Liverpool Rumours Archive July 25 2017

25 Jul 2017 22:59:18
There's a few stories circulating that coutinho has agreed terms with Barcelona. Suppose is was going to happen sooner or later, it's pissed me off as he's quality got to be worth 100 mil. Any ideas on a replacement guys?

25 Jul 2017 23:05:04
Just read the same reports! Absolute joke! We'll miss out on NK, VVD and Can is on the way out to!

25 Jul 2017 23:08:57
Wouldn't believe it, it's just rumours.

25 Jul 2017 23:07:17
Source is a Spanish radio station.

25 Jul 2017 23:08:44
Genuinely curious. how is Phil able to "agree terms" with Barcelona but not LFC? Supposedly Neymar, Suarez, and Messi spoke well about Phil to the brass at Barca.

Are those not examples of "tapping up" as well?

Cheers,
JCS.

{Ed002's Note - It would be if the players or the club were approaching him.}

25 Jul 2017 23:22:02
Starting to wander what the age is of some of the posters on here
Hadn't most of the same sources for the last few weeks been saying Keita and vvd signed for us/ agreed personal terms etc?
If coutinho wants to leave then let him leave, yes he is ONE of our best players, but if he wants out why keep him? As long as we get good money for him.
We have players who should be able to step up and I'm sure there are plans in place for his replacement. As one of the eds said a few times his agent and himself have already spoke of his desire to play for Barca. I believe max Meyer was a replacement mentioned before.
For now it's newspaper clickbait.
Until it's announced its rubbish.
If he goes good luck thanks for some awesome entertainment and onto the next player. Players come and go, Liverpool will always be here.

25 Jul 2017 23:22:47
Uggers chill out man it's probably nonsense. Some people jump on anything just to say how crap we are when they don't even know the full story. Another scenario to your doomsday prediction would be that we sign VVD and Keita, then Couts stays and Can signs a new deal. Just as likely as your ill informed rant.

25 Jul 2017 23:53:37
Thanks, Ed002. I phrased the second part of that post poorly. More accurately, I meant that supposedly Neymar, Messi, Suarez had spoken to Coutinho (and also with Barca) about the benefits of a potential transfer.

My friend works as a scout for a London club and he mentioned something called "soft tapping up" -- is that a common term and is it accurate in this apparent instance where players work as agents for the clubs?

I tried searching the phrase but didn't turn up much.

Thanks again,
JCS.

{Ed002's Note - Well the rules are explicit and talks of "third parties" which includes the players and your friend is correct and the term he uses is a good one. What we know is that Coutinho and his agent made the approach via players and the club - and that is of course wrong - and very similar to the Ashley Cole/Chelsea situation. I have mentioned before how poor Liverpool are in dealing with the transfers - but no one ever asks about others, and it would include both Spanish leading sides and Manchester City. AS for his "soft" term, he is correct - and clubs have to live with players talking with each other and asking about clubs/cities - and that is likely not something anyone could control. Players are briefed at the start of the season about plenty of stuff, from how to behave, what not to do, to changes in rules. It always cover such matters - but that issue persists - across the board. Great comment, thanks.}

26 Jul 2017 00:03:02
Why are you shocked?

This has been brewing for the last couple of seasons!

Now, let's take a big hefty sum, ask them to throw in a couple of players and invest it wisely in quality.

Its not all bad.

If true, i wish him good luck.

26 Jul 2017 01:19:15
If Coutinho is so desperate to go, then tell Barcelona to offer 100 million pounds and get it over with. Hopefully Can signs a new contract and we sign Keita. Would like to see Chirivella get a chance as he is the closest we got to a Coutinho clone out of the numerous youngsters waiting for their chance.

26 Jul 2017 03:28:39
Really good post lifelong red. I totally agree. Ever thought about writing professionally?

26 Jul 2017 08:00:50
Coutinho looked gone in the pre-season games so far.

26 Jul 2017 08:24:23
Faithinworks, stop talking nonsense mate. It's preseason not the bloody World Cup.

26 Jul 2017 08:38:03
but haven't we said he's 100% not for sale. Surely it would take a monumental bid and £80mil isn't that these days.

26 Jul 2017 08:48:52
Indian Buzzer. in what world is Chrivella a clone of couts are you insane? they play nothing like each other Couts is attacking Mid, young Pedro is more like Alonso in his play style he sits deep to dictate play the closest we have to Couts in the youth systems is Woodburn who looks to be taking on the part of Couts understudy, and if you go further into academy the closest there is Dhanda.

26 Jul 2017 07:57:23
Hi Eds,

I'm slightly confused, when we have been caught up in a "tapping up" storm you are (quite rightly) massively disparaging of our actions and the way we go about doing things. When it is Barcalona (in this instance) your response is. "business"

It seems the regulations are suitably vague that teams can pretty much do as they please. I think our transfer approach and management has been deeply embarrassing over the last few years but it appears to be no different to the other teams out there. The Agents hold way too much of the responsibility, in any other industry it'd be classed as a conflict of interest with such huge sums involved. Surely better regulation has to be considered or put in place.

Jp.

{Ed002's Note - I am not sure what you are reading, but Barcelona has not been doing what Liverpool did and I would certainly not have given a one word answer like that. The rules are pretty clear and it is really nothing to do with other industries.}

26 Jul 2017 09:56:25
Indian Buzzer,

You cannot seriously be suggesting we replace Coutinho with Chirivella?

I'm all for giving a youth a chance throughout the season but you have got to be kidding me.

Resolve our best player with a boy who has only played a bit of a championship footy and will likely go out on loan again this season?

Give me strength!

26 Jul 2017 10:14:36
Chirivella a clone of Couts, Indian? Lay off the Koolaid, bro cos you are seeing things. I don't believe the reports being conveyed via the Barcelona mouthpieces in the Spanish media. They and RM do this all the time. If we don't want to sell, we should not sell esp. if Couts has not asked to leave. N BTW, regardless of offer, Keita is not going anywhere and we should use the same tactics used on us by RBL in this situation.

26 Jul 2017 12:28:51
Professional writers do need to be able to spell.

26 Jul 2017 13:34:34
Just saying. Don't need to freak out as if anything I say is going to tip him over to Barca. Altho it seems to me it's a matter of timing now. Take a chance to go now if he can, or maybe miss out if Barcelona move on and back to their #1 veratti?
Anyway, Suarez looked gone in Melbourne too. And by all accounts, if not for a Stevie G convo and the carrot of bigger fish than arsenal out there, he may have left that summer. I'm just giving my observation that from the game time I've seen he looks like Suarez did during that period. I imagine a big part of it too is Coutinho possibly battling the emotions of staying or going!?

27 Jul 2017 10:52:46
Coutinho is going nowhere. If sigurdsson is worth 50 million, or Barkley with 1 year on his contract is worth 40 million plus then Coutinho has got to demand a world record fee, and even then he should not be sold because there is no one out there to replace him that we can get! FSG OUT.

{Ed001's Note - FSG out because a player might want to leave? God this is moronic. Grow up.}

25 Jul 2017 21:54:17
RB Leipzig are looking for replacement for Keita according to Bild. Bite the bullet Leipzig!

25 Jul 2017 22:54:29
No thanks.

26 Jul 2017 00:05:18
I often say that to the Mrs.

She never takes it literally.

26 Jul 2017 00:07:58
Aka Rbl are looking to buy a player in the transfer market.

26 Jul 2017 03:31:13
RB Leipzig already took Konrad Laimer from sister club, RB Salzburg. He is likely a replacement for Keita should he move on or a very good backup for a CL season if Keita stays.

26 Jul 2017 04:05:49
RB Leipzig signed Konrad Laimer from sister club, RB Salzburg at the start of July. He is a similar player, slightly younger and will be a good backup if Keita stays, or a good replacement if Keita leaves.

26 Jul 2017 10:23:19
You guys are working too hard. RBL signed a player. Who cares? Could it be that cos they are in the CL this season, they need some depth? Just a thought.

26 Jul 2017 10:40:47
I'm sure I said that he is a good backup for their squad.

26 Jul 2017 11:50:18
So are Liverpool getting a replacement for Phil? Bite the bullet Liverpool. Let's not be so crass, there's always a bigger fish lurking round the corner. No wonder the likes of saints fans can't stand us constantly signing their player.

26 Jul 2017 19:56:27
Hopeful2, have you also heard of the saying, "a bird in hand is worth two in the bush"? That is the saying we must adhere to. You cannot say "we are ready to compete in the PL and CL" and then in the same summer, sell your best player with no replacement that we know of who can do the things he can do in the short term. That is the wrong message to send to the team, manager, supporters and to the whole football world. FSG and Klopp have dug their heels in and won't sell. We shall see if they all follow thru.

25 Jul 2017 21:02:17
Liverpool have put in a bid of 55m for van dijk.

25 Jul 2017 22:42:52
55m and a transfer ban coming up then?

25 Jul 2017 22:45:04
No they haven't.

25 Jul 2017 22:49:09
its just opening negotiation.

25 Jul 2017 23:12:08
If you really think Liverpool would be stupid enough to low ball Southampton after the mess they've caused. Think again. I do believe that VVD will be a Liverpool player in this transfer window but Liverpool will have to build a lot of bridges to make it happen.

26 Jul 2017 01:31:14
Thanks for the twitter update buddy.

26 Jul 2017 03:16:54
I mean I don't believe this for a second either way and I know what you're saying as we've handled everything appealingly but I find it extremely painful to read 55mill and low-ball in the same sentence that would make him the most expensive defender any Orem team has bought wouldn't it?

26 Jul 2017 09:54:30
There is nothing wrong with making a bid for a player nor is there anything wrong with that bid being low. In fact, that's generally how a negotiation works.

26 Jul 2017 10:25:24
Nothing wrong in bidding for a player. If the club want more for their player, they will reject it and ask the buying club to up the bid. Nothing new here.

26 Jul 2017 12:13:10
According to who David?

26 Jul 2017 16:19:08
CMK I know 55 million is an enormous sum of money and I'm by no means implying that is a small amount. You are correct it would be the highest fee ever for a defender but Liverpool putting a bid in of 55 million is pretty low given the circumstances. They should just pay the price being asked and stop pussyfooting around.

{Ed002's Note - They have not put in any such bid.}

26 Jul 2017 19:06:39
I know Eds. I was saying if they did it would be pretty stupid. Keep up the good work.

25 Jul 2017 14:28:21
Ed002 can I ask you straight please mate, do you think Coutinho will leave this window?

{Ed002's Note - I suspect not but the club may need to offer a one year out a la LS.}

25 Jul 2017 16:24:59
Just for clarification, you mean, stay this year, see what happens then we will let you go?

25 Jul 2017 17:10:09
If that's the case I think that's ok for Liverpool . Potentially could have his best season yet in a Liverpool shirt maybe win a trophy and then World Cup with Brazil as potential winner would easy justify him being worth over £100million. At the end of the day Real Madrid / Barca are the holy grail for most South Americans it will happen sooner or later let's hope it's on great terms for Liverpool.

25 Jul 2017 16:36:15
Ed002 why would they need to do that when he only signed a five year deal.

{Ed002's Note - If he really wants to go then it might be a compromise.}

25 Jul 2017 16:54:28
Sorry ed02 what exactly do u mean by a one year out?

{Ed002's Note - Let him go in a year.}

25 Jul 2017 17:27:58
Ed002 is that offering him a new contract (I'm assuming with say 50k a week extra)?

{Ed002's Note - No.}

25 Jul 2017 17:35:44
Sorry ed not sure what you mean mate. Basically one last year?

{Ed002's Note - Yes.}

25 Jul 2017 17:55:38
My thoughts exactly, Ed02.

25 Jul 2017 16:14:54
First of all sorry for my english.

I'm from Barcelona and I'm close to certain Barcelona directives. They are very keen on Coutinho because they fear they can lose Neymar in the short term.

Situation at Barcelona is not very good. La Masia is a mess and is not producing top talent, also they're in a bad legal position with UEFA.

Barça know that they're losing pulling power with top stars. Mantaining Messi and Suarez is difficult and they have a LOT of political power in the club which is bad.

Neymar and his conselours (namely neymar dad) know that Neymar is one of the future top players not only as a player but as a brand. They are pushing Barcelona to spend a lot to make him happy and assure that he will be the top star in the world.

Just my two cents regarding Barcelona position as today.

25 Jul 2017 18:35:19
So everything he sed is a lie. He doesn't want to become a legend at Liverpool and he wants to become a bit part player at Barcelona🤔🤔.

{Ed002's Note - You what has been said before and what he had his agent and Neymar do,}

25 Jul 2017 18:59:43
Your English and grammar is extraordinary good for someone with Spanish roots! 🤔.

25 Jul 2017 20:36:29
Coutinio would not be a bit part player. He will become better than neymar, no doubt. Can't believe all this is happening. Phil is going, can is going, lucas has gone. Our threadbare squad last season is even thinner than it was. If they leave, which may well happen, we need to get out there and sign some midfielders. Instead of spending the whole window making huge bids to a team who simply aren't selling. It's becoming pointless. There are hundreds of good players out there who would love to dig for us. I think can and Coutinio are two of our very best players. What happened to "we are not selling club"? I'll be devastated if they go. Can is getting better all the time. In a couple of years he could own the premiership. We need to keep them both. I agree with Ed02 that phil will give us another year. I hope and pray we face Barcelona in ucl and beat then again. Might make coutinio think twice. It is trophies he wants. Give us a year and win the league.

25 Jul 2017 21:17:15
If you was him would you want to stay?
Can we compete for the champ league?
Even domestic league with the squad we have at the moment?

25 Jul 2017 21:50:32
Extraordinarily😉.

26 Jul 2017 12:01:10
Can own the Premiership in 2 years? He won't even own the Liverpool midfield then lol. Can is a tidy little player but his ceiling is lower than you think in my opinion. I would pick Gini, Hendo, Lalana ahead of him.

25 Jul 2017 09:20:00
Hi ed1 hope your well.
Do you know of any interest in investment with the club from other parties as it's quite obvious to everyone we can't compete with the likes of city, United, Chelsea.
Cheers.

{Ed001's Note - I am not sure what on earth makes you say that last bit, apart from crap in newspapers etc, but no I don't know of any right now.}

25 Jul 2017 09:35:17
I thought we competed very well in the league against City, United and Chelsea it was teams like Burnley, Hull and Palace that we struggled against.

25 Jul 2017 09:53:31
Financially.

25 Jul 2017 10:07:34
I am not talking about competing on the field it's off the field that concerns me as in the purchase of players look how much the 3 mentioned teams have spent so far.
I'm not say fsg should bank roll us for everything I thought that other investment would an cod be brought in that's all.

{Ed001's Note - personally I am only worried about competing on the pitch, but there you go.}

25 Jul 2017 10:17:59
Quite happy for us to not be competing with them financially as long as we are taking results off them, just need a few additions to help break down more defensive teams like Salah. We don't need to spend £300mil just need to sensible with what we add.

My biggest concern is that (in my opinion) we don't seem to be looking for a top denfensive midfielder who will help us to stop opposition counter attacks. We attack and press so well with lots of players flooding forward but then get beaten by simple direct play into strikers feet because there is no shield. It would even help to defend long balls over the top because a deeper lying midfielder could recover more quickly and add an additional cover.

25 Jul 2017 10:21:47
A team like Leicester winning the Premier League is something we are unlikely to see again for a long time. That was the perfect combination of every ingredient making that team tick and it was not investment.

The only thing that matters is continued success on the pitch, how we get there - well that clearly is the challenging part for all clubs, not just Liverpool but all paths do not lead to spending more cash.

Don't get me wrong, my untrained eye would love to see Keita at the club, not because he will cost us 70+ million GBP but because he looks like someone who will immediately improve the first 11.

25 Jul 2017 10:32:25
Would I spend 49m on Sterling, 50m on Stones, 53m on Mendy, 45m on Walker no way, 34m on Mane and 34m on Salah does not seem too bad, Matip for free over Stones? It is not about spending big it is about spending smart

25 Jul 2017 10:55:43
Exactly kingcarlos, there are probably 10 clubs in the world that can just splash out these inflated prices and we are not one of them. man city just spent 54 mill and 26 mill on 2 players that will compete for 1 position. its insane. as much as I would love for us to have unlimited funds I also like our club to be astute in their purchases. i would rather we spend big if need be and for cover we nurture and develop our youngsters because I am excited about several of them.

25 Jul 2017 10:56:13
Personally I'd back us against anyone. With all of their money spent do they have a better forward 4 than Mane, Salah, Firmino and Coutinho? If we can then get a top CB and TAA come on like we'd hoped then what a side! You don't need to spend £300 million in one transfer window to compete on the pitch.

25 Jul 2017 11:16:36
No worries cheers it's all about opinions.

25 Jul 2017 11:24:18
Money can buy quality and it can also buy overpriced tripe. Every transfer is a risk. The world class players do come at a hefty price though. Luckily I don't think our league rivals have bought any world class players this window.

25 Jul 2017 11:36:17
Who says we can't compete? I think the owners are prepared to back Klopp, the difference is he is not Brenda Rodgers - he will only buy what he believes will make the club better and not just buy for the sake of it. I'm happy with that.

25 Jul 2017 11:47:24
The other issue is that they can afford higher wages and when it comes down to it, players are more often than not going to choose one of those clubs if they had the option.

25 Jul 2017 12:39:43
Spot on, Happy and Jigz. Klopp is not as arrogant and incompetent as BR. Also, If you are spending big on slightly average to above average players like Walker, Danilo, Pickford, Keane etc, then I have no fear cos our team is filled with the right players who fit our system to a T and when we are firing on all cylinders, we are simply unplayable and none of these clubs spending big can beat us.

We just need to improve our first team every season with the right players, turn some of our draws into wins, cut down the points we lose from winning positions (18 points last season) and improve the quality in depth to account for injuries.

25 Jul 2017 12:43:10
Have a look at Jose he buys top players klopp makes top players I have think fsg no this also hence he's in the job personally I prefer us to develop talent as look in the past Leeds Portsmouth they over stretch and suffer long term and would hate Liverpool to do the same.

25 Jul 2017 12:57:29
To say we can't compete financially after bids of 66mil for kieta, reported bids (yet to be tabled) of 50/ 60 for Vvd. 35mil for salah is crazy. We might not have limitless wealth but you don't need to spend 500 mil each summer. Liverpool simply can compete both financially and on the field. It's the teams like Burnley and Swansea who find it maybe hard to compete financially. Saying that. Leicester won the league didn't they? Absolute rubbish.

25 Jul 2017 13:29:11
B scouse, love ya mate but walker is a little better than average to slightly above average. One of best rbs in the world and was easily best RB in the euros last year. Apart from that I agree with you totally.

25 Jul 2017 14:09:12
B Scouse- Those 4 players you have listed would all improve our team/ squad.

25 Jul 2017 14:11:16
Walker best RB in the euros? Next I'll be hearing Rooney had a good tournament.

25 Jul 2017 15:11:42
All you who says its not about spending big, look who has won the league last 10 years. I bet that the ones who have won atleast have been top 3 spenders on wages and fees that season.

25 Jul 2017 15:28:02
It's a game of opinions but I certainly wouldn't say any of the 4 players B Scouse mentioned would improve us and I'd go as far as to say if we'd signed them, Keane and Danilo especially everyone would be up in arms about us signing average players for big money. Even Pickford is a huge risk, let's not forget we signed Migs from Sunderland after he'd had a good season. As for Walker being the best right back in the Euros! Seriously?

25 Jul 2017 15:37:36
Don't you get a trophy for spending the most money ed001?
I could have sworn so after reading this website for so many years?!?!

25 Jul 2017 15:52:24
I guess it's just the FIFA manager inside all of USB that wants to sign 70 players for 1 position, I mean I signed Keita Balde Diao and Berardi in one window despite having Bernardo Silva and Sharaawy and Vela already so maybe we should take a step back. Ed have Liverpool shown any interest in the players I've mentioned?

I'm kidding lol calm down please don't shout at me.

25 Jul 2017 17:34:47
I just don't think we've addressed the reasons we lost too many games we should have one. Keita and VVD are the only top class options reasonably within our reach to resolve those issues.

25 Jul 2017 18:11:17
Superr, Walker the best RB at the Euros? Pep, is that you? Walker can't defend and has poor end product offensively (can't remember the last time he got an assist. N BTW, Walker is not one of the best RB's in the world. Not in a million years. Juanfran, Azpilicueta, Carvajal (the best, IMO), Cedric Soares, Djibril Sidibe (Monaco) just off the top of my head, are better than Walker and I did not even mention a certain Dani Alves. IMO, the best RB at the Euros and one of the best in the PL is Cedric from from the Saints. He is to me, very good going forward and more than serviceable in defence.

25 Jul 2017 00:38:32
An actual rumour from an Italian friend in Florence. Following the sale of Federico Bernardeschi (a fine player, btw), expect a bid for Lazar Markovic from Fiorentina this week.

I am told that the the mighty LFC are aware of these events and have already floated the idea of including Alberto Moreno as part of a double-deal.

Fiorentina are said to be receptive to the idea.

25 Jul 2017 02:52:33
Let's hope the rumor is true. Seems like a good spot for both players but maybe a bit too good to be true.

25 Jul 2017 03:50:37
Hope so. Need to start selling some players to fund expensive incomings. If we can get around 25 million combined for Markovic and Moreno, then well done to Edwards.

25 Jul 2017 06:32:34
Markovic deserves a move more than we need to sell players. He's not been treated well by our club.

25 Jul 2017 07:29:10
Markovic hasn't been given many chances but he's obviously not tickled any managers fancy on the training ground either. He hardly set the world alight at Fenerbache, Sporting or Hull whilst on loan. I actually thought he would be more suited to Klopp as well.

25 Jul 2017 07:38:13
People say it's because he's lost confidence but, he's always looked like a player that hasn't got many ideas on the ball. He doesn't seem very two footed either. Still, I hope he can rebuild his career.

25 Jul 2017 07:38:34
What expensive incomings Indian buzzer? Kieta and vvd aren't happening, guaranteed, let's all move on!

25 Jul 2017 08:14:16
People telling other people to move on would surely find it easier if they just moved onto the next post and saved themselves 2 minutes of typing.

25 Jul 2017 09:05:43
You could say Markovic hasn't treated us very well either. £20 million and he's given us very little. Surely it's down to the player to force their way into the managers plans not the manager to play the player just because of the fee paid? The fee isn't his fault but he needs to have a bit more about him to get into the side.

25 Jul 2017 13:21:17
Markovic was arguably hull's best player toward the end of last season. I agree he hasn't been given a chance here but klopp knows what he's doing. If he were good enough in training then he would get a chance I'm sure. Just another example of an average to decent player being hyped as the next big thing and the Brodge falling for it. I reckon he would do well at celtic ;) no seriously, I do.

25 Jul 2017 15:07:39
Actually, he started very well. He was fired up and has shown his hunger on the pitch. After his red card (that I thought was unjustified), a sequence of events led him to be taken out of the first team and loaned out. I think that we had no right to take a very promising player, spend so much money on him and then bench / loan him out like he was some kind of a rental. We ruined what was a very promising career and now we complain about the lad.
That is unfair. He should have been given 12-15 games in the starting lineup. Playing week in week out. When we took Lucas, despite his poor start, we fielded him again and again. He kept his head down even when booed by our own supporters. Only that consistency and the time we gave him on the pitch made him into a very good player for us. Not many players can say they have been here for 10 years. We should have treated Lazar better.

25 Jul 2017 15:21:59
Agreed, Indian Buzzer. I get a cheap thrill from balancing the books! Love a good sale as much as a good buy. :)

25 Jul 2017 17:25:07
Think Indian meant Ox for 30mil.