08 Mar 2021 07:18:44
Not sure if any of the Ed's have heard this too, but friends of mine in Spain have heard that Salah is the top target for Barcelona this summer.

{Ed002's Note - Mo Salah (RW/F) Liverpool could cash in to fund transfers but there is no clear interest at this time after he and his agent pricing him out of a move with previous attempts to leave. His "representative" has again been doing the rounds this time also asking Bayern Munich and again PSG if they are interested. I suspect that Barcelona and Real Madrid may also have been approached again. Liverpool will likely look to a new contract.}


1.) 08 Mar 2021
08 Mar 2021 11:56:17
Barca neither have the money or the players to offer in exchange so I can’t see this happening.


2.) 08 Mar 2021
08 Mar 2021 12:52:51
I could see this on a payment plan like they did with Couts to be fair. Installments work both ways. We are/ were skint and managed to fund Jota.


3.) 08 Mar 2021
08 Mar 2021 13:06:30
I think £1.00 a week for 100 million weeks is about as much as Barcelona could stretch to at the moment.


4.) 08 Mar 2021
08 Mar 2021 14:14:36
How do you replace the goals that Salah scores?


5.) 08 Mar 2021
08 Mar 2021 14:16:27
would honestly not mind seeing all 3 of the front 3 moved on for big profits and watching Jurgen build his 2.0 update.
The question is, who can afford them? Surely Real can afford one of them, and PSG definitely can. probably even Barcelona if they can sell their expensive dead wood.
It should be a big summer in terms of in and outgoings.


6.) 08 Mar 2021
08 Mar 2021 14:36:40
I think Mane and Firmino should be the ones to be sold as they don’t weigh in with as many goals as Salah. A 20+ a season player is like gold dust.


7.) 08 Mar 2021
08 Mar 2021 15:14:45
I sort of agree with Firmino being moved on now and Salah. Manes goal record is lower because he's less selfish and developed his game. I like Salah IMO. Bobby is an incredible talent and one of a kind. The flip side is his attacking game has dipped and I just see him being used routinely for the workrate. i don't think that's what we need now. Moving him on would be a huge sacrifice defensively but replacing him for a younger direct CF would probably be my preference. Maybe we just need a CF to be a CF?


8.) 08 Mar 2021
08 Mar 2021 15:21:36
I personally think we should move Salah and Firmino on while we can still get good fees for them, and go all out for Haaland and Pedro Netto .
I’d hate to see Sadiio go .


9.) 08 Mar 2021
08 Mar 2021 16:42:07
Sadio’s dip in form is alarming, I’d cash in now while he still has any sort of reputation, Salah still scores goals, that’s not replaceable very easily, we’ve absolutely no chance of signing Haaland given his price and who his agent is. Forget about him, he’s never going to play for us, the same as Mbappe. Neither will ever happen,


10.) 08 Mar 2021
08 Mar 2021 16:46:39
LRG I just don't understand where most fans get the Mane is selfless and Salah is selfish from. Mane is as greedy as any player on the pitch and has a worse goal return from it. Salahs assist record speaks for itself along with his goals.

Better the devil you know is the term that springs to mind. It would be a huge gamble to think that if we got rid of salah and kept mane that mane would start scoring more that I think personally would be a huge mistake.


11.) 08 Mar 2021
08 Mar 2021 17:17:38
Jurgen, some good points raised. I didn't day Mane would score more as a result of Salah being sold. I think if Salah was sold, Mane would be more adaptable. I think my emphasis was bringing in a first choice CF 👍.


12.) 08 Mar 2021
08 Mar 2021 17:19:37
*excuse typos.


13.) 08 Mar 2021
08 Mar 2021 17:31:02
Mane had C.V. and has never been the same since. Last year he was great. At least give him a chance nest season before you right him off. Firmino has had 2.5 years of poor form.


14.) 08 Mar 2021
08 Mar 2021 17:55:49
Markp08 not sure I agree with 2.5 years. He was important last year. He looks lost this year. Nevertheless, he's been an incredible servant to LFC.


15.) 08 Mar 2021
08 Mar 2021 18:48:28
The double standards mane gets as oppose to salah has always baffled me, salah consistently assists more goals than mane but salah is selfish and mane is not. I understand where the narrative comes from but it’s a myth that mane is selfless, he isn’t, he’s just simply not as good as salah. Never was and never will be, he’s been important to us and we will see how he ends the season, some players have come to the end of their cycles here and it’s better for both parties to cash in while the stock is high. Players like firmino and mane are potentially on that list. Salah would only go reluctantly, because I believe he is the player that makes the most impact currently and we would be the hardest hit from him leaving. Mane and certainly firmino are both quickly becoming dispensable players.


16.) 08 Mar 2021
08 Mar 2021 18:50:52
He was exactly the same last year and worse the season before. Started each season slow. Good in December then around 1 good game in 8. I don't think he scorded a home league goal all last season until the last game.


17.) 08 Mar 2021
08 Mar 2021 20:03:58
I think you have to look Mane and be practical about it. Yes he’s a great player, but he’s not been at it this year, his goals output isn’t as good as Salah and he’s not getting any younger. If you look at it in terms of goals alone, Salah is the one that you keep. Mane should be the one sold to make way for new signings, as should Firmino. Similar situation as Chelsea had with Hazard, sometimes you have to make hard choices, regrettably it’s time to move Mane on while there’s a good price to be had.

{Ed0666's Note - really sensible post mate


18.) 08 Mar 2021
08 Mar 2021 20:25:55
Mane was by far our most important forward player last season. The season we won the league the main man was Mane. How do you know next season he won’t be flying again?


19.) 08 Mar 2021
08 Mar 2021 20:50:17
It still confuses me how so many of our fans don’t think salah is the best of the front three, the only reason he should is because he’s being in so much more money, I’d rather keep him and let the other two go he’s just the better player.


20.) 08 Mar 2021
08 Mar 2021 21:16:49
Mark, that was last season. No point looking back. We have to move forward, given that we don’t have the luxury of a sugar daddy, we have to generate money from sales, Salah has consistently scored 20+ every season, without fail and he’ll probably do it again this year therefore there’s no point selling a player who literally guarantees goals.

It’s clear we need to refresh our front line and we need to sell to do that, so sacrifice the players who aren’t doing it, past reputation counts for nothing if you’re not delivering now and regrettiabkg for Mane, his age is against him.


21.) 08 Mar 2021
08 Mar 2021 21:41:03
If we are sacrificing players who aren’t doing it then there would be no one left. Mane was the best last season he got C.V. and is really struggling atm. He was our second best player last season he deserves another season. Who would you replace him with?

{Ed025's Note - i actually thought he was your 1st best mark..


22.) 08 Mar 2021
08 Mar 2021 21:55:45
Btw I am not disagreeing about Salah, if we sell him we are in massive trouble. We couldn’t replace his goals.


23.) 08 Mar 2021
08 Mar 2021 22:27:56
Cold hard facts are that none of Mane, Firmino and Salah are getting younger. Salah is stil scoring goals and doesn’t look like stopping. Firmino and Mane have dropped off substantially, who would I replace them with? The likes of Haaland and Sancho are far out of reach, so forget them, Serge Gnabry for Mane as he’s top class works hard and is a genuine threat, Alexander Isak for Firmino, young mobile, good in the air, skilful, quick and at 21 is scoring at a very good rate in a competitive league.


24.) 08 Mar 2021
08 Mar 2021 22:41:25
Well Sancho is totally overrated, overpriced he would be Werner mark2. Gnabry will not swop Bayern to come to Liverpool, after selling Mane and buying Gnabry there would be no money left. You need to try again.


25.) 08 Mar 2021
08 Mar 2021 23:10:21
And where does Jota fit in, 6Times? Genuine question.

Salah has scored goals yes, but he's also often been called wasteful. Would someone else have scored more in those same situations?

Klopp says his instinct is to win 7 games 1-0, rather than one game 7-0. Fine and fair enough when it worked out okay last season but I think not taking more of those scoring opportunities has been the single biggest problem we've had this season.

Despite injuries we've dominated many of the games we've lost of late and have had chances to score and just not taken them. Fulham being a prime case in point, at least in the second half.

Balance of the team and all those arguments be damned, we are where we are because we haven't scored when we could/ should have.

I think this season is a bit of an anomaly, maybe Bobby will get his mojo back, maybe Sadio will come back stronger next season, but is Mo going to be better than he is now - as fantastic as he has often been, would another player bury those chances when we really need them to?

I guess the club has to decide which of these is going to give similar returns as they did at their best come next season - and which of those we need more.

And again, where does Jota fit in to the equation?


26.) 08 Mar 2021
08 Mar 2021 23:27:58
I think Salah is our most sellable player. I see the argument for Mane and Firmino based on goals, but if you are going to sell one it is salah as he would attract the most money if we can find a buyer

in terms of replacing his goals, how else have we ever replaced 'x' players goals? it is not impossible.


27.) 09 Mar 2021
09 Mar 2021 00:31:29
Hoping that Mane and Firmino discover their form is all ifs and maybes had and it’s reasonable to say that probability isn’t in their favour at their age, we made mistakes in the eighties and early nineties not moving certain players on when they were passing their peak because of blind loyalty, which combined with buying badly took years trying to recover. Salah is the only one I’d keep out of the three of them because he actually scores and he does it reliably and that is a cold hard fact. If you’re honestly saying you’d sell the player who has been our top scorer for each of the last four seasons including this one and is on course to get another 20 this season, in favour of two players whose form has dropped off so dramatically that neither player has made any tangible contribution this season, solely on the basis that possibly, perhaps, with a bit of luck, if pigs sprout wings and fly and the wind is in the right direction, they might eventually come good again at some indeterminate point in the future, then I think that you’re a bit delusional. We need to be more brutal in our decision making and less nostalgic. Players are just transient employees, you keep the ones doing well and sell the ones not doing so well. At this moment in time I see nothing in either of Mane or Firmino that makes me think an upturn in form is in sight.


28.) 09 Mar 2021
09 Mar 2021 10:20:50
The issue is mane like klopp deserves another season but with his age and value now may be time to sell! Sell at least one of the front 3 ideally it would be firmino who hasn't been great for 2 seasons now last game of the season before he scored at anfield and this season he has showed some of the worse finishing I've seen from a striker for a long time

But the catch is we wouldn't get bug money for him and when things are going well he creates the space for the others so plenty to ponder.


29.) 09 Mar 2021
09 Mar 2021 13:53:55
lots of people are saying Neto. but I think I prefer Podence. he can dribble and has the close control none of our front 3 have and he's quick.


30.) 09 Mar 2021
09 Mar 2021 14:21:54
6Times, you're right in so much of what you say there.

We've heard all three are up for consideration.

I'm not offering my opinion on the right way forward, I'm speculating as to what the club may do.

I don't think it's right to write off Sadio or Bobby yet. And not because of blind loyalty. Especially Bobby, as we still see his excellent touch from time to time - it seems the issue is more to do with confidence. Sadio. we have to see, if it's Long C.V. related he may or may not bounce back.

I get what you're saying about Mo being about the only consistent one of the three but that's surely not the only consideration - age isn't on his side either and selling him on to bring in a younger player that would give us goals has to be a conversation.

There's no guarantee Mo will be as good next season, if age is the issue. Look at how Bobby has dropped off, if we're saying it's his age.

On the issue of loyalty, how is it we give the gaffer our loyalty but not the players? Outside of Pep anyone else would have been sacked in all likelihood but we have faith he can turn it around, so maybe it's right we don't write off these two either - not out of blind loyty but because they are exceptional talents.

It's a lot to ponder, but at some point all three will have to leave the club and someone has to be first. If it's Mo, I'm okay with it provided we have a good plan lined up.

{Ed0666's Note - I would sell mane, get a forward in with the money we get for him and a winger like Sarr or David from Lille. Keep Bobby as he’s still a lethal weapon but unlike Mane makes an effort.


31.) 09 Mar 2021
09 Mar 2021 15:06:21
The posts make me laugh. Its like reading the United page.

So mane and firmino are playing badly and we should move them on. to who?

They're on good wages which rules out most of the smaller teams (if they would go there anyway) . one who by most people's account has been awful for 2.5 years and one who has been so bad I actually think he's a detriment to the team right now, no big team with money is looking at these two players and thinking of shelling out £50m+. Right now they are £15m players in this climate and with their form.

You can't build a team around their sales because they won't bring in enough money, which is why selling Salah makes more sense (if you're selling anyone) because you can actually get some good players in for the £50+m that people WILL pay for him.

We'd be lucky to get £50m combined for Bobby and mane. You can't get good prices for goods which look like they're broken.


32.) 09 Mar 2021
09 Mar 2021 21:30:24
There is a couple of plays here for Barca, does signing Salah send a statement to keep Messi at the club or does Messi leaving free up funds for a Salah transfer. I think this rumour has the legs and if Liverpool are to sell I hope that it can be done quickly, I do not want this dragging out all summer into pre season.

{Ed002's Note - The election is over and Barcelona still have money problems.}


33.) 09 Mar 2021
09 Mar 2021 21:53:17
Eds666 do you just say bobby is still a lethal weapon. Am sorry but I don’t agree mate he couldn’t hit a barn door at the minute and his goal tally has dropped year after year. He need to go now and find younger.


34.) 09 Mar 2021
09 Mar 2021 22:04:52
I think it will come down to what might be negotiated on a sale of which player and what we can then replace them with for that. We can only sell what some club wants to buy after all.

At some point they will all need replacing, plus we've seen we need cover and what else we have is not up to it. Not hating on Origi, but he's not. Shaq. Started off well but isn't up to it now, maybe that's a comment on not getting him more game time, idk? Ox isn't up to it, either and we have enough midfielders for him to be moved on, too.

As for the main front three, I still think it's a puzzle with more than one solution.


35.) 10 Mar 2021
10 Mar 2021 05:13:28
With respect to the “Front 3”, the club can

A/ Hold onto the players as they run down their contract, or their legs give out, and they leave on a free (e. g. Aguero)

B/ Sell the players now while they still have some market value, and bring in a younger player who has something to prove (e. g. Jota)

C/ Try to sell the players, and price them out of a move, leaving them wondering what they are doing there (e. g. Origi)

D/ Give them new contracts because they are “world class”, and “everything will be back to normal just as soon as VVD is back and the lockdown is over”.

A couple of years ago, I would have been confident the club would make the right choice.

After the horrendous misjudgments and complacency demonstrated by the club in the last 18 months or so, I am no longer confident.