Text Size Adjuster: 18px 28 Aug 2026 23:56:02 In order to view all of today's banter, you may have to visit our Liverpool banter 2 to Liverpool banter 10 pages linked at the bottom of this page.
28 Aug 2026 23:04:16.
Great interview with Andoni and Stevie G for TNT. Stevie was smiling, looked impressed. Andoni said Nyoni is a fantastic talent who has impressed him as well as Koumas. Some of the other youth are not quite first team, but he sees big talent.
1
28 Aug 2026 23:28:13
I am delighted to hear him say this. Last summer, I said Koumas was the most ready for senior football, and this summer, I said Nyoni was the most ready. They're the two standout talents in my opinion.
Rio gets all the hype (and he is also a great talent), but Koumas and Nyoni are the two that genuinely excite me.
I thought Koumas might've missed his chance, but he's a perfectly coded Iraola player and still only 20 years old. Nyoni was our best player in pre-season and fully deserves whatever chances come his way this season.
2
{Ed666's Note - I 💯 concur with Nyoni I think this will be a breakout season of sorts and next season he will flourish..I haven’t seen Koumas that much to make an assessment. Is he that good?
0
28 Aug 2026 23:31:53
Really hope we see more of Nyoni. Koumas for me replaces Chiesa as the late sub to keep up the pressure and intensity. Final ball needs working on.
0
28 Aug 2026 23:49:57
Well, Koumas better get comfortable with that bench unless there's an injury. Best case scenario for him is we don't sign anyone else after Barcola, otherwise hope he gets a loan.
28 Aug 2026 22:55:58
It is astounding that clubs have eleven weeks to strike deals for players, yet somehow find themselves going into the last week of the registration window like a student who procrastinated over an essay, only to realise the deadline is in a few hours.
2
28 Aug 2026 23:50:30 Yeah, when I play FIFA, I pretty much wrap up all my transfer deals in the first few days.
28 Aug 2026 22:17:48
I don't support selling Gakpo this season. Etitike is out until next year and Isak could shoot blanks. With Gakpo, he's an option as a forward with great work rate and physicality.
We also don't know how Barcola will fare and there's a lot of games. Keep Gakpo this season.
7
28 Aug 2026 22:54:55
Hey Ron, I do agree. To play devil's advocate, in a market where wingers are a premium I can understand selling Gakpo and sourcing a back up striker to help Isak, which is likely to be far cheaper.
Barcola is obviously number 1 LW, and keeping Gakpo in case, or to cover striker, when we could potentially recoup 80mill doesn't make business sense.
Granted, im not sure we can trust Hughes, but can understand letting Gakpo go and getting someone in to fill the gap.
Not my opinion, just understand it.
0
28 Aug 2026 23:02:45
If we can sign Sarr or Minteh, I'd sell Gakpo and go with a fresh look front three.
Barcola LW, Isak CF and Sarr/Minteh RW.
We'd then have Rio, Ekitike, Koumas and Munoz as the back ups.
Koumas and Munoz, I can see getting a lot of minutes this season. Their intensity and energy late on, off the bench could change more than a few games in our favour. It certainly saved us in the Newcastle game.
28 Aug 2026 21:31:05
Mbaye has Extremely big baggage, more than Liverpool are prepared to take on, nothing to do with his ability or personal professionalism.
That’s the reason the club have decided not to pursue him, nothing purely to do with the fee - & only time will tell if it was the right decision.
1
28 Aug 2026 21:42:57
Wow !!!
1
28 Aug 2026 21:55:39
The club weren't concerned about the baggage. They met with the family in London and there were no issues - the problem is PSG making it extremely difficult to do business. They've made a point of letting Mbaye go to Villa for EUR55m when they quoted Liverpool EUR70m. It's not an accident.
4
28 Aug 2026 22:32:41
I mean the man is moving to a new country to live full time. You have to expect some baggage surely.
12
28 Aug 2026 23:03:31
Davey, whatever your day job is, quit it. You're wasted.
28 Aug 2026 21:22:53
God help you all Ed's if we don't sign a player tomorrow morning and we don't beat Forrest. This place will go into meltdown 😂
7
28 Aug 2026 21:44:01
God help all of us if Harry posts about needing a new midfielder for the 20th time this week.
5
28 Aug 2026 21:57:09
He's right tho, we definitely do.
3
28 Aug 2026 22:26:14
I think some posters on here need to give their heads a wobble saying this window is a 1/10! I remember over the years when I'd watch Utd buying all the top players because we had no money and would finish mid league - when Moores and Hicks and Gillett were around. It was dismal. This year we have signed Barcola for £100m plus, signed Monzo, a Spanish international, and a flying machine, and the ex Barcelona captain. We still have Leon, Bradley, Gomez and Etikite to return.
I was so excited last season cos we signed who I thought would be a revelation in Wirtz as well as other top players. So yes, things haven't gone quite to plan, but the club is still investing heavily and we are as competitive as anyone in the market. We also have some of the richest people in the world involved.
Yes, we haven't replaced Salah, but we tried, and, let's be honest, Salah was already past his best days last season. Stop being so bloody pessimistic, it's becoming embarrassing!
1
28 Aug 2026 22:37:35
Well, as long as we tried replacing Salah, what more can you ask for?
28 Aug 2026 20:52:02
So finally Barcola done at £95m + add-ons. For everyone saying it would take £140m/£145m 🤥, that’s good business in the market as it shocking. His underlying numbers are quality and AA style looks made for him.
Mbaye didn’t come off, we were only offering 35M tops… and obviously money mattered at least BB only wanted us…but I was never confident on that one.
Minteh looks dead, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we bite the bullet and pay the extra £5m before Tuesday. If not, I think we go back in January.
Camara is still the one to watch, even more so if Harvey goes, although I doubt Harvey even wants to leave.
Gakpo, as I’ve been saying, I don’t think goes unless the money is mega. If he does, that’s Rio back out on the left. With Mbaye and Minteh currently off, we’re looking light on the right-hand side.
Still think there’s one mystery RB/CB before the window shuts. Another late opportunity or hijack rather than one of the obvious names.
Fikayo Tomori? 👀
Ready for the early kick-off. Batter Forest 4-0 while BB signs and the ink is drying. ✍️
1
{Ed666's Note - Tomori from AC Milan? They can wait to be shot of him.
3
28 Aug 2026 21:17:41
Yeah, they do want rid, Tomori never wanted to leave. He turned down Spurs and Juventus to stay a while back.
It's Amorim who doesn't fancy him or think he fits the system. Personally, I think Amorim's an awful manager, so his assessment won't be correct by a long shot.
Tomori's still quality, quick, experienced and £10-15m as CB/RB cover. I'd take him all day.
1
28 Aug 2026 22:21:49
Where has Barcola been confirmed?
28 Aug 2026 20:37:08
I guess Mbaye to LFC was never really a thing because he is similar profile to Rio?!
1
28 Aug 2026 21:20:11
No, it was a thing he's not like Rio... he's RW, Rio is LW. We are just using Rio on the right as there's no one else.
We didn't want to pay over 35/40 and Villa did and Mbsye chose or was advised.
0
28 Aug 2026 21:20:51
Other than he favours the right whereas Rio has been played (last season) more on the left and looks more comfortable there.
1
28 Aug 2026 21:38:55
I have been saying all summer, I don't think Rik is ready yet to be considered a starter. I am very happy with BB singing, and Munoz looks good, but Rio is a work in progress. We need a rw desperately.
1
28 Aug 2026 22:22:07
The fact that Mbaye has not signed for LFC means I suspect they will point to Rio again this summer as they did last when Diaz was sold without a replacement.
My original post was suggesting Liverpool's opinion rather than mine!
Not so long ago Paul Joyce put it out into the world that Rio would get game time on the right when Barcola signs?!
28 Aug 2026 20:27:18
It’s so depressing thinking that we are supposed to be excited over Sarr, Mbaye or Rayan as a replacement for Mo. Barcola is a replacement for Diaz.
2
28 Aug 2026 20:41:41
Have you not
Learnt how we operate yet? We avoid problem players (Isak aside). We won’t overpay unless we desperately want someone, and we would rather wait than get dragged into any of that nonsense.
There will be a target who wants to join and who is worth the asking price.
7
28 Aug 2026 21:26:32
The club don't overpay. They are happy to pay what they think a player is worth to them - hence the protracted negotiation with Isak last year and Barcola this year.
They weren't prepared to pay the amount PSG wanted for Mbaye so they walked away.
The perception of overpaying is really just something fans have, particularly if the fans don't particularly rate a player, currently Minteh and Sarr as examples.
Fans (including me) tend to judge a player in isolation and don't always see the player for the contribution he could make for the team and the style in which the team play. The old adage that 'the sum of the whole is greater than the sum of the parts' is generally true of all the best teams.
3
28 Aug 2026 21:27:22
It's depressing we didn't sign Wharton.
2
28 Aug 2026 22:04:52
Ron did the Prozac run out? Special brew can be a stop
Gak.
Are you always this jolly?
0
28 Aug 2026 22:32:03
There isn't a replacement for Salah available in world football, that type of player just doesn't exist right now, we need to stop hankering after one and make what we have got - e.g. some very expensive supposedly elite players - do their jobs properly.
0
{Ed666's Note - My ideals to replace Salah were Diamonde followed by Olise, Akliouche, Mbaye..now I’d be happy with Craig Johnston 🤣
1
28 Aug 2026 22:33:50
We are not really replacing Mo, though, are we. We are changing the entire system for a new era. There is no replacement for Mo, so we replace the system.
The wingers we are looking at are completely different profiles to Mo, and they are never going to get the numbers Mo got.
The entire front line is going to share the load instead, especially Isak and Wirtz, or that's the plan anyway.
28 Aug 2026 20:16:34
What a terrible window this has been. There's no way you'd leave it this late to sign any player.
To also let Jones leave without a replacement is amateurish. We shouldn't be waiting on what a Jones or Macca wants to do. Their replacements should have been here already.
Not signing Adam Wharton for one, is a huge misstep. Homegrown and would have walked to get here. Palace would have negotiated a reasonable fee weeks ago. Then seeking a proper gritty athletic 6 should have been a priority.
There's no clever thinking behind any of this.
Hughes looks like a right buffoon.
We wanted Diamonde to replace Salah. The lad went to Madrid. How do you go from a 19 year old to Sarr nearly 10 years older when that also goes against our apparent transfer policy?
You can't and won't win anything with the midfield we have. I don't care if you signed Mbappe. That midfield can't be "coached" to win a league.
Also Conor Bradley, when's he back because there's a lot resting on his shoulders for the right back role.
5
{Ed666's Note - Up the meds till Tuesday Ron Funk you’re gonna need them mate
7
28 Aug 2026 20:39:39
Adam Wharton's passing is a joy to behold.
5
28 Aug 2026 21:08:55
Some said Wharton wasn't better than Macca 🤣, but when they watch him play again, such as tonight, his quality is there.
I've repeated myself all summer. Adam Wharton is top class and would have been a revelation for us.
Far too late in the window to bid for Wharton. Palace will say no because of timing. The lad wants the Liverpool move too. 22 and he's soo silky already.
1
28 Aug 2026 21:17:19
Camara incoming, but you'll
have to wait till
Tuesday morning.
3
28 Aug 2026 21:37:18
I love Wharton, but the idea that Palace would sell him for less than Anderson is fantasy. He is at Palace until someone pays £100m plus for him.
1
28 Aug 2026 21:42:20
If Macca was to go, then I certainly wouldn't be against Wharton as long as we signed another with him, but if we are only signing one midfielder, then it can't be him. We surely need someone a little more robust, not necessarily to kick lumps out of people, but certainly more physical and positionally aware.
0
28 Aug 2026 21:52:56
Am I watching the same game here? Wharton and Kamada have been absolutely shocking. Foden and Cherki are just waltzing through the Palace midfield repeatedly.
Wharton is not at all what we need. He's as tackle-shy as anyone in the league. The two times this game he challenged for a 50/50, it took him a solid minute to get up and limp back into position.
3
28 Aug 2026 22:07:21
We have enough soft lads who care more about hairdos and not getting injured - we need some grit.
Interesting that Andoni's two choices so far in Munoz and Araujo are edgy MFs who like to get stuck in. Do you think Andoni may have noticed
Something after Slot's tepid gruel
Was served up?
1
28 Aug 2026 22:12:26
The fact that Camara is next and is another player who loves to get stuck in tells
You are
You need to
Know. Barcola I'm not convinced by for this league, but he does win the ball
Back a lot in the final
Third.
{Ed666's Note - I 💯 concur with Nyoni I think this will be a breakout season of sorts and next season he will flourish..I haven’t seen Koumas that much to make an assessment. Is he that good?