Liverpool banter 10

31 Aug 2026 15:54:46
Benzema on a free??

I'm joking of course, but he is now available.

31 Aug 2026 16:33:20
Absolute horrid human being, would stay well away.

31 Aug 2026 16:34:03
I would take him on a one year contract once the window closes.

31 Aug 2026 17:25:00
Being a horrid human didn't stop a number of players playing for us before.

31 Aug 2026 15:48:01
Reports Sarr is refusing to train, etc. Really hate that crap! I get a player wants a move, but it’s pish boiling. I don’t like it. We’ve been on that side too and it’s not good.

Is Sarr a bad egg?

31 Aug 2026 16:12:34
Good for him! Why should he get priced out of a move, maybe his last big one?

31 Aug 2026 16:13:42
Was Isak a bad egg? Was VVD? Unfortunately, players only have a few tools to try and push things. And, when we come calling, it's not necessarily an opportunity that will come back.

It's horrible, but, unfortunately, it's the way the contracts are set up, and unless they allow players to move freely (which they won't), it will continue to happen.

31 Aug 2026 16:16:51
Is Virgil, or was Mane?

31 Aug 2026 16:18:30
I actually don't see an issue with this, given how Palace normally treat their players - they screwed Guehi over last summer as well, at the very last minute, and I'd imagine Sarr has seen that and thought he won't get the move he wants by being a nice guy.

You have to put yourself in the players' shoes - imagine you were in the peak of your career and had a move like this on the table. It's probably his last chance to get a move like this.

I, for one, understand it given the club and chairman involved.

31 Aug 2026 16:27:50
They were happy to sign for those clubs and take their money!
Yeah, VVD, Mane, Isak, and whoever does it are bad eggs. I think it stinks.
We lost the plot when Pipco done it.

31 Aug 2026 16:24:29
Throw him in water and see if he floats.

31 Aug 2026 16:29:49
This is probably the last opportunity in his career to get a big move that would change his football legacy. Why wouldn't he do whatever he can to force the move?

Clubs dispose of players whenever they want. Look at Harvey.

31 Aug 2026 16:46:27
He will never get another opportunity like this, I don't blame him for doing everything in his power to make it happen. You only get one career.

31 Aug 2026 17:03:45
If you play for Palace, Brighton etc., you likely only get one opportunity to move to a Champs League team. Brighton and Bournemouth make that next step easy to manage; moving from Palace is hell.

31 Aug 2026 15:44:39
Hughes is a complete an utter moron.

Palace will never sell to Liverpool and they will increase the prices knowing there’s only a few hours left.

If he tries to go back to Brighton they can then do the same thing.

31 Aug 2026 16:16:17
I know he is leaving in a few days now, but I'd sack him.

31 Aug 2026 16:22:59
Best part of this transfer window is him leaving.

31 Aug 2026 16:17:04
So Hughes is a cum stain

31 Aug 2026 16:31:51
The fact we are still trying to get him means Palace haven't shut the door on it, there is obviously a fee they would accept.

31 Aug 2026 16:33:44
He's the most hated figure ever at Anfield.

31 Aug 2026 16:48:13
Dick Hughes, Diouf is still numero uno in the hated stakes for me.

31 Aug 2026 16:51:27
What more than Hicks and Gillette?
Have a day off.
Why are there so many people around now who get so triggered by this stuff?

31 Aug 2026 17:48:45
I'm old enough to remember at the end of houlliers reign when fans spray painted "we hope houllier gets aids" outside the ground after he went on tv saying the glory days were never coming back and fans needed to stop living in the past.

31 Aug 2026 15:33:23
Hi Ed & ITK

Alot going on! Look forward to when that Charlatan Hughes does one to Middle East.

See a lot of reports stating Pedro Neto in talks with Liverpool and Chelsea willing to discuss in the region of 75 million. Is this just transfer rubbish or something in it and your thoughts on Neto.

Thanks

31 Aug 2026 15:53:47
Well firstly comes Harrods, followed by Fortnum and Mason, Marks and Spencers, Sainsburys, and bottom of the list Netto?

31 Aug 2026 15:16:54
Hi Eds/ITK's,

Not so much about transfers but more about finances, given what we've spent over last year and this window now that Barcola has signed without really recouping a lot of money back so far does anyone know how this will affect our finances for next year etc given that we would likely be replacing VVD and Ali along with being in the market for 2 full backs and at least 1 cm at the end of the season as I can't see us signing any of the positions now

31 Aug 2026 15:44:55
Our net last season was £225m. Season before was £4m. According to the new rules, we are in the top 5, sitting at 61%. If it goes to 85%, you basically pay a fine, but if it hits over 100%, you get points deducted. We also have save slot on wages. Salah, Robbo and Konate were around 650kpw.

31 Aug 2026 16:13:01
The squad cost ratio benefits us because of our strong football related turnover, with costs including wages and amortised transfer costs as a % of the turnover. With the buffer as well above the 85%, no danger at all of us having points deducted. We haven't got six points to give anyway.

31 Aug 2026 16:44:04
Big hairy ape, it wasn't 4 mill, was it the season before?
I'm pretty sure we sold Kelleher, Carvalho and a few others and only bought Chiesa.
Apologies if wrong.

31 Aug 2026 17:08:12
I get the implications of overspending etc. Maybe I should have been a bit clearer in my question, but with everything we've spent against recouped, we obviously can't keep spending the way we are. Yet, come next summer we'll likely need to replace/buy for the positions I mentioned. Ali will go on a free, Vvd will go on a free, my concern is that we will need to tighten the belt and settle for sub-par players to fill those positions.

Personally I think I'd like to see Ai phase Vvd out this year once Leoni is back and ready, in favour of a younger partnership gaining experience, as I don't think any of us are expecting to challenge this year, with Araujo challenging to see if we buy him next year or opt for a different option. Possibly the same with Ali too, although I'm still unsure on Giorgi.

31 Aug 2026 15:16:29
Thank you to our regular ITK's who kept us sane with the Barcola transfer, great info.

31 Aug 2026 15:03:39
Rumour has it no more major signings. Gakpo stays.

31 Aug 2026 14:37:19
Pardon to Newcastle. We can chalk that off now.

31 Aug 2026 15:02:43
Did they pass wind?

31 Aug 2026 15:22:27
Wasn't sold on him, personally.

31 Aug 2026 14:34:07
Bradley Barcola takes the final open non-HG slot as it stands, meaning it is now effectively one in, one out.

31 Aug 2026 15:07:08
Would explain the Mama links...

Quick one, would the new 18-year-old keeper potentially count as HG if he's technically on our books for 3 seasons before turning 21? Or does he need to be playing directly with us and not out on loan? Just trying to make sense of the logic, if they do get rid of Mamadashvilli (not that I think he's good enough, but it's a risk leaving us with Woodman as likeable as he is, unless they really rate Pecsi until Jaros comes back.)

31 Aug 2026 15:23:47
We have 19 non-homegrown players for the Champions League. We can register 17.

Becker, Marmadashvili (2)
Kerkez, Tsimikas (2)
Vvd, Jacquet, Leoni, Araujo (4)
MacAllister, Gravenberch, Szoboszlai, Endo (4)
Munoz, Gakpo, Barcola, Wirtz, Chiesa (5)
Ekitike, Isak. (2).

31 Aug 2026 15:45:01
He could be loaned out but would need to be loaned to a team in England. If they are on loan outside of England, it does not count towards HG qualification.

31 Aug 2026 15:50:59
Ron, I suspect we'll not register YLFP or Ekitike for the group stages of the CL.

31 Aug 2026 16:17:47
Also, Mamar is leaving, Ron. So we have one more slot to fill in at least. Possibly 2 if you take out Chiesa.

All good.

31 Aug 2026 16:30:55
Can anyone see any two better keepers than Becker, Marmadashvilli, as a pairing in the current PL? I don't see any.

Endo, Chiesa looks the closest to the exit door sadly, both though can just sit it out, they can't be frog marched out of the club as they both still have valid contracts. Where would Chiesa get even half of his wages anywhere else? Perhaps his no playing time was to get him off the wage bill.



If Marmardashvilli and Chiesa both left, they were Arne Slot's only signings in his first PL winning season? One went on loan for a year, one missed nearly a full year out with an injury.

{Ed025's Note - have you actually seen Marmadashvilli bond?, maybe you should take a trip to Specsavers mate...hes bloody awful..

31 Aug 2026 16:32:39
Don't know why you've got Ekitike in that list, Ron, he won't be playing this side of Christmas, so that's 18. Leoni is only due back to first-team training late September/early October, so that could be 17. Endo and Chiesa could and should be dropped for Koumas and Nyoni, which could put us at 15. I don't see an issue.

31 Aug 2026 16:37:57
BlameItOnTraore7, he needs to spend 3 years playing for teams in the FA. It doesn't have to be us. But he does need to have completed 3 full seasons prior to his 21st birthday. He's already 18 and he's being loaned back to Genk for the year.