15 May 2024 09:06:04
Good morning Ed002,
If you have some time today I would appreciate your input.
Regarding Diaz, I know you have said we could possibly look to allow him to leave. I would imagine he may be offered around by his agent but if rumours are to be believed he wants Barcelona and they may be interested in him. With that being said Liverpool bought him for 40 odd million and would look for a profit I'm sure so could you see Barcelona being able to spend a significant amount on him? I can't see Liverpool looking to swap for another of their players that are surplus.
Thank you for your time Ed002.
{Ed002's Note - As I have said, Liverpool has an interest in a Barcelona player and could look for a deal involving a payer and some cash.}
15 May 2024 10:38:50
Presumably that player is Raphinha and not Araujo, Roque or Balde.
15 May 2024 10:37:00
Thanks for the response Ed002,
I appreciate your information regarding Raphinha, I just thought it would be a hard deal to do swapping players and something Liverpool general don’t do as a transfer fee is easier to do business with. Assuming that if we don’t swap with them then they couldn’t pay Diaz’s transfer fee?
{Ed002's Note - It is not harder if both players agree. Barcelona could pay his transfer fee - there main issue is wages, but they have a lot of players available this summer.}
15 May 2024 11:07:18
Could the club turn their attention to Vitor Roque who is deemed surplus by Xavi?
{Ed002's Note - No he will moving in the summer, but not to Liverpool.}
15 May 2024 11:38:10
A swap for Raphinha would be trading down imho. He’s certainly an inferior player to Diaz and has flopped hard at Barca, other than a one off relatively good season at Leeds he’s been a fairly mediocre lightweight winger with little in the way of end product or ability, you can lump him in with Antony, Richarlison etc and players of that ilk. I’d personally hope we avoid the annual Barcelona fire sale as they have no players of any tangible quality.
15 May 2024 11:41:04
I'm not a huge fan of Raphinha but he has slightly more end product than Diaz and they're similar ages. It arguably makes sense because we have Gakpo who can play LW but once Salah swans off to Saudi (which is looking very likely with all the wingers we're linked to right now) we don't have a standout option for the right side of attack.
My issue with Raphinha is his goal return isn't much different to Diaz's, however creatively he puts up far more assists. Diaz runs with his head down, whereas Raphinha can pick out a team mate consistently. Gakpo is another who at PSV picked up as many assists as he did goals.
As fans we're probably going to have to get used to our wingers scoring less under Slot. In his Feyenoord team the striker get's most of the goals and we've just not been used to that for a long time. The likes of Coutinho, Sterling, Mane and Salah have been our main goal threats since Suarez left in 2014 and Sturridge's body disintegrated. The flip side to that is, is Nunez the right man to lead the line if we're playing with 10 goal a season wingers who like to put crosses in? Because Jota staying fit seems unlikely.
15 May 2024 10:46:14
Thanks Ed002 ??.
15 May 2024 12:54:28
I thought Ed02 was talking about Thiago’s brother and thought he’d lost his mind, then I realised he meant the ex Leeds player. Makes much more sense now.
15 May 2024 13:07:26
10 goals and 12 assists for Raphinha and 13 goals and 5 assists for Diaz. They're very similar level players and it would be a swap that would suit both parties as they need a LW and we need a RW. I think Diaz has better stamina levels and prefers the LW, but Raphinha is superior creatively and prefers the RW. Neither player is an elite level goal scorer.
15 May 2024 14:52:37
I'd rather just keep Diaz.
15 May 2024 15:42:30
Raphinha isn’t an elite player full stop. He belongs at Spurs. That’s his level.
15 May 2024 16:26:21
I'm not interested in this move unless the club have legit concerns about Salah's form/ health/ age. Otherwise, I don't get it.
{Ed002's Note - He is onle of the options that Fallows, Hunter and Klopp have on their list - not at the top.}
15 May 2024 18:11:18
If I am right (not going to pretend I am a slot expert) don't see how either would fit into Slots system to be honest. He uses more traditional wingers to maintain width whilst his full backs invert and goal threat comes from the starting central players. If this is the case, I don't really see how any of Diaz, Raphinha or Salah fit into the system.
15 May 2024 18:33:18
while I really enjoy Diaz in our team, his final pass or shot is just not good enough, now our new manager might be a better coach than Klopp and staff, so he will want to see all players and see what he can do, or move some players on .
we have got the very best from Mo Salah, Top Class, def, but I think that its best if he moves on, while we can get a big fee .
he was invisible at Villa, along with 3 or 4 other players .