Liverpool Transfer Rumours

05 May 2024 18:36:26
I guess Slot is a transfer of sorts, so this question qualifies for this forum.

It's more than a week since the announcement that a pay-off has been agreed with Feyenoord. But no confirmation of a deal having been reached with the man himself. Should we read anything into this? Are they still haggling or what?

{Ed002's Note - I would not read anything in to it. The club are still working to try and bring folk with him. One would think everything will be agreed reasonably soon. Feyenoord have a replacement lined up and are in a similar position.

05 May 2024 14:11:26
Question for Mr Ed002, if time allows.

Separate from the Salah (RW) replacement debate, has Liverpool shown recent interest in Jonathan David to enhance the ST department.

He seems rather adept at putting the ball in the net and with only one year on his contract will surely move this summer.

Believe he was of interest around the time Diogo Jota joined. Unsure if he has the pace and physicality for the EPL but one to keep an eye on I would think.

TIA.

{Ed002's Note - Jonathan David (S/AM) Lille, like many French clubs were hit hard by the loss of broadcast revenue and will need to sell some of their more valuable assets even though they do not want to. Jonathan David is valued by Lille at an unrealistic €60M but moving in to the last year of his contract will need to accept perhaps €30M. Spurs no longer see him as a possible addition. Real Madrid have previously declared an interest but their focus has turned away as they wanted to include a player in any deal. He has been recommended to Chelsea by an ex player but they have a preferred targets but may struggle to sign them without Champions League football. The Manchester United coach tried to take him to Ajax and could potentially look to taking him to Manchester United - and I would not discount them even if ten Hag departs. Napoli remain keen as they prepare for life without Osimhen. Aston Villa offer an option as they look to upgrade on Jhon Duran and Milan may offer a viable and attractive solution with Milan beginning to push. Liverpool is not showing any interest.

04 May 2024 20:01:57
Ed, might you be kind enough to share what defensive midfielders we may be considering this summer?

Seems to be a position there’s not an awful lot of options out there for right now.

{Ed002's Note - Something like tis I would think:
Alan Varela (DM) Barcelona may offer a profit to Porto and a player in exchange. An option for Manchester City to replace Phillips, but not first choice. Liverpool may provide an option but they opted for Endo and have Bajcetic as an emerging youngster.. Porto has no interest in selling the player who only joined them in the summer of 2023. If someone offered his buy out clause in a single payment, the player will be consulted. Will likely stay where he is for now.
Archie Gray (DM/CM/RB) Leeds kiddie having an excellent season in the Championship and showing versatility. Will not be for sale but Leeds have noted Crystal Palace have enquired. Scouts from Manchester United, Liverpool and Spurs have attended games but it would be a waste of the player wth neither club looking to utilise him in the first team with all having preferred options. Not any more than a kick on th Gonads for BajBajaceyic for Liverpool.
Andre Trindade (DM) Not an option for Liverpool any longer.
Kalvin Phillips (DM) Not an option for Liverpool any longer.
Ezequiel Fernandez (DM) Not an option for Liverpool anymore.
Joao Palhinha (DM/CM) Only moved 18 months ago and Fulham will not look to sell unless a huge offer is made and the player asks for a move. All interest except that of Bayern Munich, Arsenal and possibly Newcastle will have gone with the signing of a new contract although Manchester United and Liverpool have had a will respected ex PL and high-end independent scout watch the player on their behalf - although both have other targets. Fulham will still look to replacements as they fear the player could have his head turned by Bayern Munich or Arsenal, who see him as an option to Trindade, who Fulham are also keen on.
Martin Zubimendi (CM/DM) No longer an option for Liverpool.
Morten Frendrup (CM/DM) Versatile midfield player that Juventus are keen to sign. Noted by Spurs when scouting Radu Dragusin. Would be an alternate to Thuram or Manu Kone for Liverpool and they did have a well respected exPL player and high-end scout at the game against Inter at the end of December - so perhaps something might come of that. Crystal Palace and West Ham have sent scouts. Genoa have no interest in selling.
Manu Kouadio Kone (CM/DM) Prior interest of Milan has gone. Newcastle did approach Borussia Muenchegladbach but they will resist a sale although Newcastle remain keen. RBL were keen to add Kone to replace Laimer but that interest, like the interest of Bayern Munich has not gone away and they may make a move as early as January. Juventus and Liverpool may have a continuing interest but he will not be first choice for either. Napoli offer a wildcard option.
Khephren Thuram (DM/CM) Nice felt they were messed around by clubs last summer and then the player picked up an injury. Interest of Spurs and, in particular, Juventus remains but Liverpool will look to other options. Interest of Newcastle will likely of fallen away. If interest further grows his price will rise and the club would sell given the emergence of Alexis Beka Beka regardless of impressive youngster Reda Belahyane being sold to Verona. Nice do not want to sell and again a move to OLd Trafford will not be welcomed by the Nice supporters. Real Madrid have him on a list of potential additions given they are facing midfield departures in the summer - and I would not rule them, or indeed Manchester City, out. Player wants PSG but they have no interest at this time - but his representative is pushing PSG as well as Real Madrid and will encourage the player to wait and see what happens.
Assan Ouedraogo (CM/DM) Much is expected of the kiddie and Schalke will try and fend off interest from Chelsea and Bayern Munich who want to take him at 18 in the summer and have both spoken with his club. The Manchester clbs may offer an option. Schalke has also said that they are aware that an "agent" representing the underage player has been approached by someone representing Liverpool and that they have written to the club asking for this to stop. That will discount Liverpool. Brighton and Milan have sent scouts.}

04 May 2024 21:57:46
Think we can rule out Dragusin as he’s gone to Spurs and that tax dodger Ratcliffe isn’t going to sign off on Thuram joining us.

Obv overjoyed that Kalvin Phillips is off the menu.

04 May 2024 21:15:26
Wow nice one, Ed. Seems like a dearth of good options in this position at the moment. Still think we missed a trick with Moscardo in January.

04 May 2024 23:07:31
VV, careful with that overjoy :)

Varela seems like best of those options. Though he’s more of deep lying playmaker which half of the posters here feel is going to be the future role of Trent.

Not sure we’ll ever go for Kone or Thuram given the opportunity has been there for a couple of years now.

With Edwards back the chance of signing a 28yo Palhinha seems remote.

Gray looks interesting. Similar in style to Moscardo.

Ouedraogo is really young even if he is 6’4 already!

I’ve not seen us linked with Gourna-Douath or Baleba.

04 May 2024 23:21:20
Ideally the DM solution comes from within. It will be interesting to see how Bajcetic develops.

Was Gravenberch not originally brought in as a versatile DM/ CM? It seems he has been designated as a box to box 8 but I think he has all the attributes to be a very good 6 and played in a double pivot for Ajax.

Do we know if this is under consideration?

04 May 2024 23:37:04
Gravenberch isn’t and never will be a defensive midfielder. That’s about as daft a suggestion as I’ve ever heard. As much as I like Bajcetic, he’s spent an entire season out injured, it feels a huge risk for the season to gamble on a player who has had such injury issues,

05 May 2024 04:15:52
That’s a list of defensive midfielders we can’t or won’t be buying 🤣.

05 May 2024 07:17:04
We have Endo, Bajcetic, Possibly Trent, McConnell who looked decent when given a chance, and Macca can cover. Not a priority for me until we see how the new boss sets up. We bought 4 new midfielders last summer, how many do we need? VVD and Salah cover/ successors priority for me.

05 May 2024 07:53:23
Viktor. You have mis-interpreted Ed2’s reply. Dragusin is a centre back. Ed was not saying he is a DM option. You seem quick to judge others and yet your message shows an absence of football knowledge.

05 May 2024 08:43:08
I’m with you Westwood. I cannot fathom how we can all sit here and say Endo was a bargain and is arguably signing of the season, then in the same breath say we need a DM. Our season collapsed when Jones and Szobo came back into the midfield in place of Endo and Gravenberch/ Elliott.

Jones and Szobo both came through academies as wide men and it shows in their positioning, and Macca isn’t a lone 6, although he is very good in a double pivot. Jones and Szobo go too high and too wide and it leaves massive holes for Macca to try and fill. Endo built up a brilliant partnership with Macca and I think it was a mistake to start tinkering with a set up that was working. Replacing Endo is so far down my list of priorities. Our best CB this season is a 21 year old fresh out of League 1, our left back options haven’t been fit all season, our best box to box midfielders aside from Macca are all u21’s, we’ve got a RW who looks like he’s playing not to get injured and kill his last pay day, and strikers who can’t stay fit/ finish their dinner. I’d not be going anywhere near a DM until we’ve sorted the CB, LB, CM and RW situation.

05 May 2024 07:33:51
Top info as always Ed!
You eluded to it a few times in your answer, as someone not being “first choice”
Who would you think Liverpool see as main option for this position?

Thanks as always.

{Ed002's Note - First choice would be to add the very versatile Teun Koopmeiners who can play AM, CM or DM and utilise what they already have.}

05 May 2024 09:29:37
Endo is just not good enough as has been proven in the run in. He’s now a target for the opposition - Palace did it twice. He’s also shown his lack of recovery pace when the games are stretched.

Bajcetic has been injured all season. Making positional gambles was a big factor in Klopp’s failures.

Having one specialist DM in your 25 man squad is not too much to ask no matter how you choose to play.

05 May 2024 10:15:18
Vv bajetic has had a year out with growing pains as he’s basically growing in to his man body pretty’s sure Gerrard had something similar. I’m not comparing bajetic to Gerrard either .
Slot looks to play with a double pivot at the base of the midfield i would argue we need find a partnership in their as I see mac allister better as the play maker further forward . I’d love for us to sign a proper defensive midfielder or should I rephrase that as a competent midfielder that can tackle and partner him with Trent .

05 May 2024 10:20:08
Thanks Ed!
Don’t know much about Koopmeiners but really feel we need a destroyer DM who’s mobile and athletic. Something we really lack at the club as good as Endo is and Bajetic will be.
Would love Varella from that list!

05 May 2024 12:05:03
Our season seemed to collapse from the Utd Fa cup game where we went out.

We then went on to draw with Utd, lose to Palace, Atalanta and Everton and draw with West Ham.

Of those 6 games Endo started 5 of them

Not really sure our collapse was down to him being replaced.

05 May 2024 12:40:00
Endo is fine in a compact formation with the two midfield partners nearby. But we don’t play that way and it looks like it isn’t the way the new coach wants to play.

05 May 2024 13:09:24
@MK I agree Endo has been good for us this year and at time has been exceptional (eg against Man City in the 2-2).

However I do agree with JK that the results and performances were poor following the United fa cup game actually (not correlated to when he was dropped)

You’re right though that Szob and Jones weren’t playing well. I thought Jones looked miles off the pace in midfield and shouldn’t have been playing at all whereas I think Szob should have been further forward.

05 May 2024 13:12:06
Ed002 has previously said that a DM is a position we are looking at. The club wouldn't be doing so if Endo is the answer.

05 May 2024 20:29:40
Koopmeiners definitely improves our midfield in my opinion, I’d be happy with him, a centre back and a forward depending on departures.

04 May 2024 11:25:11
Hi Ed002, hope you are well. Seen a few outlets suggesting we’ve taken an interest in Kubo. Highly doubt they’re genuine but do you know of anything? Thanks.

{Ed002's Note - Takefusa Kubo (RW/LW) Move has worked out well for him. Real Madrid may look to invoke their buy-back option which is about half his buy out clause. This season is going well for him and I doubt he would want to return to RM. Manchester United and Liverpool have sent scouts but neither has declared an interest with his club and the player has signed a new long term contract.}

04 May 2024 11:56:16
Thank you Ed, expect it go nowhere then but in your opinion would he be a good replacement if Salah were to leave? I can’t say I’ve seen overly much of him myself.

{Ed002's Note - He is certainly having a very good season and is one of the options that Fallows, Hunter and Klopp have been considering.}

04 May 2024 12:35:13
Thank you Ed, one to keep an eye on then!

{Ed002's Note - There are a number of options.}