29 Jun 2025 12:30:26
I have no insider knowledge but is it possible that we could sell Diaz and Nunez to fund a deal for Isak?
I love Isak, but personally would prefer to keep Diaz, sell Nunez and bring in Osimhen. I really like the variety and healthy competition we have with Gakpo and Diaz competing on the left. Plus we now know Diaz is more than capable of playing up top as well.
29 Jun 2025 13:02:41
Honestly, I think we're open to offers for all of Darwin, Diaz, Jota, Gakpo and Chiesa.
If Diaz was two years younger, I think he would have been given a new deal by now. Slot clearly likes him. Selling him and/ or not giving him a new deal is ruthless given that he gave us a very good season just now. But it is what they bought Edwards and co back for, right?
On Gakpo, if say Bayern want to pay top dollar for him, then I am pretty sure we'll consider it too. That is just how we seem to be moving right now.
29 Jun 2025 13:19:39
I really don't like the idea of potentially half or more of our starting eleven being available for sale, I'm not sure how that is a good idea.
29 Jun 2025 13:47:53
Patrik - our forward line hasn't linked well together since the OG trio of Bobby, Sadio and Mo. We have signed good forward players that have put in respectable to decent performances. But what we have not done is develop good attacking units since the OG unit was broken up. The amount of counterattacks that we waste these days is just one example of that unit not working as well as it should.
Therefore, I am not sure changing the forwards wholesale would have as much impact as you might ordinarily fear.
I would totally agree with you on making too many changes in the rest of the team though.
29 Jun 2025 13:48:49
From last seasons usual starting 11 it'd only be Diaz or Gakpo if a stupid offer came in wouldn't it?
29 Jun 2025 13:48:59
Me neither, Patrick. I do not like this notion that cos we have won the title and have reportedly all this money to spend, we start shipping out or making several of our starting/ winning 11 like Gakpo, Szobo or even Macca available for sale IF the "right" or "big" offer comes, whatever that means.
Cos you can sell players doesn't mean you should. Cos Bayern or RM put a big bid in for Gakpo and MAcca does NOT mean we should consider it let alone, sell them. Im not sure that was what Huges or Edwards was brought back to do as in, selling aiur big assets just cos a big bid comes in esp. since there are no guaranteed that their replacements (if you can even find them out there) will do better.
29 Jun 2025 14:16:23
Macca is untouchable, Oli.
But Gakpo? Decent player. He's got an excellent ball striking technique. Not sure there's much more room to develop though. His off the ball work is pretty poor. Would he get into the PSG team? I don't think he would.
Had Jota or Darwin done anything remotely useful at no9, then Gakpo would have been sitting on the bench most of the season and Diaz is a far better left winger, on and off the ball.
29 Jun 2025 15:23:02
They aren’t our starting 11 tho. Only Gakpo and Diaz have that honour and sometimes even they rotate.
29 Jun 2025 15:39:48
I can see why you’re angry Oli.
All that money you spend illegally streaming games and Hughes and Edwards are trying to do you dirty by selling our best players despite not actually selling our best players.
29 Jun 2025 15:37:38
Gakpo's off the ball work is poor? Maybe you should study the games to see where he is positioned in our rest defence structure, he is very important to the way we play. Also he is very good in the air in either box, which is obviously useful.
I dunno what kind of world we live in where we feel entitled to have absolutely elite performances from every player all the time, gakpo played his first full season at left wing for us and was at times excellent, carried out instructions and defended well, links well with the other attackers and he is also always a threat running at defenders in space threatening to cut inside.
He wouldn't get in the psg team over doué, okay, and so? Which left winger would you replace him with that is on the same level as doué, but who would also not make the team shorter than we already are if doué is the comparison we are working with?
Bobby mo and sadio worked because they had time to grow into a system that was built for them.
Last year was slot's first year with players he had not worked with before and who were all learning new roles (mo in the right half space as pretty much a 10, Diaz often at false 9, gakpo playing his customary left wing role but in a new system having played a lot centrally under klopp) . The fact that they didn't,5 'click' is to be expected, and I don't know why the blame has to be placed on the players more than other external factors. Still, for an attacking unit that didn't click, we still scored the most goals, and mo had a record setting year providing for other attackers. You don't suppose that with slot's tweaked new approach this year they still have a lot of room to grow and gel together?
I don't get this mentality that because we have cash and we are champions we need to dump every player who looks remotely 'upgradeable'. I'm sure folks on here are going to be telling me fofana is better than Diaz or gakpo simply because he is younger, in demand and doesn't play for us.
29 Jun 2025 15:51:18
In fairness the 3 boys at PSG are fairly good at this football lark.
29 Jun 2025 15:58:45
Of our starting 11 last season:
Ali - not going anywhere, better backup recruited to push/ succeed him in due course
Trent - made his own bed, Frimpong/ Bradley
VVD - not going anywhere
Konate - possible to go if he doesn’t sign.
Robbo - hopefully staying at least 1 more year to bed in Kerkez
Gravy - not going anywhere
Mac Allister - not going anywhere
Szobo - not going anywhere albeit all 3 may have rotation now Wirtz is here.
Salah - not going anywhere
Nunez - needs to go anywhere
Diaz/ Gakpo - I think Diaz will go but Gakpo is not going anywhere.
What Ianmoo says elsewhere makes sense - we want to get the max for our outgoings, Saudi are interested in Nunez and Diaz, we wait for those offers. Their apparent asking price is the best part of €150m, which Saudi can pay, and would cover the Isak fee. Why rush?
Diaz, Nunez, Trent, possibly Konate - 4 of our regular starting 11.
Diaz on his day is great, but he has as many if not more off games. I think Fofana would be a great replacement and we still have Gakpo too (and possibly Doak) .
Trent - that one was out of our hands
Nunez - everyone says we can improve on him, and I agree.
Konate - I’m torn. He’s stayed fit all this year and has been a great presence alongside VVD. How much of that is VVD making any player look better? I didn’t study enough the games where Konate played and VVd didn’t to be able to decide on that. I don’t think he’s the best player in the world in his position, though, so he can always be improved upon.
{Ed077's Note - Ali only has 1 year left on his deal right? (Plus club option extra year).
29 Jun 2025 16:18:26
I'd rather let go of Macca if RM come in to replace modric. We can get better in that position.
Gapko 》》 macca in my opinion.
29 Jun 2025 16:31:36
Patrik, if you think Gakpo's off the ball work is good, then I am happy to agree to disagree.
He's clearly good lad and decent player. But not untouchable if the right bid comes in imo.
29 Jun 2025 16:38:57
Yep, in an interview a few weeks ago, Ed077, he said that he expects the club to take up the option of the extra year and he is happy with that.
If he wants to go back to Brazil, I think we owe him that after, by then, 10 years of service.
Will be all change in 27-28 with (probably) Ali, VVD and Salah all leaving after c10years in the first team each.
{Ed077's Note - he'd still only be 34, surely he will have a couple more good years in him.
29 Jun 2025 17:15:57
Yeah I’m sure he would Ed077, but I think he’s mentioned in a few interviews over the years that he wants to return to Brazil to finish his career there. I think he’s very close to his family.
I’d happily keep him for 5 more years, but the player has given everything to Liverpool so it would only be right to respect his wishes.
{Ed077's Note - I'm not sure it's his wish to not get a longer deal (new deal) at Liverpool. It's easy to hound and harass players, criticize them but Liverpool seems to let their player deals run down to the last year before renewal talks begin, which as a player wouldn't seem the greatest thing, at least how I see things
29 Jun 2025 17:58:40
Would Cody be the kind of player Slot would buy? Salah aside, which of our forwards would Slot have chosen? We can't know exactly how he envisions the side until he's had a few windows to show us.
Cody did well in an already great side, but is there a profile of player out there, better suited to how Slot wants to play?
29 Jun 2025 19:14:49
Fair enough Ed077, let's see what happens.
I must admit, the boards obsession with contracts is relatively recent (mine too! ), have Liverpool under FSG traditionally let contracts run down to the last year? I'm thinking back to players who have left on a free under FSG that were regretted - I can think of Trent (obvs), Can, Gerrard, Wijnaldum and that's about it.
Firmino was slowing down, as was Matip with his injuries, Keita was a mistake, the Ox was also injury afflicted, Oriji never hit the heights albeit gave us some precious moments. Others were mainly either older (Milner) or academy players who didn't quite make it.
29 Jun 2025 22:42:16
Pelican, Darwin nor Jota are no good and held bench while Gakpo had a very good season as well so I don't see your hypothetical here. Also, I mentioned Gakpo and Macca specifically cos that is who people are always mentioning to be sold even tho, there is NO need to offload them, IMO. Diaz is good if he stays and if he wants to go then, Im fine. No diff. to me.
Now even tho I disagree with you that Macca is untouchable, it doesn't mean we should sell him this summer either. Same with Szobo just cos we got Wirtz and that a big offer comes. Again, cos you can do things doesn't mean you should just do them. That is my main point. Also, I am yet to see on this thread anyone mention who would be good enuff to replace them should they go.