Summer Transfer Window 2015

Art Morte wrote:

Nishy wrote:How reliable is this?

http://www.itv.com/news/update/2015-03-25/reports-kovacic-to-join-liverpool-in-may-for-22m/

Well the reports come from Italy.

It is  not reliable . Not at all .  As Italian I know damn well the reliability of that rumour .

He is Bargiggia.

Basically Bargiggia ( Sportmediaset ) is the worst garbage Italian source with Tuttosport . All make fun of Bargiggia for his rumours
He said even Javier Zanetti close to Juventus in 2000

Now, tbh I am not surrprised if we will sell Kovacic because Mancini doesn't rate him highly, but Bargiggia-Sportmediaset means really nothing.  
infact Inter fans are not worried atm for this reason.

1 of Kovacic/Pjanic
1 of Vietto/Lacazette
1 of Danilo/Alex Sandro
Bernd Leno
Ings

Should be enough for this summer imo.

Anything on top of that would depend on sales of important players.

1 of Griezmann/Memphis --- If Sterling is sold
1 of Rabiot/Højbjerg --- if Hendo is sold
De Sciglio --- If Flanno is released
Will Hughes --- if Allen is sold
New DM --- if Lucas is sold
New CB --- if Lovren is sold

*Leno
Ilori - Can - Sakho
*Danilo - Hendo - *Pjanic - Markovic
Sterling - Coutinho
*Vietto

*Leno
*Danilo - Ilori - Can - Flanno
Lucas
Hendo -- *Pjanic
Coutinho
Sterling -- *Vietto

*Leno
*Danilo - Ilori - Can - Flanno
Hendo - Lucas
Lallana --------------Coutinho
Sterling - *Vietto

No more relying on Sturridge.

^ ehm.....where is Martin Skrtel ???

Lmao just when I post Danilo's name here, 3 hours later he signs for Madrid

You gotto be shitting me.

Let's get Alex Sandro ffs then.

I wouldn't make Can a center-back, especially in a two-man CB system. Rather see him moved to midfield in the long run.

Don't call me James wrote:1 of Kovacic/Pjanic
1 of Vietto/Lacazette
1 of Danilo/Alex Sandro
Bernd Leno
Ings

Should be enough for this summer imo.

Anything on top of that would depend on sales of important players.

1 of Griezmann/Memphis --- If Sterling is sold
1 of Rabiot/Højbjerg --- if Hendo is sold (not sure about Højbjerg, he is still a kid and seems unreal as Henderson replacment)
De Sciglio --- If Flanno is released
Will Hughes --- if Allen is sold
New DM --- if Lucas is sold
New CB --- if Lovren is sold

Art Morte wrote:I wouldn't make Can a center-back, especially in a two-man CB system. Rather see him moved to midfield in the long run.

Can't see him being moved to midfield next season. Not when Hendo, Lucas, Allen, and possibly another starter will be occupying only 2 spots.

I would like to try Can in a two CB system in preseason. I don't rate Skrtel in a two CB system. He's best in that 3 CB sweeper role.

1 of Griezmann/Memphis --- If Sterling is sold

I'd be happy to get Griezmann or Depay if Sterling indeed leaves.

Art Morte wrote:I'd be happy to get Griezmann or Depay if Sterling indeed leaves.

How good is Depay??? Keep hearing his name.

Memphis is a very good young player. He often tries to do too much and would actually be better as a striker, but otherwise he's one of the brightest youngsters in the world. Definitely of a similar caliber to Sterling. If Rodgers bought him and converted him to a striker (as he did with Sterling for a while) it would be seen as a masterstroke genius move I'm sure.

For me our summer breaks down this way:

Out: Brad Jones, Fabio Borini, Mario Balotelli, Jose Enrique, Rickie Lambert, and Glen Johnson.
Maybe out: Raheem Sterling and Lucas Leiva.

So that leaves our first team options most likely looking like this:

Keepers: Simon Mignolet
Defenders: Mamadou Sakho, Martin Skrtel, Dejan Lovren, Alberto Moreno, Thiago Ilori, one of Sebastian Coates/Kolo Touré/Andre Wisdom and Jon Flanagan
Midfielders: Jordan Henderson, Joe Allen, and Emre Can.
Attackers: Daniel Sturridge, Philippe Coutinho, Adam Lallana, Jordon Ibe, Lazar Markovic, Divock Origi

The positions that I expect to be addressed are keeper (back-up or potential starter), fullback (bring in one class, and one back-up), midfield (need a top class player here and maybe some depth) and striker (we can't rely on Sturridge if we want to be top 4 candidates or trophy contenders in Europe...he's too injury prone, and frankly not good enough).

So here are the potential signings I'd like to see us weigh up. I've left three players in each role (from my top preference to lowest) and I've tried to be realistic about the targets because, let's be honest, the top end players are not flocking to Liverpool and with CL action being unlikely it will limit our chances to get the true cream of the crop players.

Keeper: Timo Horn, Norberto Neto, Mat Ryan
Starting Fullback: Tony Jantschke, Nathaniel Clyne, Christophe Jallet
Backup Fullback: Gregory van der Wiel or Christian Trasch
Midfield 'Star': Mateo Kovacic, Miralem Pjanic, Marek Hamsik
Midfield depth: Leroy Fer or Marko Vejinovic
Striker: Gonzalo Higuain, Kevin Volland, Felipe Anderson

We don't really need the depth signing in midfield if Lucas is willing to stay. I think we could probably still use a high profile striker (for the reasons mentioned above) whether Sterling is sold or not, the amount of money we have to facilitate that move will depend on that sale though. Obviously some of these holes can also be filled through the academy/reserves with guys like Williams, Rossiter, Ojo, Sinclair, etc. hanging around. Most of the players listed could fight or walk into our starting XI, and still have upside which is how we need to focus our transfers until we're established in Europe again.

So 'ideally' if Lucas and Sterling are moved in addition to the expected moves, here's a potential 'realistic' scenario that I wouldn't mind seeing:

1) There's an ideal thread.
2) Skrtel in the back up with ILORI in the best XI?

Our midfield really needs some quality injection. MASSIVELY. We'er gonna be 5-8th team in this league with the quality we have in midfield at the moment.

I don't care how good you people think Allen is or can be. He's had his moments, I don't disagree. But I tell you now, I will be celebrating as if had my first child when he's finally gone from Liverpool.

I have genuine dislike for the guy as a footballer and it's not even his fault. I'm sure he's a great guy, hell we might even become best buds if I ever met him. I don't have anything against him as a human being or against his character, but god do I hate his guts for footballing reasons every time I see his name in starting XI. He just reeks of everything I do not want my beloved Liverpool to become (which is mediocrity).

I will be praying that we sell him this summer. Even though it's not urgent or anything. I just don't like him as a footballer at all.

Pjanic, Gundogan, Kovacic, Rabiot, Hojbjerg, Tielemans.

Sign any 2 of those lot to replace Stevie and Joe Schmoe.

Man, right now I find the thought of the summer window more depressing than exciting.

Tom Ince, Delph and Ashley Williams in. Please. Wait this isn't the "ideal" thread? Oh silly me.

My money is on Ings, Bolasie and Ki.

Then again, Ki isn't too bad

And Leroy Fer I would actually welcome warmly.

Moussa Sissoko

Then again, who knows if we even have any money.

Ings is almost like a guarantee, no? Even with Origi in.
Ki is on the same level as Allen lol. Shame, because Joe looked like the goods but has stagnated since his time here.
We'll definitely have money. We're going to want to finish in the top 4 remember. Another 50m+ window incoming.

If I had to predict our window I can see these players coming in:

Danny Ings, Fabian Delph, Martin Montoya, Norberto Neto/Mat Ryan and one of Miralem Pjanic/Mateo Kovacic/Geoffrey Kondogbia.

Then if Sterling is sold we'll probably be in on a 'big name' attacker. Higuain, Lacazette or Volland IMO. Someone that can operate on the wing or as a striker.

It's not a United type window where we're going to drop 250m and build an all-star squad, but I think right now what we really need is supplementation and growth from our current young stars anyway. The future rests heavily on the shoulders of players like Coutinho, Henderson, Sakho and Sturridge (unfortunately). Right now we have the framework for a very good team:


So if we lose Sterling he will need to be replaced, but slotting in Montoya and Pjanic in to that base already will have us with a squad capable of competing, and with adequate cover in most positions (Ibe, Ings, Markovic, Origi, Delph, Allen, Lucas, Flanagan, Enrique, Lovren, Ilori, Neto). I'm not a huge fan of Skrtel, and I think Ilori is already better when healthy, but there's no way he will bench Skrtel.

Delph wouldn't have signed that new contract if he thought a bigger club was coming for him. He won't go anywhere from Aston Villa this summer.

Same question I asked in Arsenal section. HYPOTHETICALLY: how will you lads feel about the Theo+Cash = Sterling bollocks?

no, not in this summer

It is a question of this summer.. Walcott wouldn't be an Arsenal player next summer and if he isn't signing a deal, we'll look to move him on

I think I've already commented lately somewhere in this thread or section that I wouldn't mind Walcott at Liverpool. He's got goals in him and that's what our team needs. Given also the fact that we might struggle to attract anyone better than Walcott, so, yeah, if we were to lose Sterling, I'd welcome Walcott as replacement.

But the question that should also be asked, particularly by Arsenal fans, that does Arsenal need Sterling? If Walcott doesn't fit in the starting XI, why would Sterling fit?

I know that was one of the reason, that we are not in immediate need to sell Sterling like you guys so we should relax a bit !! So if you are not able to extend Walcott, that is your Problem and so anyways we should be after him without selling Sterling

Umm, well, it's not that we're looking to sell. It's media BS anyway. Nor do I think Sterling is worth Theo + 20 million. That's 45m pounds I would rate him at 30 tops. More so, with Ox and Gnarby offering what Sterling can offer, even if we lose Theo. And then there is Welbeck.

Heck, they offer more than Theo minus the finishing. So if Walcott isn't extending, we kind of don't have a problem with cashing in while we can

There's a reason why Theo is not starting despite being fit - the only thing he brings to the table is his finishing and movement. Sterling has great movement, but the less we talk about his finishing.....


I didn't read earlier pages in this thread, Arty - thanks for repeating your point of view