04 Aug 2025 01:26:33
I think the Isak deal is dead in the water personally. I think he'll sign a new deal with a release clause and we'll wait like we did with Van Dijk.
If that is the case, seems likely Nunez stays as back up to Ekitike for now, seeing as nobody Nunez wants to sign for can get near our asking price.
I still think Doak, Chiesa, Morton and Elliott will be sold and hopefully that more than funds a move for a new young CB, such as Ait Boudlal, Cresswell etc. Stephenson will probably go out on loan. I'm very confident Konate will sign a new contract so a young CB works for me.
I'm hoping/ expecting our 25 man squad looks something like this in a 4-2-3-1:
CF - Ekitike, Nunez
RW - Salah, Frimpong
AM - Wirtz, Nyoni
LW - Gakpo, Rio
CM - Macca, Szoboszlai
CM - Grav, Jones, Endo
RB - Bradley, {Frimpong}
CB - Konate, Gomez
CB - Virgil, *NEW*
LB - Kerkez, Robbo, Tsimikas
GK - Alisson, Mama, Pecsi, Woodman
Some of them are so young they don't technically have to be registered in the 25, but Slot likes a smaller group by all accounts.
The only real gap in the squad right now is Quansah wasn't replaced at CB. Unless Nunez leaves there's no point pursuing an alternative to Isak. It's better to wait until next summer if he is the man we've identified as the long term solution.
04 Aug 2025 02:12:43
Whether Isak arrives or not, I would focus on two CB with one of them that could play as a RB.
04 Aug 2025 02:41:34
Maybe next summer other clubs decide they want Isak and he decides to choose one of those?
04 Aug 2025 03:00:14
Or maybe this year Isak has a stinker and no one wants to buy him, same as Nunez.
04 Aug 2025 03:10:57
I think things will move very quickly this week, we'll soon be seeing him in that new Liverpool kit.
04 Aug 2025 04:15:55
I like Rio in the squad but don't like him as the back-up. One or two injuries to our senior forwards then we're relying on a child. He may step-up of course, but I think it's a big responsibility and he should have no pressure.
04 Aug 2025 05:53:13
Isak will come. I don't really see any reason why he won't end up here, he doesn't look like he wants to play for Newcastle again.
04 Aug 2025 06:55:42
With six left backs and Nunez in his fourth season, we are well stocked. We just need a CB or two, preferably one who can play left back if all six of them end up trapped in a cave by a rabid Shergar.
04 Aug 2025 07:43:38
With Jota sadly passing, Diaz leaving, Chiesa and Nunez potentially leaving along with Doak and Elliot. Ekitike alone would be crazy. Isak has to arrive with those all those potentially outgoing and I’d go one further and say a Fofana or Rodrygo should arrive too.
04 Aug 2025 08:32:27
I agree with you, Frode. As it stands we can't afford to let Nunez go (and I want shot of him), till we get someone in. Hopefully that someone is Isak.
04 Aug 2025 08:56:04
I'd give Rio the chance to be no.25 in the squad knowing that Gakpo, Ekitike, Jones and Szoboszlai are all senior options capable of playing LW. Though I do understand peoples concerns, Yamal probably wouldn't be where he is right now if Barcelona had kept him as a 7th or 8th choice forward option. If you are good enough, you are old enough.
For me Ekitike replaces Diaz as the first choice CF and Rio replaces Jota as the impact sub. Frimpong replaces Chiesa as cover for Salah, which is fine as it's rarely ever needed because we know he'll play every game in the PL and CL again.
If Nunez goes, we definitely need another CF. I just can't see him going. I hope I'm wrong and we replace him with Isak. Just got a gut feeling Nunez doesn't want to go to Saudi, and Newcastle won't budge on selling Isak. I'll keep my fingers crossed.
But yeah, if the options to cover Gakpo are Rio at 17 years old or Fofana at 19 years old for damn near £50m, then I'll take Rio please.
04 Aug 2025 08:59:22
Why is the Isak deal dead, MK? Or are you having a moment?
It looks pretty inevitable from where I sit.
04 Aug 2025 09:33:32
FPF, I just don't see it happening now this summer. I always saw it as a bonus anyway. I'm absolutely delighted with our business. Mamardashvili, Pesci, Woodman, Kerkez, Frimpong, Wirtz and Ekitike is great business already. I just want a Quansah replacement now.
I'm not with the majority who are only considering Frimpong as a RB by the way. I think he's been brought to cover Salah at RW as well. I see Bradley as first choice RB with cover coming from Frimpong, Gomez, Endo and Jones. So I believe with the Ekitike and Frimpong signings coupled with the emergence of Ngumoha, that replacing Nunez with Isak is a nice to have rather than a desperate need.
04 Aug 2025 09:34:36
I agree Fly. Isak is in the process of dowsing his Newcastle bridges with petrol and he’s standing there holding his Rotty with a Zippo in his hand.
I can’t see why Newcastle would want to keep him now. It would be really poor business if they did.
I can’t see any other scenario other than Isak in a Liverpool shirt by the end of the transfer window.
04 Aug 2025 10:02:42
Hold your nerve, MK. Second and third bids incoming this week.
I still see Isak, Guehi, young CB and Fofana coming in before the window closes.
I still think we're short of a defensive midfielder, but am happy for Endo to get more minutes if Arne is happy with him. I don't want to see Gravy's legs gone by January again.
If we do end up going to Rennes for Ait Boudlal as the young CB, I would also see if there's a double deal possible for their young DM, Djaoui Cisse. We could leave him there on loan for another season. He looks like he's got everything!
04 Aug 2025 10:07:08
Fofana would be less than 50m by all accounts. I would buy him for the next two years while Rio develops physically and matures in his decision-making. there's no need to stack pressure on him aged 16 when he could pick up a few cup games and sub appearances. If Gakpo gets a serious injury, we risk weakening the team by playing midfielders away from their strongest positions (Wirtz, Szob, Jones) or betting the house on a kid who may or may not have the maturity of development just yet.
04 Aug 2025 13:52:51
And if Isak does not come, we will move on.
04 Aug 2025 14:26:09
Adam, I'm with you in having Rio around the squad and getting minutes. Interestingly, I thought he would be in List B but as he's only been with us 1 year, he has to form part of the 25 - I wonder if he takes up a non-HG space as he hasn't spent enough years between the ages of 16-21 playing the English league?
I agree that we have had an awesome window as it is, but I can see Guehi, an U21 CB, Fofana (due to Morton deal, there has to be something else linked to Lyon paying £15m for him) and Isak coming in.
I don't think Fofana will stand in Rio's way. The club and Slot seem to rate Rio so highly that I have no doubt he will get chances regardless. However, we can't rely on him being first alternate to Gakpo so I do see someone else coming in.
Although you could argue that both Wirtz and Ekitike can both cover CF and LW and I guess Kerkez could play there too if required, with Robbo behind him.