29 Dec 2019 21:41:21
Ed002, away from all the VAR talk mate I was browsing the UTD page and seen you gave a brief summary of players and positions the club have a level of interest in recruiting. Any chance you we could have a similar update please? Understand if you don't have the time however.

Thanks in advance mate.

{Ed002's Note - I cannot answer about the timings of transfers but can tell you where I know of some level of interest.

I expect the needs will be for: CB, LM, CM/AM

I would expect Liverpool to look at the midfield next summer and still look to a LM and again an AM - they are two positions where there could be improvement. I suspect that a CB may well need to be added but that assuming Lovren or someone else leaves. Liverpool may look to bolster the HG quota and have looked at Dael Fry (CB), Ben White (CB) and Ben Godfrey (CB). Much will depend on youngsters developing and how Gomez does - assuming Lovren is leaving.

Dael Fry (CB) Liverpool has a declared interest in Fry as they look to bolster the HG quota - knowing that prices will increase - much is expected of Fry
Ben Godfrey (CB) - another HG option to Fry
Ben White (CB) another option to Fry

Mathieu Goncalves (LB) Toulouse say they have spoken with Juventus over the player but it has been suggested that Liverpool will look to him at the expense of Larouci, which would be a shame as he is well thought of.

Klopp apparently remains keen on Sander Berge (DM) but it is difficult to see how he would get regular game time with Fabinho in the side. Napoli and Fiorentina are both keen and West Ham see him as a replacement for Declan Rice if he were to leave.

Piotr Zielinski (CM/LM) speculative but Klopp has had interest for some time and he will be one of the Napoli players made available - but would expect to be a starter and is expected to be given a significant increase in wages to stay at Napoli.

Kai Havertz (AM) Bayern Munich will likely move for KH if the option on Philippe Coutinho not taken up, but interest from elsewhere - particularly Barcelona (if Coutinho leaves), Manchester City (as a David Silva replacement) and Juventus. Interest of Milan will likely not go anywhere. Dortmund and PSG have both certainly spoken with his agent. Numerous other clubs have had scouts watch including Manchester United, Chelsea and Real Madrid who have watched him on a number of occasions but either don't see the value in the price now or have other targets (where Chelsea and Real Madrid are concerned). Whether Liverpool wish to throw their hat in to the ring is another matter.

Bild wrote an article citing interest from Manchester United, Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid - and then went on to write another saying Manchester United and Manchester City have spoken directly with the player - which they have not. Somewhere down the line an English paper added Liverpool as one of these clubs. Right now, Liverpool has not made any approach to Bayer Leverkusen regarding the player.

The reality is that all four clubs want an AM player - and he is Bayern's preferred recourse assuming they decide not to take up the option on Coutinho. Manchester United are looking for an AM player and have been baulking at the price being asked for Bruno Fernandes (AM) and have not lost sight of Christian Eriksen (AM). They have certainly looked at him, but I am not aware of more than that and I am sure they have not spoken with the player directly. Real Madrid are also looking for an AM player and have been attracted by the low-cost option of Eriksen. Finally, Manchester United do have the need to replace David Silva but it would be a very significant investment in a youngster.}

Filip Stevanovic (LW/AM) Partizan Belgrade kiddie who has been watched by Spurs, Borussia Dortmund, Torino, Liverpool, Lazio, Atlanta, Herta Berlin, Werder Bremen and Southampton. And I suspect others. Unlikely to leave until 2021.

Mohammed Daramy (F) kiddie has been looked at and might be seen as a replacement for Liam Miller (F) who has no future at Liverpool and will leave.

Aside from that it is critical that Liverpool identify if any senior players are looking to leave - the more notice they have of that the better the opportunity to plan.
Amine Harit (AM) is having a decent season but I am not aware of interest of Liverpool but they have sxouted Schalke matches. He would be effectively a like-for-like replacement for Shakiri and he would likely get around the same amount of opportunities. He will be 21 or so now and I would expect a drop to the bench would not be attractive for a player who is playing regularly at a good level. He has turned down clubs in the past as it would stagnate. It makes no sense for the player or the club. And bringing in non-HG players to pad out the squad makes no sense either. Signed a new contract to fend off interest from elsewhere.
Takumi Minamino (RW/F) Augsburg were keen in the summer and at one time Everton and Dynamo Moscow had scouts look at Takumi Minamino. Will join in January.
Bilel Hassaini (RW) was looked at several times last season but is in a state of flux right now and you can likely forget him.

Thomas Muller (F) is miffed because he has been on the bench but Bayern Munich will not sell him without a replacement and there is nothing to indicate that he will be available in January. Additionally, he would I assume be a Firmino replacement if he were to join.

It has been suggested that Liverpool will look to David Neres (LW/RW) although I am not aware of any approach from Liverpool - if they were to declare interest it would likely be at the expense of Salah. Neres is liked by a number of sides but he has a reputation for sometimes going missing and being rather moody.}. As for Salah, I am aware that he and his agent are aware that they have put themselves in a difficult position with financial demands which saw them laughed out of Madrid and approaches to other sides came to nothing - regardless, Liverpool is probably the best place for Salah to be biding his time right now. The efforts to boost his profile will no doubt continue, and he will doubtless be holidaying with a professional photographer again and be seen kissing babies and rescuing swooning girls with twisted ankles from being eaten by bears. But these efforts to sell him as the new Real Madrid poster boy may come to nothing as they have a first-choice forward target for next summer. So right now, it is hard to say where he could potentially move to unless things change - and they always do. In terms of a replacement, the player Klopp has made no secret of his desire to work with is Lorenzo Insigne but I suspect age is against that ever happening. So if someone were to push me in to saying who would be the best fit if Salah were to leave next summer, I would say Federico Chiesa. He would be a direct replacement, has similar attributes to Salah, is you, liked by Klopp and, although Liverpool have shown no interest, will be sold next summer - assuming Fiorentina can fight off Inter this summer.

Victor Osimhen (S/F) One particular Liverpool scout is pressing for the club to sign him. Barcelona have also shown an interest, but they have a financial issue to solve first - he only joined in the summer and Lille will resist any January bids - and it is hard to see why the player would consider a career on the bench. Spurs have looked at him and spoken with his agent. A senior Chelsea scout has also been watching the player who could be seen as an option to their primary striker target - but their need is for January rather than the summer. There was serious interest from Arsenal when he was much younger, but he opted for Wolfsburg.

Erling Haaland (S) There was no Liverpool interest.

Outbound:
Devan Lovren (CB) perhaps in the summer
Nathaniel Phillips (CB) should be headed back to Stuttgart on loanLiam Millar (F) - a youngster who will suffer the same fate as most of the youngsters at Liverpool
Allan (CM) should be joining Flumenense after discussions in Brazil but there is a counter-offer from Atletico Mineiro
Adam Lallana (LM, AM, CM) I think time has come
James Milner (M/W) perhaps
Rhian Brewster (S) loan to Swansea

1.) 30 Dec 2019
30 Dec 2019 09:57:08
Thanks edd 2, excellent update.

2.) 30 Dec 2019
30 Dec 2019 09:57:33
Great summary Ed002. thank you.

I wouldn't be surprised if Ancelotti wants Zielinski at Everton.

{Ed002's Note - Napoli are not easy to deal with at the best of times.}

3.) 30 Dec 2019
30 Dec 2019 10:10:26
Thank you for your very in-depth reply and information Ed002, very much appreciated.

{Ed002's Note - You are welcome.}

4.) 30 Dec 2019
30 Dec 2019 10:14:43
Informative Ed002, your description of Salah on his holidays still makes me laugh. Who knows, maybe this year Salah will excel himself by fighting the fires in Australia or removing all the plastic bags from our oceans, surely that would get him his dream move.

5.) 30 Dec 2019
30 Dec 2019 10:46:20
Wow thanks for such an in depth answer.

6.) 30 Dec 2019
30 Dec 2019 11:14:37
Was this written pre-Minamino, ie does his arrival change the am/ lm part?

Also are there any plans for grujic to stay? Seems like he would be a good bet to replace Lallana.

{Ed002's Note - Minamino is a RW primarily so it changes nothing aside from taking Harry Wilson out of the equation. Hertha Berlin are a club very much on the up with grand plans - they want to keep Grujic. There is no guarantee that he will get a work permit in England and Liverpool may take the chance to profit as he does not qualify as home grown. But he has been doing well.}

7.) 30 Dec 2019
30 Dec 2019 11:24:20
Thanks, ED002. That was quite comprehensive!

8.) 30 Dec 2019
30 Dec 2019 11:38:10
Thanks Ed002.
Just putting this out there, but if Liverpool were to receive £150 million plus for Salah, is it worth putting £50 - 60 million Wolves way to take Traore?
The guy is a bomb waiting to explode, he’d be very difficult to stop in a front 3 like Liverpool’s.
It would certainly make good financial sense.

{Ed002's Note - I am not aware that Liverpool has any interest in the player.}

9.) 30 Dec 2019
30 Dec 2019 12:42:21
ed with Brexit will that make a work permit harder for grujic?

{Ed002's Note - No, it will make no difference.}

10.) 30 Dec 2019
30 Dec 2019 13:44:54
I'd rather keep Salah myself. I think Traore is frighteningly quick but wouldn't have near the end product of Salah.

11.) 30 Dec 2019
30 Dec 2019 14:34:27
@DarraghRed. That was one of my criticisms of Traore in the past and I thought that it was a mistake for Wolves to be buying him. His end product has improved massively. I'd say more than anyone ever expected it to.

He's now become a real quality player, and I'm shocked to be saying that because he used to be awful and just all about pace.

12.) 30 Dec 2019
30 Dec 2019 15:14:05
It's silly season I know but I've just seen some media speculation that Liverpool will pay the release clause of Diego Carlos from Sevilla next summer, £64m is the release clause for the Brazilian CB, probably tabloid BS.

13.) 30 Dec 2019
30 Dec 2019 17:23:12
I certainly don’t want to lose Salah but, if he were to leave, then Traore is more than worth considering imo.

14.) 30 Dec 2019
30 Dec 2019 18:20:30
Ed002. Does Grujic's future at Hertha Berlin hinge on their interest in Granit Xhaka?

{Ed002's Note - No, they play in different positions.}

15.) 30 Dec 2019
30 Dec 2019 18:53:05
eds, what's your take on brewster given the recent news on a loan to swansea? has the club's position on him changed at all? do you know if they see him having a future still at LFC? i can't imagine him being willing to sit through multiple years of loans while they make up their mind on him.

{Ed002's Note - I am not aware of any proposals for multiple years on loan for Brewster but he has been the pick of the youth striking talent coming through the systems - and of course he is home grown which is important. Right now there appears to be no intention to use him regardless of the promises made by Klopp. He will head out on loan in January and in the summer the club will need to decide if a year on loan would make him ready to be considered, if he will sit on the finges not playing or if they just let him be one of the youngsters who need to look elsewhere. He has been considered a great talent all of the way through the system, but I am afraid that counts for little or nothing now at Liverpool.}

16.) 30 Dec 2019
30 Dec 2019 19:29:07
Thanks, Ed002. Appreciate the quick and thorough reply, as always.

17.) 31 Dec 2019
31 Dec 2019 02:29:37
£50-£60m on Traore?! Now I’ve seen everything - you must be basing that on him having two good games vs City this season because he is made to look above average due to his sheer pace, but his goals/ assists record is really poor. Don’t get me wrong, I like him and think he could make a great squad / impact player at a decent club, but for that money he would be expecting to start and I fully believe Origi is miles ahead of him as a footballer overall (maybe not miles ahead in a foot race though tehe) . I reckon Jota has the attributes to be a top players though.

(Sorry is the above seemed like a scathing message, was by no means my intent if it comes across that way! )

18.) 31 Dec 2019
31 Dec 2019 13:13:03
Nuno has managed him well and should continue to do so but I don't think Traore would be on my Xmas list just yet.

19.) 31 Dec 2019
31 Dec 2019 15:42:04
I would say as far as the big clubs go, youth players have the best chance at LFC. For one we don't overstock the squad with cheap foreign players.
Why this dislike for the way LFC work their youngsters? surely its down to quality of the player over anything else, as we have seen with Trent.

{Ed002's Note - They have been leaving Liverpool - or hadn't you noticed?}