Liverpool Banter 4

15 Aug 2026 10:54:40
Possibly a stupid theory but is there a possibility we have delayed the signings of Barcola etc as a marketing ploy so the new investors look like great lads as all the new signings arrive as soon as they come on board. Or should I take off my tinfoil hat. 😉

15 Aug 2026 11:08:36
Transfers don't work like that anymore, this is only for FSG's benefit, the club can only spend what it generates itself. Owners' pockets don't come into the equation whatsoever.

15 Aug 2026 11:46:50
What would they be marketing?

15 Aug 2026 12:29:46
That's an extra-large tinfoil hat that you're wearing. 😂😉

15 Aug 2026 12:41:27
"Great lads". 😂😂
Cheers Eire, that tickled me.

15 Aug 2026 15:13:19
Possibly a stupid theory.

16 Aug 2026 03:39:38
tbh, if I were a new investor, I'd rather want to see the club is functioning well.

15 Aug 2026 09:29:27
Aside from the 30% sale of the club and the tranfer window
(Wild West it seems)

I can’t wait to get my fix of football again. The World Cup just doesn’t do it for me the same way the Red Men and the Premier League does.



Roll on next week and hopefully the fitness is starting to increase as what I seen in the 1st 40 mins vs Monaco is the reason I’m excited for this season. We look like we could blow teams away if we can sustain it.

Come on the Red Men.

15 Aug 2026 11:02:03
Yeah, I agree. Really dislike international football and looking forward to a much improved Liverpool this season, fingers crossed.

15 Aug 2026 11:17:08
I can't wait for the new season under Iraola, but I am nervous about the lack of signings. We clearly need a bigger squad than last season, because we are going to run the legs off our lads, and imo we have nowhere near a big enough squad to compete.

15 Aug 2026 07:37:40
You heard it here first. Barcola 100% done and is flying in Monday. £95m (€111m) plus add-ons.

VG also thinks we're close on Mbaye, with Liverpool trying to get it done around £30m (€35m). At that price the double deal makes sense. Barcola is the starting LW, Mbaye is 18 and mainly right-sided, so they're not competing for the same role. I've heard the initial contact came through Barcola, they are good friends and he pushed it. PSG got a sniff of it.

If Mbaye somehow doesn't happen, the RW hijack names I'd watch are Pablo García and Minteh.

Pablo García is the cheap one. He's 20, naturally plays RW, Hull are already trying to do a deal and the price being talked about is only around €8m (£7m).

Minteh is the more established option. Brighton's valuation has been high, around £60–70m (€70–82m), which is why I wouldn't touch it at that level. But if that price drops late in the window, especially if Brighton decide to cash in or another club does the groundwork, he becomes much more interesting. He's already Premier League proven, right-sided and fits Iraola's pace/pressing profile.

After that Jones is the key domino. If he goes for around £30–35m (€35–41m) it's basically pure accounting profit and I think we go for an athletic 6/8. Lamine Camara still makes the most sense to me at roughly £40–45m (€47–53m). Nyoni has shown enough in pre-season that we don't need another attacking 8 blocking his minutes.

Defence is where I think the next surprise could be. We need someone who can cover CB and RB, is ready now and doesn't cost £60m (€70m).

Geertruida is the one I'd watch. Around €20m (£17m), 26, can play RB, CB and DM, with other clubs already negotiating. Acheampong is the younger outside option at 20 and can cover CB/RB, but would probably cost more.

So my order now that Barcola is done, Mbaye possible if VG is right, Minteh/Pablo García as the RW fallback ideas, Jones out triggering a 6/8, then one versatile defender.

15 Aug 2026 08:53:19
The fact that Minteh is out injured until after Christmas tells you a lot about this post.

15 Aug 2026 08:56:33
Cheers Robbie, for the info.

15 Aug 2026 08:49:02
Genuine question but where are you getting the valuations from? To me it seems the club - starting in last summer's window - tend to pay the going rate if they want somebody badly enough and aren't hung up on a specific number when they negotiate.

15 Aug 2026 08:41:31
Utter nonsense.

You're obviously entitled to your ravings, but this is wearing thin now!

BTW Minteh was injured a day or two ago, likely out for 2-3 months.

Please leave the ITK stuff to people who genuinely are ITKs, and enjoy the ride!

Opinions are great and what this site is built on, but this nonsense needs to stop!

15 Aug 2026 09:08:14
I think Araujo is the centre and right back cover.

Analysing our current non home grown squad and the 17 allowed to registered for the Prem, I assume we would currently register:

Alisson
Mamardashvil
Van Dijk
Araujo
Tsimikas
Kerkez
Ramsay
Szoboszlai
Wirtz
Gravenberch
Ali Mac
Endo
Isak
Ekitike
Gakpo
Munoz
Chiesa

So, for Barcola to come in, who goes?

I guess Ramsey, Chiesa and Gakpo (only because I see rumours about Spurs).

15 Aug 2026 09:08:15
Griz version 5.

15 Aug 2026 09:16:21
Statto, it's easy if those two do come in, Ramsey goes, Gakpo goes, Ekitike doesn't get registered till Christmas, when he's actually back.

15 Aug 2026 09:25:20
Minteh being injured doesn't mean he isn't still being looked at, which he is. They would look to sign in Jan... hence me saying me saying if they decide to "cash in" because they will have to find a replacement themselves.

This is why the Mbaye situation could have changed... read between the lines, Zeddicus.

15 Aug 2026 09:27:20
Read the post properly... Mytton dressed as lamb. 😂

15 Aug 2026 10:01:56
I've read it back to front, front to back, between the lines, and the lines themselves.

Still stinks of desperate BS!

You're entitled to your opinion and I'm entitled to scorn it!

15 Aug 2026 10:07:26
Now we have ITK aggregators. 🤦‍♂️

15 Aug 2026 10:08:00
Barcola 100% done, yeah, you're right, I did read it here first, about 4 weeks ago.

15 Aug 2026 10:12:23
I'm with Zed. That stuff is a load of old tosh as Rome would say.

15 Aug 2026 10:27:41
Someone needs to get off ChatGPT.

15 Aug 2026 10:58:28
Formby mansion prepped and awaiting approval from a certain Frenchman.

15 Aug 2026 10:59:52
Yesterday you said we had just a 50% chance of getting Barcola.
Now it's 100% done. From claims of the clubs being miles apart on valuation, with PSG wanting £145m to now a deal being done for just £95m? Sorry, but that's not how negotiations work.

We have a whole recruitment team doing in-depth research and analysis all year long, creating shortlists and tracking potential targets in preparation for the summer transfer window, and you want me to believe that we're in for Mbaye because "Barcola put a word in"?! Come off it will you.

15 Aug 2026 11:32:23
The reactions. 😂😂😂😂 I didn't say Mbaye would join because Barcola put a word in. I said contact came through Barcola... I did not say that he was joining either. Can anyone actually read the post properly? 😬🙈

We will see if it happens, then you can judge. 😎

15 Aug 2026 12:44:11
Metal Mickey, blink twice if it's the original you!

15 Aug 2026 12:51:07
I stopped reading after "you heard it first".

15 Aug 2026 18:38:13
Sweet baby Fowler, look at the amount of emojis. The lad's only 14.

15 Aug 2026 21:11:02
LOL Chewy!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

15 Aug 2026 08:01:34
Ed001 if a lot of reports are true and we sign Mbaye and Barcola and let Gakpo go to spurs are you concerned about the experience we have in the wide forward positions.
I know Barcola is very experienced for his age but still a new league for him and Rio and Victor Munoz and Mbaye all very young and Rio is the only one with Premier League experience and I think he is way off being ready for first team football week in week out.

{Ed001's Note - I don't know enough about either player to have any kind of opinion on them in any way.}

15 Aug 2026 03:09:40
Question for ed001 - you think bezos/Amazon interest in LFC is to try and wrangle LFC streaming rights for Amazon?

{Ed001's Note - I have no idea. It doesn't seem like it would be worth it for Amazon though, in that case. The club has been at the forefront of moving to an independent streaming model, but the income is unlikely to be enough to make a difference to Amazon.}

15 Aug 2026 10:09:50
Ed1, it's been known that FSG have been looking for investment or some sort of exit strategy for a while now.

Do you have any idea why they chose to go with this investment by the people led by the Bhatia guy? Is it because the money was right for them, or is it more about the fact that Bhatia used to own a football club in the UK, so he has some idea of what it takes to own a football club?

{Ed001's Note - I would think that money was the main reason, though also they would have presented a plan to move the club forward to make them all even more money in the future.}

15 Aug 2026 10:49:02
What do you know about Bhatia Ed? I don't have any friends who is QPR fans. So, everything I know about the guy is from Google.

{Ed001's Note - absolutely nothing, sorry.}

15 Aug 2026 07:39:02
{Ed's Note - AK7 has posted a new article entitled, The Nuclear Option: Cavenagh Walks In

15 Aug 2026 02:28:08
Victor, you’re a good man!!
I’d be happy with the winger options if we pull off the double. 😳
from PSG.
Sell Gakpo, as it looks like he is talking to Spurs, which is about his level, but that would definitely mean we need a striker.
I like the idea of Marmoush joining the club.

15 Aug 2026 07:55:45
From Vic’s update yesterday, Shug, I think buying 2 wingers (possibly Mbaye and Barcola) would result in the sale of Cody.

I guess AI has seen enough in preseason from Koumas that he can understudy Isak until 2027 when Ekitike is back? Munoz too, who comes across as a DJ20 sort of player?

I guess if you include Wirtz and Szob as forward options in the front 4, we’d have Rio, Wirtz, Dom, Barcola, Mbaye, Koumas, Isak for 4 positions, with Ekitike to return.

Could be enough, but depends on injuries, I guess.

15 Aug 2026 08:06:40
I think Gapko leaves and the two wingers come in. I think we are pretty much done in the transfer market.
Nyoni will fill the cap for Jones should he leave. If high bids come in for Mac, that may force our hand into a replacement, as I expect Elliot to leave as well.

15 Aug 2026 08:15:14
Would a) the club buy a player to fill the gap of an injury of 3 , 6 , 9 , (?) months, knowing the first choice is hopefully going to return (or they hope) as good as before?
B) Would a player come knowing he's the stop gap for a 3 , 6 , 9 , (?) month injury and he'll be benched on the player's return?
C) Fill the gap with an up and coming youth, or loan.


Surely any deal has to be sweetened, so much it makes it all unfeasible!

15 Aug 2026 08:41:02
This isn't a Jones defence as I think he's only a decent squad option, but over the last two seasons he's featured in 56% (25/26) & 50% (24/25) of Premier League minutes.

That's a hell of a lot for just a squad member. Bear in mind Endo's is 4.9% and 7.6% of minutes in that time, and any other player deemed as a squad player comes nowhere near either.



Personally, I think someone would need to be signed to replace Jones, and Nyoni takes Endo's plus others' game time.

With the way Iraola wants the midfield playing, I'd envisage Macca, Wirtz and Gravs' game time being managed more, with them having their minutes reduced with bench options; otherwise, they will end up run into the ground.

15 Aug 2026 09:48:55
That's a good point, JK23. I think AI will use Szob in the two, far more than Slot did, allowing for more rotation. I reckon he'll have the most minutes from himself, Grav and Macca in there, with Nyoni definitely getting more game time than Endo.

I would like to see someone else come in, just to offer more flexibility in terms of personnel but also tactically.

Do you target someone who immediately comes into our best 11 but costs a premium, which also has an eye on maybe Macca leaving over the few windows, or a solid versatile option who accepts rotation?

14 Aug 2026 22:44:05
Cheers for the update Vik. Don’t know much about Mbaye. Not sure I’d be letting Gakpo go for Gim tbf.

As all the newbies myself included ran Robbo, Carra, fields, bed away, I’ve not heard or read anything from the first 3 for ages.

14 Aug 2026 23:16:31
If we get Gim, we win the league. Unreal player.

15 Aug 2026 07:55:33
Gim-Li?

If so, he's got incredible strength and stamina. Not great in the air though and apparently has a drinking problem.

15 Aug 2026 08:01:08
No. Gim is his first name. Tbf is his surname.

15 Aug 2026 10:11:36
At least we're not signing Gimp, we don't want someone else like Macca who spends all his time on the ground

14 Aug 2026 20:23:21
Hi all, updated this again after looking at who Iraola is actually trusting in pre-season, because that matters just as much as transfer rumours.

Nyoni is the big one. He's had roughly 166 minutes, started twice and Iraola has publicly praised how comfortable he is receiving under pressure and how well he's adapting to the press. That makes me think if Jones leaves we don't need another attacking 8. Nyoni can take some of those minutes. What we would need is more specifically a proper 6/8 who can defend transitions.

Rio has also had around 166 minutes, Koumas about 225 and both have been used with senior players. That makes me less convinced Liverpool spend £100m+ on Barcola and then another £40-50m on a second winger unless Gakpo/Chiesa/Elliott also leave. Muñoz + Rio + Koumas already gives Iraola young wide depth.

So Barcola still around 50% for me. He's the elite-output signing, not just another squad winger. If PSG get towards £100-110m it makes sense.

Lamine Camara around 30% if Jones leaves. He makes more sense now than Bergvall because Nyoni already covers the progressive/attacking midfield role. Camara gives you the 6/8 profile, physicality and ball-winning we're actually missing.

El Mala around 15%, mainly if Barcola fails. Dortmund have already established the €50m+ price and walked away. Great profile, but with Rio developing I don't think Liverpool need both him and Barcola.

Fernández-Pardo around 10% for the same reason. Good value and covers three attacking positions, but becomes more logical as a Barcola alternative than an additional signing.

Defence is different. Ndukwe has had 300+ minutes and looked good enough to be useful, but he can't currently play competitively because of his work permit and is expected to go on loan. Chambers has had around 196 minutes at CB/LB and Iraola praised him, but I still wouldn't want to go through a full season relying on him as senior CB cover.

So I still think Liverpool need one CB/RB type. Not another £60m young CB because we already have Jacquet and Leoni developing. More likely an Araújo-type opportunity: experienced enough to play immediately, versatile and financially sensible.

That's why Héctor Fort around 10-15% makes some sense at €10-15m, although he's more full-back than CB. Quansah around 5-10% is worth watching only because Arsenal are now negotiating with Leverkusen and exposing his price, but paying the buy-back now would be very unlike Liverpool.

So for me the squad logic is now:

Elite winger needed.
Proper 6/8 if Jones goes.
One versatile senior defender.

I'd no longer prioritise another young attacking midfielder because Nyoni has probably earned that pathway, and I wouldn't buy two expensive young wingers unless we lose another attacker because Rio and Koumas are clearly being given a chance.

Cheers me Dears

14 Aug 2026 23:21:34
What rounding mechanism did you use with those percentages? I can't imagine the chances of Barcola and 50 percent even.

14 Aug 2026 23:32:58
I'm so confused with all these percentages. No idea what they mean.

15 Aug 2026 00:02:58
1 issue with your 2nd paragraph there on wingers, you cite the use of Rio and Koumas in pre-season as reasons to suspect we won't go for Barcola plus a RW. By that logic, in order for you to be convinced we are actually moving for Barcola, we'd have to what? Not field any whingers at all? Play 9 men? What are we doing here?

15 Aug 2026 01:06:18
No idea what you're talking about with the percentages, or, to be honest, at all.
Players playing so many minutes, and the manager praising them.
What would you expect a new manager to do, come in and lay into the kids, slagging them off?
If the full squad was back from day one, the minutes would be completely different.


Jones has played, Gakpo is only back and has played, Chiesa has played, Endo has played. Supposedly they are out the door, what does their game time mean?
Ndukwe played full games even though we knew he can't play for us...?

15 Aug 2026 03:06:36
Since FSG took over Liverpool we've used pre-season as the time to put young players in the shop window, so it's probably more likely Koumas and Nyoni will leave the club based on previous seasons.

15 Aug 2026 07:31:23
I can see Koumas leaving but I doubt Nyoni would.

15 Aug 2026 07:56:51
Meaningless calculations to justify a position.

Nonsense to me, moving on.

15 Aug 2026 08:14:39
What rot! Nyoni is not an attacking midfielder.

15 Aug 2026 18:29:16
Might have just sussed it. The OP has asked ChatGPT what the chances of signing each player are, and that's AI's predictions for the move. Then the old copy/paste and over here for a hero's welcome.