08 Jun 2017 06:28:27
Having spoken to the person who has been keeping me informed on this, to get clarity, I think it is time I gave the full explanation of what I am now being told. I am going to refer to the person as he/ him, just because it is easier rather than because it is a male.

So I have pestered him, because I wanted some clarification of the full story and to know if I am being deliberately fed misinformation to keep the club out of trouble. He claims that he is telling me exactly what he has been told, that there is no attempt to mislead me on his behalf, either knowingly or unknowingly. So this is basically the story as he gives it:

After matches Klopp will often chat with opposition players, just a friendly chat, nothing untoward, many managers will do it.

However, remarks were made to VVD along the lines of 'I would love to have you in my team' or similar when we have faced Southampton. Which VVD has obviously taken to heart, though we have no way of knowing if Klopp was making the first moves towards a signing or just making a throwaway remark regarding the player. So that could be seen as a problem in the light of following events, though would normally not even be noticed.

Anyway, last summer things were a bit unsettled there with Jose Fonte fighting to leave and it caused a few issues with a number of the players there, who felt Fonte was unfairly treated after his years of service to the club. There are a number of players there who did not like the treatment Fonte received and felt he should have been allowed to make his dream move, rather than held to his contract and then ended up in limbo before joining West Ham United just to get away from Saints. VVD has at this point made the decision he wants to go and asked his agent to put out feelers looking for interested parties.

We showed interest at this point, I don't have dates, I have never had any kind of dates to give, which is why I have never mentioned any, but I would assume this is just after the January window, as this was when he was disgruntled. However, instead of going direct to the club and seeking permission to speak to them and him over a summer move, we spoke directly to the agent.

Now our excuse, which is why I am told the club immediately backed out and apologised, is that we were told the agent and player came to us with Saints' blessing. I will leave you to make up your own mind over the truth of that claim, as I really do not know. I have no way to verify that information one way or the other.

To cut a long story short, the player, agent and club sorted out a deal, then and only then do LFC go to Saints to negotiate a price. That is when all hell broke loose and Soton investigated, made a complaint etc.

That is how he explained it to me, but I have no way to verify any of it, which is why I am giving you a full version as he tells it. In the past he has been reliable, though he has often asked me not to pass on things, the info he has given had checked out. This time I am not sure though, this feels too neat and like someone is trying to shift the blame. Either way the club is at fault for not ensuring they had permission to speak to the player.


1.) 08 Jun 2017
08 Jun 2017 06:43:11
Make you right ed001 with it sounding to contrived but it does not mean what he has said is not the truth. Like you say it's not difficult to follow the correct way of approaching a transfer a club either says yes or no what is the problem. Baffling really still men in suits are never the smartest.
Up the pool.

{Ed001's Note - I just don't understand why the club still has this issue. We do not need to act underhand, the club is, in terms of brand power, according to those that measure these things, ahead of all but Man Utd in English football. We should not need to be underhand to attract quality players. They should want to play for us because of who we are. So just concentrate on getting the right deal with their current club, then worry about convincing the player.}


2.) 08 Jun 2017
08 Jun 2017 06:48:37
Qyestion for the Eds, not just about this event. What is the situation regarding speaking to agents. As i understand it agents put feelers out to other clubs and that is ok. In those circumstances i assume it is ok for a club to speak to the agent. If that has happened can the club contact the agent again for further discussions? Is it a case of the player basically can't be in the room with them? Or more complicated, e. g. you can't talk beyond a certain point even with the agent? Thanks.

{Ed025's Note - if a club wish to talk to a player who is under contract at a club then they must inform the parent club for permission DL, anything less is seen as "tapping up" even if its done through the agent mate..


3.) 08 Jun 2017
08 Jun 2017 06:55:11
Shame Ed, at the very least I hope the club learn a lesson, I think we're sailing very close to the wind with our transfer activity.


4.) 08 Jun 2017
08 Jun 2017 07:00:49
Thanks Ed025.

{Ed025's Note - anytime mate..


5.) 08 Jun 2017
08 Jun 2017 07:05:44
Its the premier league response that intreagues me. Would it not be the case that if they thought we were genuinely guilty of wrong doing on purpose then just an apology from us would be irrelevant?

{Ed025's Note - i must say that you make a fair point slowdog, maybe we have not heard the last of it yet mate..


6.) 08 Jun 2017
08 Jun 2017 07:15:27
We have read news that VVD agent also spoke to Conte and Pep; that would have constituted tapping too right?

{Ed001's Note - no, you are missing the point, the intermediary can speak to others, it is the player himself that is unable to discuss things.}


7.) 08 Jun 2017
08 Jun 2017 07:17:07
Do you think this is the end of the saga with LFC and VVD ed?

{Ed001's Note - depends on what Saints think. If they are satisfied with the apology and us backing away, then yes. Though a lot comes down to VVD himself as well.}


8.) 08 Jun 2017
08 Jun 2017 07:31:15
If Saints had any decency, they'd accept the apology and move on. Liverpool acted underhandedly but, judging from ed001's post, not in a deliberate way. It's not like the club had been scheming to prevent a bidding war that Southampton were entitled to.


9.) 08 Jun 2017
08 Jun 2017 07:30:15
Thank you for letting us know the situation ED001, we appreciate it!

I was on these pages when the whole Clint Dempsey saga happened and it's beyond belief that the club can act in such a amateurish fashion! Or is it arrogance on the clubs part?

Considering how many times we have dealt with Southampton over the past few years makes this surprising as well as irritating to say the least!

Again, thanks for keeping us in the loop Ed.

{Ed001's Note - it feels like arrogance to me, believing they can do what they want with no consequence.}


10.) 08 Jun 2017
08 Jun 2017 07:35:05
Hey ED001. Is the extent to which the VVD deal played out in the media seen as a massive issue by the club? I know this doesn't excuse the club's behaviour but the extent to which transfer info is leaked is quite extraordinary. Similarly a lot has been written bout the Salah deal. Can the club not conduct business in a private professional manner, or is it just the case that this not easily done in modern football? Thanks Ed.

{Ed001's Note - it is always a concern, the club put a lot of effort into keeping things quiet in the past, hence the Jen Chang thing. Now it has gone back to the old flood of info coming out. It is not easy to keep things quiet, but it certainly should not be coming out in the amounts LFC are producing it.}


11.) 08 Jun 2017
08 Jun 2017 07:35:11
eds i know this is an outrageous idea/ thought, but truth be known the window don't open until july between now and then the saints accept the apology after believing because of the blame game as you said, that the tapping up was accidentally stupid, could liverpool get the deal sorted and pay more as in a way to save face or is it just a stupid thought.

{Ed001's Note - it could happen and has happened in the past. The likelihood is that we will not pay the price regardless.}


12.) 08 Jun 2017
08 Jun 2017 07:37:52
Nice one ed.

{Ed001's Note - welcome and RITH is wrong. The whole point of speaking to a player is to cut out the whole auction aspect of transfers by ensuring you get the best price with the player only wanting to join you.

As for Saints, they have done nothing wrong and RITH is just showing how bitter he is by constantly deflecting and blaming the victim.}


13.) 08 Jun 2017
08 Jun 2017 07:57:21
Thanks for the info Ed. Legend.

{Ed001's Note - welcome.}


14.) 08 Jun 2017
08 Jun 2017 08:03:54
Ed 1 - you make some great points here. We were discussing it in the pub last night and I think the consensus of opinion was that tapping up players has always gone on and always will to some degree. It is maybe a bit easier to hide behind agents and third parties these days than it was years ago but I think even an indirect approach - I. e. To an agent is tapping up. I know clubs often give players agents approval or even instructions to find a new club for a player maybe even with guidelines as to what a sell price may be. More often than not all of the above happens in secret.

You make a very good point that too much information seems to be leaked out of LFC and whilst it seems clear that the club has acted beyond what can be excusable (I. e. A sounding out of an agent etc. ) and especially with meeting the player directly, the leaks to the press in my view is what has really caused the most problems.

I hope there is a full investigation internally and these internal problems are fixed now or we could have a long summer of problems in the transfer market.

{Ed001's Note - not just a long summer, it will be the same every transfer window until we fix the internal problems.}


15.) 08 Jun 2017
08 Jun 2017 08:10:12
Is there any suggestion that there will be any internal disciplinary actions taken by the club towards any LFC staff involved in the transfer Ed001? Do you think the VVD events will see Liverpool changing their approach to transfers and lack of professionalism? If nothing changes or there isn't an acceptance that change is needed then that would really stink of arrogance.

{Ed001's Note - the first thing that will happen is likely to be an internal investigation to examine what went on, what the club did wrong and what the club did right. That analysis will have to lead to changes or this summer will be nothing compared to how bad things will get for the club in the future.}


16.) 08 Jun 2017
08 Jun 2017 08:15:14
It's all just so distasteful. Look at what Lukaku is doing to them across the park. Young men who get paid millions to play a sport they love and show this kind of disrespect to their employers. Regardless of whether Liverpool's conduct was really dodgy or just downright dumb, I really do not like to see these spoiled players showing such an extreme lack of loyalty to the shirt and fans they represent. If I wanted to leave my job and go to a bigger company, I would have the decency to go to my boss and tell him to his face. Of course, I don't have a greedy agent trying to drum up a sale to line his own fat palm with silver.


17.) 08 Jun 2017
08 Jun 2017 08:15:37
What does this mean for the player himself ed001? Is he also facing the prospect of a ban? Maybe not by his parent club who might not be able to afford it, but by the governing body.?

{Ed001's Note - it is unlikely to lead to any kind of ban for the player. His issue is that the club themselves could freeze him out and leave him in limbo and his chance to get a big move could go.}


18.) 08 Jun 2017
08 Jun 2017 08:32:25
We appreciate you sharing your info ed, as you have already hinted i think this is standard practice for the americans and i can't see any follow up action apart from a public telling off and a private don't get caught next time.

With regards to vvd we were always going to get our pants pulled down over this deal so maybe its the best outcome overall aside from the massive embarassment.

Moving forward through this window at any rate we must do it correct though because i shudder to think what punishment the club will get if its caught doing the same thing twice in the same window.

Do you think this will have any bearing on players we are targeting not wanting to come considering we have left vvd high and dry?

{Ed001's Note - it is common practice in business in general, end justifies the means for most companies.

That is a good point you raise, other players are going to be wary of dealing with us, if we leave VVD high and dry now.}


19.) 08 Jun 2017
08 Jun 2017 08:32:27
Cheers Ed001. We've not covered ourselves in glory here at all, shambolic behaviour and unprofessionalism is what is smacks of.


20.) 08 Jun 2017
08 Jun 2017 08:42:11
So just reiterating what has been in the press.

{Ed001's Note - I have no idea. I do not read the press.}


21.) 08 Jun 2017
08 Jun 2017 08:44:32
Thank you for the swift response Ed. Much appreciated mate. And thank you for all the hard work! This promises to be a window like no other for you guys! All the best :) .

{Ed001's Note - not sure it is like no other. This seems to have become a recurring theme.}


22.) 08 Jun 2017
08 Jun 2017 09:11:00
Thanks eds for the info. Really appreciate your time forwarding your knowledge on this situation.


23.) 08 Jun 2017
08 Jun 2017 09:30:25
Agree with Max, thanks Ed, appreciate you sharing the info.

{Ed001's Note - cheers Lj.}


24.) 08 Jun 2017
08 Jun 2017 10:25:18
Thanks Eds for the in depth post, we all appreciate it on here, we'd all be clueless if it wasn't for you lot.

{Ed001's Note - thank you mate.}


25.) 08 Jun 2017
08 Jun 2017 11:52:37
Thanks for the info Ed's, but I have to ask, why is it so hard to do it properly, whether the agent instigated it or not? Even if the agent said that the player is doing it with his club's blessing, how hard is it to confirm that with the club? Something is really wrong somewhere within the club and it's not rocket science how it can be fixed!

{Ed001's Note - it is not that hard at all.}


26.) 08 Jun 2017
08 Jun 2017 12:10:38
Ed is part of the problem that the powers of be just aren't from football background? Is it just simple naivity from people that don't know? Most if not all of our top brass are from everywhere BUT football. Is it just me being naive?

{Ed001's Note - very few clubs have top brass from a footballing background.}


27.) 08 Jun 2017
08 Jun 2017 12:11:08
What was Fonte's dream move ED001?

{Ed001's Note - to play for Mourinho.}


28.) 09 Jun 2017
09 Jun 2017 13:45:14
Ed001, Good of you to give us the detail, but I don't think you have to explain things. Everyone said this was going to happen, but then it turned out we built the house on sand, so things fell apart.

You guys run a really interesting site, and try to give us interesting insights. Sometimes things will go pear shaped. doesn't change things, you are giving us your honest (sometimes very honest) view on things. If it was called Liverpool-transfer-facts. co. uk, then that would be different, but I for one enjoy the site, and appreciate you guys giving us the insights that you do (although sometimes I cringe from the tongue lashings delivered :-) ) . If you will forgive me, part of the fun of this site is just like buying the euro millions ticket. the 2 days dreaming about what it would be like if Messi signed brings a smile and some joy, even if the reality is, it is never going to happen. BTW . any chance of Messi :-)

On a different note, I find it really hard to fathom how we can get ourselves into these situations. I have nothing to do with football, but I know you need permission from the other club before you speak to the player. I know from life, that if a middle man says "trust me this is all legit", then that is when you run for the hills. SO, this is either supreme arrogance (which I would hate for my football club, but I accept it is possible), or supreme naivete. I am not sure which is worse.

Thanks for all you guys do, I am looking forward to my near hourly visits to the site during the window!