16 Jun 2025 15:10:18
Edd001 more paper talk of Madrid wanting konate next summer on free. Surely this can't be the same scenario as before? Surely the club will force a sale or he signs a contract. How can this club run financially supplying 50-80 million players for free to the richest club in the world. It's beyond distasteful the thought of konate too going there for a free.
{Ed001's Note - I don't believe it. If he is running down his contract, it is PSG he will want to go to I would assume.}
16 Jun 2025 15:51:05
More to the point it’s blatant tapping up that Madrid are engaging in with Mbappe, Trent etc. It needs to be addressed ASAP otherwise more big teams will start doing it.
16 Jun 2025 16:16:31
To be honest MK, I think big teams are already trying to do that but none are as successful as Madrid due to the sheer size of that club. They have full control of the media and are able to pump out these kind of stories to unsettle players. Not to mention them using their own players to tap up other players during their respective international breaks.
16 Jun 2025 16:17:08
Our history makes us not without blame, MK. I appreciate a thousand wrongs don't make a right.
16 Jun 2025 16:23:06
Spot on, MKS and you can add Bayern to that notorious list, as well.
16 Jun 2025 16:27:09
And add us to the list as well, Oli, while we're at it.
16 Jun 2025 16:28:28
This whole business of tapping up never really made sense to me.
Ed002 used to tell us (and I have no reason to think he was wrong) that a club can talk to the agent of a player at another club, and agree some basic outlines of a prospective deal without the permission of the player's club, but can't talk to the player himself directly without getting permission from the club? The latter being tapping up, but the former being fine.
It never really made a lot of sense to me, as legally you could get a deal 80% agreed without talking to player. Really both should be either banned or allowed.
16 Jun 2025 16:41:47
Imagine if it happens again and he signs for them next year? I agree with Ed1 though - if he's going anywhere it'll be to PSG, I really don't see why Real Madrid would want him, even for free. They are more than covered.
It;s all bullsh*t from the media anyway, it happened with Trent and now they're just linking every good player who is almost out of contract. Nonsense - I think he'll sign a new deal.
16 Jun 2025 16:42:46
Can't clubs tap up by proxy now? For example, getting Jude Bellingham to tap up Trent. That wouldn't land them in any trouble.
16 Jun 2025 16:49:44
It’s our own fault, our club drifted for years before finally getting our act together with Klopp. We still let an average Madrid team beat us in 2 finals and didn’t press on when we had a top side.
Hopefully now we can start to change the narrative and accomplish sustained success. That’s the best way to stop players leaving is to keep winning the biggest trophies every year.
16 Jun 2025 16:52:56
Ziege (fined)
Robbie Keane
VVD
Stoke kiddie (banned)
And loads more, who I can't remember.
16 Jun 2025 17:17:01
If he doesn’t sign put him in the reserves, sod his wages. Stand up to them. No win bonuses no media duties just reserves and don’t even play him there make him sub. Waste a year of his career.
16 Jun 2025 17:19:43
What if the Madrid wives are talking to Konate's wife a la The Desperate Scousewives.
I'm sure Bellingham's wife, Trent, can have a word in Mrs Konate's shell like.
16 Jun 2025 17:48:39
Never going to happen, scouse John. Nose, cut-off, spite, face.
16 Jun 2025 18:06:05
Why should Konate sign a contract if he's not happy with it, scouesjohn?
You don't know what's in it.
It might be him standing up to the club because he feels undervalued.
And giving players five year contracts and treating them like you suggest in the final year is ridiculous. What do you think potential new signings would think if we did that?
16 Jun 2025 18:48:27
Scouse john - That's just embarrassing. It's still a workplace and you cannot bully people into doing what you want them to do. Konate has had his strongest season yet, appears to be a model proffesional with no off field dramas and by all accounts looks to be popular within the group. If his heart is set on PSG then so be it unless he downs tools and stops giving 100% he starts when fit and we will win many games because he is on the pitch. For the record I would love it if he extends and think he will but either way whilst he is still an employee of the club you play him and maximise the talent you have at your disposal. Just imagine other players here and elswhere watching him train with the kids every week. Ridiculous.
16 Jun 2025 19:36:18
Everyone is at it. I don't like cheating but what is happening is not technically against the rules so it's up to us to make sure it doesn't happen in the future.
Sort out contracts 2+ years in advance and sell them/ leave to play in the reserves if they don't sign. We clearly didn't do that with Salah and VVD, haven't done it with Konate and might fall in to another trap with Diaz.
It's in our control so can't moan if we haven't sorted contracts in time.
16 Jun 2025 19:11:26
I agree with Salah. Konate will sign. I see Bournemouth will probably lose their 2nd first choice CB now. a quick question for ED01. every top club showed big interest in signing DH but his partner IZ seemed somewhat ignored by comparison. certainly media wise. what is your opinion of him as a CB? . and could he have suited LFC? My thanks.
{Ed001's Note - he is decent, he just isn't quite as good as Huijsen, but he is still young enough to improve as well. They are going to miss him, he was a good, steady partner that allowed Huijsen to be more mercurial with his play.}
16 Jun 2025 19:37:48
Tapping up has existed in football since day dot, all clubs do it.
Not saying it right nor not excusing lfc for doing it.
16 Jun 2025 19:42:01
ED001.how do teams actually get caught out tapping up players n managers when there still contracted to their club, is it the player, agent or club . Madrid seem to do this a lot n yet nothing happens . I know Liverpool have had to be careful because of Klopp. but how does it usually come out in the open, if they're doing it all undercover.
{Ed001's Note - usually it comes out when a player starts agitating for a move, or if they don't want to go, they might well tell their club about it. UEFA don't care when it is their baby Madrid. They won't allow anything to tarnish that image, as it is their moneymaker.}
16 Jun 2025 19:42:18
@ernest millar: what’s embarrassing? Who’s bullying? If he wants to go to psg fine go now. Not I’d rather go next year for free.
@ Rigsby: no I don’t know what’s in the contract but neither do you. He could be standing up to the club but he could be taking the p*ss trying to inflict a bosman Way out. And how would Being strong in there last year put other players off signing? It’s letting them know we won’t stand for any blagarding . If they want to leave fine just don’t try and wrangle a free move under the guise of oh I wasn’t decided til last month. Chat wam some of you lot. I identify as a boss. And just so you all know I’d love him to stay I think he's brilliant but see ya later. And let’s have it right if you want to leave you want to leave nothing will change your mind just be men and say so.
16 Jun 2025 19:54:42
Im with you there brommers, but vvd and salah the club must of had a idea they wanted to sign, if you get the feeling they don’t and aiming for a bosman then yeh see you later mate.
16 Jun 2025 20:09:53
@Batman - how do the club “force a sale” at the start of the last year in a player’s contract? Can you tell me and the club how you would do it?
16 Jun 2025 20:12:26
Rome, I deliberately took us out of it cos Klopp is gone and have not seen anywhere where we continue to tap up palyers like we did when Klopp was here. just to clarify.
16 Jun 2025 20:46:13
Konate, Robertson, Jaros (possibly Ajax bound) and Kelleher who has already left the club all there contracts expire/ expired on 30/ 06/ 26, perhaps that is the telling reason for such a low fee for a good goalkeeper, and also the telling reason Mamardashvili was Arne's first signing to replace Kelleher, that's what you call exceptional forward thinking, one very good goalkeeper for another one!
ten more contracts expire 30/ 06/ 27
diaz, salah, jones, jota, elliot, van dyke, becker, gomez, tsimikas, endo.
one only hopes they don't all have boyhood clubs and taking spanish lessons, as with "666" gone also it demonstrates the club is in the losing position again!
I never want to see my boyhood club in any losing situation on or off the field! as anything that harms Liverpool Football Club undeservedly has to be the only consideration for me as a supporter, as in circa ten years all these players will be probably retired, but thankfully Liverpool Football Club will still be standing.
I will be fully supporting LFC in whatever stance they adopt, as in the end they are and always will be the Winner, as this club has the very successful knack of finding winning solutions to all it's past, current and future difficulties.
"You'll Never Walk Alone" 97.
16 Jun 2025 20:58:27
scouesjohn, how is he taking the p*ss by seeing out his contract?
That is what he supposed to do.
The club doesn't own him and is owed nothing when the contract is up.
The club know this and won't get angry and act petulantly if he decides to leave. The club might even tell him he's welcome back anytime like it did with TAA.
You might not like it but it won't stop it happening and the club won't react the way you suggest.
It'd be better for you to just accept that it happens.
16 Jun 2025 21:24:50
ED001 thanks for the reply.
{Ed001's Note - very welcome.}
17 Jun 2025 02:46:28
Markp08 you are too right. The plucky underdog, 'doubters to believers', and 'it's not about the trophies it's about the journey and friends you make along the way' narratives ran their course and became detrimental to what we did. We were selling ourselves short and forgetting the institution that Liverpool actually is. When Slot came in I knew he wasn't going to have a bar of that.