t featured in the Premier League since he faced Brighton at the Amex Stadium in December 2017. He scored his only goal for the club in the Carabao Cup thrashing of Lincoln City last September.

 

“The challenge (at Liverpool) is so big,” Grujic told The Athletic last season. “There are a lot of quality midfielders at the club. It’s honestly hard to get a chance.”

 

He spent the second half of the 2017-18 season at Cardiff City before heading to Hertha Berlin for two seasons on loan. He enhanced his reputation in the Bundesliga, with coach Pal Dardai describing him as “by far the best midfielder I’ve seen in my time at the club” but they couldn’t afford to make the move permanent.

 

Last summer, Liverpool were willing to sell Grujic for £18 million but a potential switch to Werder Bremen fell through shortly before the deadline after discussions over the fee failed to reach a suitable compromise. With his midfield department so heavily stacked, Klopp ultimately sanctioned a loan to Porto last October, with no option for the Portuguese club to buy.

 

Grujic had initially hoped that the departure of Georginio Wijnaldum, who is on the brink of completing a move to Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer, would lead to him being given the opportunity to revive his Anfield career on his return.

 

However, with Fabinho, Thiago, Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita, Curtis Jones, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner for competition, a parting of the ways now appears to be the best option for all parties. At the age of 25, Grujic’s main motivation is to play regularly and he accepts that’s unlikely to be the case if he stays at Liverpool.

 

Further incomings following the £35 million signing of centre-back Ibrahima Konate from RB Leipzig will be partly influenced by how much Edwards can raise from sales.

 

Liverpool’s sporting director is well known for driving a hard bargain, having commanded bumper fees previously for fringe players who were surplus to requirements like Christian Benteke, Dominic Solanke and Jordon Ibe.

 

However, that task is made more difficult this summer by the ongoing impact of the global pandemic on clubs’ finances.

 

The belief is that Liverpool can still raise in excess of £60 million from sales. Harry Wilson and Divock Origi have similar valuations to Grujic. Wilson, who spent last season on loan at Cardiff City, knows that his future is unlikely to be resolved until after Wales’ campaign at the European Championship is complete.

 

While Liverpool will hope that a number of eye-catching performances at the tournament spark a bidding war for Wilson, Origi’s absence from the Belgium squad underlines how far his stock has fallen over the past 12 months.

 

He scored just once in 17 appearances in 2020-21 and needs to pursue a new challenge. Offers are also expected to come in for Xherdan Shaqiri, who only made seven starts in all competitions last season. Southampton retain an interest in Takumi Minamino following the end of a mixed loan spell on the south coast but Liverpool are currently planning for pre-season with the Japan international on board.

 

It remains to be seen if they receive a bid in the meantime that tests their resolve to keep Minamino, who struggled to establish himself at Anfield following his £7.25 million arrival from Salzburg in January 2020. Liverpool certainly have no intention of sanctioning another loan.

 

Taiwo Awoniyi, who is valued at around £8 million, could also be moved on, along with Loris Karius, Sheyi Ojo, Ben Woodburn and Liam Millar.

 

Away from transfers, owners Fenway Sports Group are pushing on with their commitment to invest further in the club’s infrastructure.

 

Liverpool City Council will next week consider the club’s £60 million plans to redevelop the Anfield Road End of their stadium. It would add around 7,000 extra seats to lift capacity to around 61,000.

 

The planning application includes a request for Anfield to be allowed to host other sporting events such as American football “around two or three times per year”.

 

If it gets the green light, then the hope is that construction work would start later this year and would be completed for the 2023-24 season.

[LFC 6 Times]

Think Daka would be a great signing for us, totally fits the bill.

 

Aaron Ramsey anyone? Think could be a decent punt.

[m0e]

14 minutes ago, LFC 6 Times said:

Think Daka would be a great signing for us, totally fits the bill.

 

Aaron Ramsey anyone? Think could be a decent punt.

It's a good shout, but if they couldn't give Gini what he wanted, its unlikely we'll give Aaron what he wants.

[CapeRed]

24 minutes ago, m0e said:

It's a good shout, but if they couldn't give Gini what he wanted, its unlikely we'll give Aaron what he wants.

Aaron Ramsey is 30 and a bit injury prone isnt he? I cant see is bringing him in. Daka would be a good fit but I think the club will need to splash the cash and buy quality for the Gini replacement.

[aws]

Ramsey looks just about finished to me. 

[Scott_M]

Feels a strange deal seeing Chelsea already have Reece Williams - unless they are planning on playing him as a right sided centre back.

 

[Funkasy]

Abramovic is really throwing his money around.

[Bad Red Bull]

Tuchel's favoured system is 3 CBs plus 2 wingbacks, isn't it?

[bizzle10]

I know Abramovich is wealthy but how can chelsea afford all this with reports of 150mill for Haaland is FFP dead

[Anubis]

1 minute ago, bizzle10 said:

I know Abramovich is wealthy but how can chelsea afford all this with reports of 150mill for Haaland is FFP dead

[Anubis]

I think Chelsea’s last round of spending was covered by sales, so I think they have a couple of season’s worth of credit built up.

[3 Stacks]

Chelsea just spend on talent and figure the rest out later. It's why they have about 6 quality players they can play on the wing. Hakimi is just a really good player. 

 

And yes, FFP is dead. This is the perfect time to spend for clubs like City, Chelsea and PSG. Especially as other clubs are hurt by the pandemic. 

[dockers_strike]

10 minutes ago, Anubis said:

I think Chelsea’s last round of spending was covered by sales

Surely not, not with one of those mega rich owners that seem to be all the rage nowadays?

[dockers_strike]

15 minutes ago, bizzle10 said:

I know Abramovich is wealthy but how can chelsea afford all this with reports of 150mill for Haaland is FFP dead

Both the Premier League and UEFA 'eased FFP rules due to the pandemic. Clubs with mega rich owners can just pour more money into the club with no sanction and the authorities say 'ok!'

[bizzle10]

15 minutes ago, dockers_strike said:

Both the Premier League and UEFA 'eased FFP rules due to the pandemic. Clubs with mega rich owners can just pour more money into the club with no sanction and the authorities say 'ok!'

Someone should let JHenry know this

[Lee909]

Wonder if the club have any interest in Sabitzer. One year left so available for 15ml. You'd think that's the sort of deal tbe club would be all over. Well under his value, plays in a similar system,just turned 27 so a good 5 years in him. 

[Jose Jones]

27 minutes ago, Lee909 said:

Wonder if the club have any interest in Sabitzer. One year left so available for 15ml. You'd think that's the sort of deal tbe club would be all over. Well under his value, plays in a similar system,just turned 27 so a good 5 years in him. 

I reckon we'll be looking a bit younger for a midfielder. 

We've got Hendo & Thiago who are both 30, then Fabinho, Ox & Keita who are 26-27.  There's then a big gap to Curtis at 20.

Assuming we want to go with 6 or 7 first team midfielders (+ old man Milner) and that Keita might be sold, I think the club will be thinking around 23-24 who can last a bit longer and hopefully develop into top notch world class, rather than be a decent squad option.

[Lee909]

39 minutes ago, Jose Jones said:

I reckon we'll be looking a bit younger for a midfielder. 

We've got Hendo & Thiago who are both 30, then Fabinho, Ox & Keita who are 26-27.  There's then a big gap to Curtis at 20.

Assuming we want to go with 6 or 7 first team midfielders (+ old man Milner) and that Keita might be sold, I think the club will be thinking around 23-24 who can last a bit longer and hopefully develop into top notch world class, rather than be a decent squad option.

I'd say the same myself I just wonder at what point value trumps that. It's all a bit football manager but I'd happily see Keita/Ox shipped out for him. 

[Scott_M]

5 hours ago, Lee909 said:

I'd say the same myself I just wonder at what point value trumps that. It's all a bit football manager but I'd happily see Keita/Ox shipped out for him. 

I think Keita will stay, mainly based on

the fact we paid £55m+ on him (or whatever the fee was) and we’d get nothing like that back. 
 

I’m not precious either way with Ox. If he has a decent pre-season, gets some rhythm and is used mainly in central midfield, I’m happy for him to stay. 

[joe_fishfish]

Sabitzer is more of a ten than an eight isn't he? Doesn't look like the sort of midfielder we need. Although I thought that about Wijnaldum too.

 

Straight swap for Keita sounds good to me.

[Lee909]

18 minutes ago, joe_fishfish said:

Sabitzer is more of a ten than an eight isn't he? Doesn't look like the sort of midfielder we need. Although I thought that about Wijnaldum too.

 

Straight swap for Keita sounds good to me.

From what I've read they moved him deeper last year. 

[LFC 6 Times]

Sabitzer for 15 mil would be an outrageously good deal. 

[Scott_M]

Meh.

 

[Johnlj]

Would really have loved Sancho, but it was always a pipe dream without selling Salah.  Unfortunately we don't have a pot to pis in.

[Pidge]

Fortunately, we have Salah.