Summer 2021 transfer thread.

[aRdja]

3 minutes ago, Mark M said:

I’ve been pretty critical of Bobby over the last year as his form has been for the most part been poor imo.

in saying that I think he’s looked really sharp & fit this preseason and when he’s played so far. I think klopp might start him today with Kota as an option from the bench. 

Yeah I’m not convinced. He looked awful for Brazil. Hope you’re right though. We need you to be.

[Scott_M]

1 minute ago, aRdja said:

Yeah I’m not convinced. He looked awful for Brazil. Hope you’re right though. We need you to be.

Be very surprised if Robbo, Hendo, Fabinho & Firmino all don’t start today.

 

I think Keita will start alongside Hendo & Fabinho.

[Chairman Meow]

10 hours ago, Red74 said:

If I knew I was gonna be getting 800 bags paid into my Panama bank account every week next season I’d be sacrificing kids on the mountains while wearing a goats head 

It would make a change from doing it for free I suppose. 

[Bobby Hundreds]

49 minutes ago, Barrington Womble said:

Good post  Going into this window we had loads of players who don't contribute or don't contribute enough. Grujic, Wilson, Shaq, minamino, origi, Chamberlain and keita. As far as I was concerned they could all go and could be replaced with probably 2 mids and a forward. Certainly one of each as obviously we wouldn't sell them all. We've done lots of the selling which will put money in the bank and lower the wage bill. But we haven't added to the numbers. Instead of having 7 who offer little, we've now got 4, but the squad has added just a centre back. Even the FSG worshippers were saying we needed a mid and a forward when the window finished. I don't really see how that has changed. 

I think succession planning is more vital than signing for the here and now,  we have what 2 more seasons of Klopp after this and at the same time our top players on massive wages will be 30 plus, what will the next manager inherit. The next 3 years needs to see the next step when it comes to our midfield and forward line. We're pretty much good to go this season although I would prefer us to sign another attacker its not the end of the world if we don't.

 

I'd rather we sign no one than us sign 27 plus year olds we don't need to buy established players we need to lay the foundations for the next title side. For me personally no more Shaq, Minamino type signings just because its squad fodder at an acceptable price, it all adds up in one way or another.  Really it should be done window by window evolve bit by bit rather than it hit you like a brick and a whole new side needs building like we did time after time in the 90s and 00s. 

 

If the club went out now and bought say Bellingham just for example for big money I wouldn't think well we don't really need a midfielder this season or he's too young to have an impact why spend big money when he won't have any influence on the title, id think that's the future sorted, potential through the roof alongside the likes of Elliot getting to work with Klopp for a couple of years just in time for the next evolution of the team. I know people are sensitive about transfers either where not doing enough or people are expecting too much but in my opinion we've had a lot of windows where we've done next to nothing and at some point it will either catch up with us or FSG will have to dig deep because I reckon our sellable assets values have already peaked. I'm very happy with the team, could be happier with the squad a little more concerned about longterm success. 

[TD_LFC]

1 hour ago, Mark M said:

I’ve been pretty critical of Bobby over the last year as his form has been for the most part been poor imo.

in saying that I think he’s looked really sharp & fit this preseason and when he’s played so far. I think klopp might start him today with Kota as an option from the bench. 

Our defenders are back, our defensive line is higher, the midfielders are operating further up the pitch, our forwards are closer to goal.

[Moo]

16 minutes ago, Bobby Hundreds said:

I think succession planning is more vital than signing for the here and now,  we have what 2 more seasons of Klopp after this and at the same time our top players on massive wages will be 30 plus, what will the next manager inherit. The next 3 years needs to see the next step when it comes to our midfield and forward line. We're pretty much good to go this season although I would prefer us to sign another attacker its not the end of the world if we don't.

 

I'd rather we sign no one than us sign 27 plus year olds we don't need to buy established players we need to lay the foundations for the next title side. For me personally no more Shaq, Minamino type signings just because its squad fodder at an acceptable price, it all adds up in one way or another.  Really it should be done window by window evolve bit by bit rather than it hit you like a brick and a whole new side needs building like we did time after time in the 90s and 00s. 

 

If the club went out now and bought say Bellingham just for example for big money I wouldn't think well we don't really need a midfielder this season or he's too young to have an impact why spend big money when he won't have any influence on the title, id think that's the future sorted, potential through the roof alongside the likes of Elliot getting to work with Klopp for a couple of years just in time for the next evolution of the team. I know people are sensitive about transfers either where not doing enough or people are expecting too much but in my opinion we've had a lot of windows where we've done next to nothing and at some point it will either catch up with us or FSG will have to dig deep because I reckon our sellable assets values have already peaked. I'm very happy with the team, could be happier with the squad a little more concerned about longterm success. 

I think it's pretty clear FSG have little interest in succession planning or long term success.  I'm not saying they don't think about it at all but it pales into insignificance compared to the here and now and wringing every last bit of juice out of Klopp and his players.

Cheap bastards.  I don't know why anyone feels the need to defend them, just as I don't understand why anyone feels the need to want them out without a suitable replacement.  But we can call them out for the cheap unambitious (compared to the supporters and history of the club) twats they are and ask them to be better.

A couple of weeks ago I still expected us to make a decent signing, now I don't but I'm not surprised or upset such is the lowering of expectations.

They are pissing a massive opportunity up the wall, the kind of opportunity we might not see again for a very long time, so I won't thank them for that.

I'll thank only Klopp and the players for making sure the did their bit while they're here.

[VERBAL DIARRHEA]

I have a few options from FM20 where I’m world class as a manager, do my own scouting and do not use a sugar daddy? These players aren’t real of course.

[clockspeed]

2 minutes ago, Moo said:

I think it's pretty clear FSG have little interest in succession planning or long term success.  I'm not saying they don't think about it at all but it pales into insignificance compared to the here and now and wringing every last bit of juice out of Klopp and his players.

Cheap bastards.  I don't know why anyone feels the need to defend them, just as I don't understand why anyone feels the need to want them out without a suitable replacement.  But we can call them out for the cheap unambitious (compared to the supporters and history of the club) twats they are and ask them to be better.

A couple of weeks ago I still expected us to make a decent signing, now I don't but I'm not surprised or upset such is the lowering of expectations.

They are pissing a massive opportunity up the wall, the kind of opportunity we might not see again for a very long time, so I won't thank them for that.

I'll thank only Klopp and the players for making sure the did their bit while they're here.

I think they do have an interest in at least maintaining the value of their asset. I feel how we handle Elliot this year is massive in terms of attracting young talent , developing and using in the team. Let’s face it that’s the only way any sort of succession is going to happen cause FSG ain’t going to invest in proven talent any more to the extent they did before. As such getting a deal done for Bellingham , for me, would be the priority . I think he is even beyond our spend now. There are a lot of younger players being signed up but all are high risk. Although we have done well identifying salah and mane I think the pursuit of,  the deal for and the abject failure of Kieta has cut deeper into the FSG transfer psyche than we think. They have a succession plan that probably includes Stevie at the helm, fair enough, that will suit the young manager wants to work and develop with a young squad narrative.

[El Rojo]

7 minutes ago, VERBAL DIARRHEA said:

I have a few options from FM20 where I’m world class as a manager, do my own scouting and do not use a sugar daddy? These players aren’t real of course.

I had a basic football manager game back in the day, and while I’m not looking to be boastful, my achievements with a team of players like Tim Flowers, Francis Benali and David Speedie leave little doubt that I would have been a top class manager in real life. 

[VERBAL DIARRHEA]

6 minutes ago, El Rojo said:

I had a basic football manager game back in the day, and while I’m not looking to be boastful, my achievements with a team of players like Tim Flowers, Francis Benali and David Speedie leave little doubt that I would have been a top class manager in real life. 

Yeah it’s easy for football men like us. Won the CL with Tranmere a few years back, a lot of young Argentinians and no visas.

[Jose Jones]

25 minutes ago, Moo said:

I think it's pretty clear FSG have little interest in succession planning or long term success.  I'm not saying they don't think about it at all but it pales into insignificance compared to the here and now and wringing every last bit of juice out of Klopp and his players.

Cheap bastards.  I don't know why anyone feels the need to defend them, just as I don't understand why anyone feels the need to want them out without a suitable replacement.  But we can call them out for the cheap unambitious (compared to the supporters and history of the club) twats they are and ask them to be better.

A couple of weeks ago I still expected us to make a decent signing, now I don't but I'm not surprised or upset such is the lowering of expectations.

They are pissing a massive opportunity up the wall, the kind of opportunity we might not see again for a very long time, so I won't thank them for that.

I'll thank only Klopp and the players for making sure the did their bit while they're here.

I think FSG have done very well at having a plan, at least since Klopp came in. I would say that is one of their strong points. Maybe only Man City and Leicester are as good at having a strategy and sticking to it.  When they came in we were behind Man Utd, Arsenal, Spurs and Chelsea and we have overtaken them all through smart behaviour.

 

The problem is, they haven’t seemed to recognise that Klopp is a total one off, so they should do everything they can to maximise his time here.  And it remains to be seen how well their strategy works and how well they can keep to it when he leaves.

[joe_fishfish]

Wouldn't surprise me if FSG have been already working on finding Klopp's successor. Edwards and the analytics team will be heavily involved, I don't think we'll go for Gerrard straight from Rangers unless he gets them playing far above themselves in Europe, because the standard in Scotland is so low.

 

Whichever manager we bring in after Klopp will be expected to work in the same way Klopp does, concentrating on getting the best out of the first team squad that he's been given. There's no way FSG would bin off or sideline Edwards and his team to satisfy any new coach.

 

Klopp is a incredible manager and i feel sorry for whoever is going to replace him, but I don't think it's going to be the kind of omnishambles we saw at Arsenal or Man Utd when their long-serving managers left.

[lifetime fan]

I wish people would just shut the fuck up about Ox and Keita. When was the last time either of them had a great game? 
 

It’s no fucking use saying they’re potentially great bench players when they’re either never fit, shite or not trusted by the manager. 
 

It’s precisely for those reasons (plus Milner another year older) we needed to add at least one extra in midfield and another forward. 
 

It’s not fucking hindsight saying at the start of the season this is going to come back to bite us on the arse. 

[Barrington Womble]

2 hours ago, aRdja said:

I agree in the main. However, Keita and Ox are on the bench when everyone’s fit. They’re pretty fucking good compared to bench warmers at other clubs. We definitely need a forward. Origi is never going to be good enough, and question marks over Bobby, as he hasn’t been good since his injury pre CL final.

"When everyone is fit". And when they're not fit, when can we rely on those 2?

1 hour ago, Bobby Hundreds said:

I think succession planning is more vital than signing for the here and now,  we have what 2 more seasons of Klopp after this and at the same time our top players on massive wages will be 30 plus, what will the next manager inherit. The next 3 years needs to see the next step when it comes to our midfield and forward line. We're pretty much good to go this season although I would prefer us to sign another attacker its not the end of the world if we don't.

 

I'd rather we sign no one than us sign 27 plus year olds we don't need to buy established players we need to lay the foundations for the next title side. For me personally no more Shaq, Minamino type signings just because its squad fodder at an acceptable price, it all adds up in one way or another.  Really it should be done window by window evolve bit by bit rather than it hit you like a brick and a whole new side needs building like we did time after time in the 90s and 00s. 

 

If the club went out now and bought say Bellingham just for example for big money I wouldn't think well we don't really need a midfielder this season or he's too young to have an impact why spend big money when he won't have any influence on the title, id think that's the future sorted, potential through the roof alongside the likes of Elliot getting to work with Klopp for a couple of years just in time for the next evolution of the team. I know people are sensitive about transfers either where not doing enough or people are expecting too much but in my opinion we've had a lot of windows where we've done next to nothing and at some point it will either catch up with us or FSG will have to dig deep because I reckon our sellable assets values have already peaked. I'm very happy with the team, could be happier with the squad a little more concerned about longterm success. 

It's interesting you're more worried about the long term. We have an ownership group who don't much care for today either where the football is concerned - just keep the CL money rolling and all is good. My worry for the future is not having klopp. While he's here, he'll drag us to be at least semi competitive as he did last season. But with everything that's happening with internationals, the injury history of such a large part of the squad, some players who've just never or will never again contribute, I can't be content with that. For sure when we have our best players available, we can give absolutely anyone a game. But it's how often they'll be available. I think the squad might be deep, but it lacks reliable quality, especially in the context of this season with the south American and African internationals. 

 

We have the best asset in world football with klopp. We should be giving him every tool we can for him to win. 

[Chris]

“a succession plan that involves Gerrard at the helm”

 

That’s the kind of silly romanticism that will pretty much ensure we go back to being an irrelevance. The bloke is at least ten years from being in reasonable consideration for a job like Liverpool. If he comes along, maybe, but even then it’s asking for trouble. He’d be massively out of his depth right now. I don’t know who the post-Klopp answer is. I don’t even like thinking about it. But I’m damn sure it shouldn’t be Gerrard. 
 

Edit: 10 years is an exaggeration, but at least 5 and managing someone above a League One level club. 

[lifetime fan]

35 minutes ago, Jose Jones said:

I think FSG have done very well at having a plan, at least since Klopp came in. I would say that is one of their strong points. Maybe only Man City and Leicester are as good at having a strategy and sticking to it.  When they came in we were behind Man Utd, Arsenal, Spurs and Chelsea and we have overtaken them all through smart behaviour.

 

The problem is, they haven’t seemed to recognise that Klopp is a total one off, so they should do everything they can to maximise his time here.  And it remains to be seen how well their strategy works and how well they can keep to it when he leaves.

The success of that ‘plan’ though has only come to fruition with Klopp as manager. 
 

Prior to Klopp we had Downing, Carrol, Benteke, Adam etc.
 

We had internal arguments over the transfer committee and targets, we had a player chosen by the owners, players bought by committee totally not suited to the managers plans and managers wanting players not backed by the club. 
 

That’s not to say previous managers never got anything right, or to say Edwards or the club didn’t get anything right. 
 

But it took the best manager in the world to make it all come together and work properly. 
 

Do you honestly think or trust the owners will make the ‘plan’ work once Klopp has left? 
 

Because I don’t and then we’ll be fucked and start to realise Klopp was even more incredible than we ever gave him credit for. 

[Moo]

2 minutes ago, Chris said:

“a succession plan that involves Gerrard at the helm”

 

That’s the kind of silly romanticism that will pretty much ensure we go back to being an irrelevance. The bloke is at least ten years from being in reasonable consideration for a job like Liverpool. If he comes along, maybe, but even then it’s asking for trouble. He’d be massively out of his depth right now. I don’t know who the post-Klopp answer is. I don’t even like thinking about it. But I’m damn sure it shouldn’t be Gerrard. 

I kind of agree but then wonder if I'm being a bit harsh.  The way he speaks, he just comes across as playing at being a manager at the moment, playing the part, mimicking what he sees as traditional manager behaviours.

Or maybe he's brilliant behind the scenes, but I can't help thinking he'd have been much better staying here and learning from Klopp about what it takes to be a genuinely great football manager.

[dockers_strike]

32 minutes ago, joe_fishfish said:

Wouldn't surprise me if FSG have been already working on finding Klopp's successor. Edwards and the analytics team will be heavily involved, I don't think we'll go for Gerrard straight from Rangers unless he gets them playing far above themselves in Europe, because the standard in Scotland is so low.

 

Whichever manager we bring in after Klopp will be expected to work in the same way Klopp does, concentrating on getting the best out of the first team squad that he's been given. There's no way FSG would bin off or sideline Edwards and his team to satisfy any new coach.

 

Klopp is a incredible manager and i feel sorry for whoever is going to replace him, but I don't think it's going to be the kind of omnishambles we saw at Arsenal or Man Utd when their long-serving managers left.

Tend to agree. I not sure the club would be looking out for obvious successors to Jurgen just yet. We dont know if he'll decide to give it another couple of years when his contract is scheduled to end or call it a day.

 

Maybe they are keeping tabs on upcoming managers like Gerrard? Im hard pushed to think of any potential managers who arent already at 'big' clubs.

 

I dont have a problem with Gerrard being in the frame if he continues to show progress when the time comes and some talking about lack of experience is short sighted in my opinion.

 

The King had no managerial experience when he stepped up to be player manager and even if he did have Bob and co to call on, he was his own man and didnt make a bad fist of it. Jurgen himself went from Mainz to Dortmund, again, that didnt work out badly did it? Who knows what the future holds?

[aRdja]

29 minutes ago, Barrington Womble said:

When everyone is fit". And when they're not fit, when can we rely on those 2?

When everyone’s fit we start with Thiago, Hendo and Fabinho. Otherwise we have Ox, Keita, Jones, Elliott, Milner. We’re stacked in midfield. We need a back up right back more than we need another midfielder.

[m0e]

Just now, aRdja said:

When everyone’s fit we start with Thiago, Hendo and Fabinho. Otherwise we have Ox, Keita, Jones, Elliott, Milner. We’re stacked in midfield. We need a back up right back more than we need another midfielder.

Or maybe put Milly at RB and buy a midfielder?

[lifetime fan]

8 minutes ago, aRdja said:

When everyone’s fit we start with Thiago, Hendo and Fabinho. Otherwise we have Ox, Keita, Jones, Elliott, Milner. We’re stacked in midfield. We need a back up right back more than we need another midfielder.

You can never rely on Ox or Keita to be fit though, that’s the point.
 

How often do either of them actually have a great game?
 

Ox wasn’t even trusted by Klopp last season when fit and 2/3’s of our midfield were playing in defence. 
 

So that leaves 2 kids and Milner who’ll be 36 in Jan. 
 

[Jose Jones]

17 minutes ago, lifetime fan said:

The success of that ‘plan’ though has only come to fruition with Klopp as manager. 
 

Prior to Klopp we had Downing, Carrol, Benteke, Adam etc.
 

We had internal arguments over the transfer committee and targets, we had a player chosen by the owners, players bought by committee totally not suited to the managers plans and managers wanting players not backed by the club. 
 

That’s not to say previous managers never got anything right, or to say Edwards or the club didn’t get anything right. 
 

But it took the best manager in the world to make it all come together and work properly. 
 

Do you honestly think or trust the owners will make the ‘plan’ work once Klopp has left? 
 

Because I don’t and then we’ll be fucked and start to realise Klopp was even more incredible than we ever gave him credit for. 

We’ll see won’t we.

I think the positive is that Klopp did not appoint the Sporting Director or Youth Team coaches, so this is independent of him. It’s not like he is making every football decision at the club like Wenger did at Arsenal for example. So stuff that is working well it should stay working well.

 

We have tended to have around the 2nd or 3rd highest turnover with the 3rd or 4th highest football budget the last few years under FSG. So I’d imagine that will stay the same and it will really depend on the quality of manager we can get whether we over perform that. Otherwise we’ll be back to scrapping for a top 4 spot.

[lifetime fan]

1 minute ago, Jose Jones said:

We’ll see won’t we.

I think the positive is that Klopp did not appoint the Sporting Director or Youth Team coaches, so this is independent of him. It’s not like he is making every football decision at the club like Wenger did at Arsenal for example. So stuff that is working well it should stay working well.

 

We have tended to have around the 2nd or 3rd highest turnover with the 3rd or 4th highest football budget the last few years under FSG. So I’d imagine that will stay the same and it will really depend on the quality of manager we can get whether we over perform that. Otherwise we’ll be back to scrapping for a top 4 spot.

Unfortunately we will see the day Klopp leaves, I’m dreading that day no matter what comes next. 

[TD_LFC]

They wont be actively scouting anyone at the moment but I imagine they have a passing interest in a host of managers, especially ones who have made that intermediary move like Jesse Marsch and Marco Rose.

 

They obviously rate the RB system highly so it'll be interesting to see how the managers at Leipzig and Salzburg get on over the next few years.

 

 

 

[Barrington Womble]

17 minutes ago, aRdja said:

When everyone’s fit we start with Thiago, Hendo and Fabinho. Otherwise we have Ox, Keita, Jones, Elliott, Milner. We’re stacked in midfield. We need a back up right back more than we need another midfielder.

You've entirely missed the point. Keita and ox are always injured (or in ox's case he's barely even had a decent game since that injury 3 years ago). They're only options if they're both there and ready to play. Last season we were.desperate for bodies on the pitch and even though he was fit, klopp gave Ox no time and when he gave keita a go, he let klopp down. milner can't start every game, so he can't fill in when henderson gets one of his 3 month lay offs. Over his career thiago averages about 20 games per season. And fabinho has his 1 or 2 4-6 week muscle injuries per season. There'll be loads of minutes required from the squad players, and I wouldn't be banking on milner, ox and keita to deliver.