Liverpool Rumours Archive March 10 2014

10 Mar 2014 14:02:33
Hi eds
Are we currently looking at any center backs or is the plan to play illori there next season with sakho
P.S ed 002 apologies mate for troubling you with that question about the left winger I had not read your reply on the banter page

{Ed002's Note - Liverpool are overrun with centre backs - Toure, Kirikou, Agger, Skrtel, Coates, Kelly, Ilori, Wisdom, Coady come to mind. I cannot imagine that CB is a high priority right now unless several leave I would think. No problem about the earlier question at all.}

Coates will leave and Coady is not a CB anymore. He has been used primarily as a midfielder.

One of Agger or Skrtel may leave and it remains to be seen if Ilori or Wisdom will be trusted with a squad role, though I think both would want to play regularly.

{Ed002's Note - I expect they will let go of Coady in any case.}

I believe Toure, Skrtel and Coates are likely to leave this summer.
Leaving Kirikou and Agger to fight it out for left centre back and Kelly, Ilori and Wisdom fighting it out for right centre back.
Also, I expect Johnson and Enrique to also leave this summer.
Meaning either Kelly or Wisdom will compete with Flanagan.
I think with the return of Jack Robinson we would have to buy competition for him.

I think you managed to get almost everything wrong there Phenom mate. Toure won't be leaving and I think it more likely Agger will leave than Skrtel. Johnson will stay and Enrique will come back into the squad. Kelly, Flanagan will remain squad players I think and McLaughlin will probably be loaned out.

Coates, Robinson, Ilori and Wisdom are all out IMO, though Ilori or Wisdom could be on loan.

I can see 1 Cb being sought depending on who leaves (Agger, Wisdom, Ilori & Coates) and a LB as Cissokho will leave. Brad Smith may go on loan.

I would like BR to do a Rafa/Muo type move and may be bring one of the CB's play in a Defensive midfield role just like the case with David Luiz. Agger, Coady in my view can handle that position.

Since when was Coady a centre back? The editors on here haven't got a clue, but are quick to have a go at someone on here.

{Ed001's Note - are you trying to be funny? Coady has played many many times at centre back. I suggest you try watching these players throughout their career and learn something before showing yourself up as clueless. So embarrassing when people try and be smartarses and haven't actually got a clue.}

Coady sent in an interview the other day on lfc website he likes playing for sheffield united playing a cm role instead of cb which he sometimes played for lfc

No idea why people think we would sell Toure. He has one year left on his contract and no resell value. Given he was on a 'free' it wouldn't surprise me if we still owed him money as part of his signing on bonus either which could mean effectively having to pay him to leave.

When you think of the current problem with Liverpool's team, it's the fact that we make too many mistakes.
The players making those mistakes are Johnson, Skrtel, Toure and Enrique.
We are in a position where we can sell them, put some faith in our youth players, and only need a left back come the summer.

10 Mar 2014 12:23:48
Hey eds

If we finish in a high position at get some cl money ( not sure if it will be put to transfers) is there any chance of us even enquiring about kroos?

{Ed001's Note - I wouldn't have thought so, I very much doubt he will actually leave, he just seems to be looking for a bigger wage than he is being offered.}

10 Mar 2014 07:41:52
Hello Ed02, do you know of interest in Alex Teixeira or Douglas Costa from anyone, including LFC?

Clearly, LFC are looking at a wide player and a central midfield player (probably a attack minded one) and recent interest/speculation in Ivan Rakitic, Roberto Firmino, Salah (before he joined Chelsea), Gaitan and Konoplyanka provides confirmation.

Also, it seems like LFC are still looking for a CB, with Hinteregger and Caulker being linked.

Do you know of any developments in ant of the above? Thanks for your time.

{Ed002's Note - Shakhtar's Alex Teixeira has been of sustained interest to both Manchester United and Juventus but neither has taken the opportunity to push ahead with an offer.

Manchester United, Chelsea, Rubin Kazan, Napoli, Arsenal, Milan, Manchester City and no doubt many others have been interested in Douglas Costa in the past couple of years. He was being hawked around Italy and and Portugal by Cesar Bottega for a year. There were some talks but no offer was made. Shaktar's approach to valuing players is not dissimilar to Porto's approach. Right now the sustained interest of Manchester United has gone but Milan remain confident a deal can be made.

Atletico Madrid, Chelsea, Manchester United, Lazio and perhaps Liverpool would be interested if Rakitic were available at a sensible price.

Firmino will move in the summer with Atletico Madrid, Shakhtar, Zenit, Manchester United and Schalke interested. I am aware there is speculation about Liverpool interest as well but it is unconfirmed. Roberto Firmino was previously subject of a rejected bid from Southampton.

My understanding is that Manchester United and PSG did speak with Benfica about Gaitan in January 2013 but no bid was made as the asking price was seen to be far too high. Interest from Bayer Leverkusen, Spurs and Arsenal will have waned in the summer. I understand that Benfica also had an approach from Anzhi for Gaitan but the player made it clear he has not any interest in talking to them. Else, I understand that the interest still remains from Manchester United and PSG, but not at the price being asked. He would have been allowed to move last summer but Benfica did not drop their price, so nothing happened. He will sign a new contract at Benfica. There has been no interest from Liverpool.

Konoplyanka was subject to two significant offers this past summer - from Galatasaray and Zenit - both of which were been turned down. I expected to see PSG, Benfica and Arsenal make a bid in January, and possibly Fiorentina, Spurs, Liverpool, Manchester United, Schalke and Dortmund to look to the player, but it was only Liverpool that made any significant effort. Right now it is Bayer Leverkusen and Spurs who are showing interest and looking to negotiate a transfer. Liverpool seem to have dropped the interest they had.

There is a lot of interest in Hinteregger but only vague speculation about interest from Liverpool. The centre back has been looked at closely by Arsenal, Manchester United and Juventus.

I am not aware of any interest in Caulker from Liverpool.}

10 Mar 2014 08:45:11
Thanks Ed02. Seems like LFC are moving onto other targets from last summer and January.

{Ed002's Note - I am by no means convinced that these were all targets. I suspect that interest in Will Hughes remains but the club will need to be reacting soon as other clubs are beginning to gather.}

Excellent response that ed. You got your magic typing gloves on?

{Ed002's Note - I'll be around a lot less for a few days so I thought it worth the effort.}