06 Dec 2016 07:39:15
Would Fonte be worth it for £5m, as reported by a Portuguese newspaper via BBC Sport?

I know Ed001 said he was too old at 31, but at £5m or so, wouldn't that work for a couple of seasons?

{Ed001's Note - he is 33 in a few days mate.}

1.) 06 Dec 2016
06 Dec 2016 07:51:52
Very good defender. Makes his partners look much better Than they are. See Lovren and Van Dijk for evidence!

However at his age, and lack of pace I think he might struggle with a high line. Definitely the sort of mentality we need at the back. Just not sure he is the right player. At £5m it could be worth the risk. I think Lucas, Lovren and Klavan are struggling due to not having the pace for a high line though. So it is unlikely Fonte would have anymore luck!

2.) 06 Dec 2016
06 Dec 2016 08:06:48
Fair enough, thanks for replies!

As Adam said, its just that he seems to bring out the best in his partners, especially given we have Lovren in the team.

My thoughts are that he could be worth it as a backup to the Matip/ Lovren partnership for the next season or two.

{Ed001's Note - two years younger and I would agree, he is an excellent player, but now he just seems to be looking for a big payday. The Euros seem to have gone to his head, to be honest. I would avoid.}

3.) 06 Dec 2016
06 Dec 2016 08:12:46
Very very good player and one we should have bought actually 4 years ago. Calm, Composed and very matured Centre back. He is more like Carra to me. A captain and a leader. Him and Matip would be brilliant.

4.) 06 Dec 2016
06 Dec 2016 08:14:46
I know this is not going to be popular at all here, but instead of looking far and wide, I think (and hope) Klopp will relook the Sakho situation. I get it that he's a strict disciplinarian and knows what he wants and what he doesn't want. One look at the bench against Bournemouth (Woodburn, Ejaria, Alexander) told me already that he was sending messages to the rest of the youngsters about what is needed to make it to the first team. We were all howling during the summer about how he was flooding the midfield with unnecessary players and yet there's no sign of Grujic, Brannagan, Chirivella - confirmed first-teamers according to the club website. He decided to put academy listed players on the bench. Fine. I don't think it's an ego thing with Klopp at all. He's clearly teaching Sakho a lesson. And I totaly agree that discipline is absolutely necessary with these kids (I'm almost 56 so anybody younger than 30 is still a kid to me, LOL) .

But maybe a re-assessment is required? Sakho is a regular discipline problem both now and in his previous team. But the man is also committed to this team, and there's no question about his dedication and efforts on the field. I guess every manager wants smooth sailing with his team, in terms of discipline and order. Can Mr. Klopp put up with some turbulence, in the name of solving a (serious) problem area? I don't agree that Lovren is a lost cause as many have argued. Maybe he just a bad game - I haven't forgotten the good games he has had. But maybe things would have been different if Klopp had looked at the bench and seen Sakho waiting there (instead of Klavan), when Lucas and Lovren were having problems in the second half? These are all open questions - not necessarily what I am proposing to be done.

{Ed001's Note - if he was a dedicate team player, Klopp would have forgiven mate. The problem is that he is far from that.}

5.) 06 Dec 2016
06 Dec 2016 08:15:14
. He's quality and life spans in football aren't over even at 35, look at barry bazza, giggsy. Defenders aswel when partnered well can go on for a fair bit. Its the attackers that suffer more players like mane whose pace will go.

6.) 06 Dec 2016
06 Dec 2016 08:22:26
Okay Ed001. It's just a shame and a pity. Waste of a good player.

{Ed001's Note - it is, but he only has himself to blame. He would be central to PSG's plans if he had a better attitude. The problem is that he lacks maturity, he needs to grow up.}

7.) 06 Dec 2016
06 Dec 2016 09:08:21
I think eventually we will end up in our academy Southampton for a defender 😎.

8.) 06 Dec 2016
06 Dec 2016 09:15:38
I'd rather want someone in their mid 20's, get a good 5 (or hopefully more) years out of them, 33 is towards the end, then we're in the same boat in a couple of years. We need 1 more solid defender, Carra like defender, we have Matip, we get someone to play alongside him (who's good) and we're laughing. Our defense could be complete come next season, I think Trent will end up taking Clynes place, but who knows when that'll be, he keeps impressing like he already has done it's just a matter of time. I don't know how the LB situation will end up, if it was upto me Milner would be there constantly for the rest of his career but it's not upto me, he's pure quality there.

Sakho would've been perfect alongside Matip but due to his stupidity he's knackered himself up and I really don't want to see him in a Liverpool shirt again, it's a shame, he can be excellent, but we don't want players like that at our club. He doesn't deserve to a player here. Something that does worry me though is who is going to take him off our hands? - Hopefully we get rid come Jan, waste of wages, waste of time.

9.) 06 Dec 2016
06 Dec 2016 09:46:21
LFC16 - I don't think getting rid of Sakho will be a really big obstacle. There are certainly teams out there that can use his football skills and be willing to put up with his attitudes. That's for them to decide. We'll probably have to lose money on him, and I think LFC are prepared to do that now while they were not ready last summer. That's how it goes with players with discipline problems. Let's not forget Balotelli. Not only did we sell him below his value, but we bought him way below his market value, at the time, too.

10.) 06 Dec 2016
06 Dec 2016 10:21:35
We will have to scout someone who plays in a high line defense and without an out and DM ahead. Or we will end up in trouble.

11.) 06 Dec 2016
06 Dec 2016 10:43:21
The lad Gibson at Middlesborough has impressed me. Left footed too, would be a nice balance with Matip.

12.) 06 Dec 2016
06 Dec 2016 14:10:32
Gibson would be my pick. Much better than the media darling Van Dyke who without Fonte, would be terrible.

13.) 06 Dec 2016
06 Dec 2016 16:32:20
Virgil van Dijk would be an excellent partner for Matip IMO. He has concentration issues, but I would think playing alongside Matip and working for Klopp can eradicate those issues. He has everything physically and has the premier league experience to along, and if Matip and van Dijk and LFC's centre backs, the days of us getting bullied or falling apart under pressure would be long gone.

14.) 06 Dec 2016
06 Dec 2016 17:51:38
Lovren has concentration issues too just like Van Dyke, something that contributed to our loss vs Bournmouth so why get a CB who is just as prone to the same issues as the one we are trying to replace? That simply makes no sense, especially for the fee we would be paying and frankly, I`m sick of signing Saints players. Might as well purchase the club as a whole. Sheesh!