10 Apr 2025 08:24:03
If virgil and salah are signing, they must be happy with the project going forwards and the potential summer targets.
Surly signing to continue winning ways over the next 2 years.
I think we're looking at 4, nunez and diaz to leave, 50/ 50 on konate and elliot.
10 Apr 2025 08:32:45
I don't think Elliott will leave. I think he'll do everything he can to stay even if he has to dig his heels in a refuse a move. He loves the club so much and backs his own ability. I think he's a good impact sub to have and he helps with the HG quota from next season.
10 Apr 2025 09:12:27
Trent goes and Robbo is sold and we may have zero British players in the first 11.
10 Apr 2025 09:40:08
Or their families are settled and we have agreed to pay them 300k a week and big signing on fee. Could be nothing to do with the project they have or haven’t been sold.
10 Apr 2025 09:48:55
Its a shame we don't have many UK players in there, I like to see us develop players to make it to the England squad.
Any u21's you see stepping up next year Ed001? Maybe Mcconnell? or you think he'll get a loan.
{Ed001's Note - I think McConnell could make it but I expect him to go on loan. The rest need time still.}
10 Apr 2025 10:07:26
In fairness Brummy Salah in particular has probably turned down insane money, probably something like £2m a weekto stay here.
10 Apr 2025 10:10:18
Minor point, but "UK" or "British" players don't help our HG quota - for example, Robbo is not HG as he spent his early career in Scotland not England.
Interestingly, players like Bellingham, Sancho and Gittens also do not qualify as HG despite the fact they are English as they didn't spend 3 years between the ages of 16-21 at a club in the English leagues.
Currently we have Jaros, Kelleher, Gomez, Trent, Jones and Morton as HG players, hence our squad is 23.
Next season, Quansah, Bradley and Elliot will all also qualify as HG as they will no longer count as U21. I could also see Beck added to the first team squad and he would also count as HG. A shame that Bajcetic isn't able to 'grow up' (if reports are to be believed) as he would also count as HG and could be a useful option in midfield. McConnell, who Ed001 mentioned above, is still U21 for one more season.
As another postedr pointed out a day or two ago, Slot doesn't seem to use his whole squad - albeit that may be as the vast majority of players were here when he joined - so having fewer HG players and therefore a smaller squad may not be that bad.
10 Apr 2025 10:46:52
Can forgive Slot for not rotating his squad this season. But I think he would know by now that this league is extremely challenging and he would need to cleverly rotate his squad.
Leaders likè Alli, Vvd, Salah and Robbo won't be sold.
So expecting quality to come in.
10 Apr 2025 10:56:31
Also, we can have as many U21 players in the squad as we want, so if we buy any U21 players this summer, they can be added to the squad regardless of nationality. They will eventually end up taking up a non-HG berth, but that's another season's problem!
Hato and Gittens have been linked recently. Neither would end up being HG but Gittens has 1 season as an U21 to go, Hato has 3.
10 Apr 2025 11:14:21
We need to step up our academy production. Arsenal have had Saka, Nwaneri, Lewis Skelly and even made great money on smith rowe, nketiah to name a few . We haven’t had anyone since Trent how many years ago. Could argue Bradley but pretty sure we brought him in.
10 Apr 2025 12:26:24
Brummy, our academy has produced Jones, Morton and Quansah since Trent came through. Jones is definitely a first team regular, Quansah is competing to start, but sadly Morton is nothing more than a squad player. But they've all been with us from 6-8 years old.
Bradley, Elliott and Kelleher are regular first team players, but were all signed around 15 years old. Debateable if that still counts as an academy graduate. Kelleher is almost certain to leave.
Nallo, Nyoni, McConnell, Ngumoha, Doak, Beck and Bajcetic were all bought around 12-16 years old so we probably can't count them either to be fair if any of them do make the breakthrough. I'm expecting Doak, Beck and Bajcetic to be sold to be honest. The rest will probably get loans or Carabao cup games.
The next crop of youngsters who have actually come right through the academy from 6-8 years old are Danns, Koumas and Chambers. I actually think Koumas is the most likely to make it at Liverpool of these 3 despite being the least hyped purely because his body seems more up to it. He's played 2800 minutes this season for Stoke and has 6 goals and 3 assists. Danns and Chambers can't even stay fit which is a worry. Chambers has played 1000 minutes across 12 games for Wigan and then missed the whole season virtually with a back injury. Danns meanwhile hasn't made a single appearance since joining Sunderland in January.
10 Apr 2025 12:29:29
I don't understand the general obsession with Diaz leaving: proven international player in relatively low wages (room for a not too much improved salary) who plays with a chip on his shoulder, and more importantly the only guy who can break defenders 1on1 / off the dribble in the squad.
10 Apr 2025 13:33:48
The issue seems to be that he is, through his Dad, flirting with other sides where he would prefer to ply his trade - Real Madrid and especially Barca.
He would definitely be in the mix with Konate as deserving a significant uplift on his wages (he's on £55k and Konate on around £75-£80k which puts them further down the pecking order than other first team players), other than the fact that he seems to want to leave.
If he wants to leave then why would the club commit to spending more per week on him rather than looking for a move? He still has 2 years left on his contract so I would see this window as being key.
If he does want to go to Barcelona (who are very tight for cash! ) I have seen some tabloid reports mooting a 'swap' deal (of sorts) . Not an actual player swap but buying/ selling players for a similar or the same amount. A couple of options at Barcelona would be Aruajo or even De Jong (yes, he's paid loads, so if he's not prepared to lower his demands, we won't go for him! ) .
Another very tantalising story is has been hinted at a couple of times that Yamal wants more opportunity! Wouldn't that be a recruit?! Obvs he would command more than Diaz.
10 Apr 2025 13:44:47
Sorry, the Yamal issue is not due to his opportunities, but due to Barca's financial issues. Like I said, a miniscule chance, but you can dream!
10 Apr 2025 14:07:53
Thanks Zed, forgot about the HG rules!
Back when I had more time I used to catch all the u21/ u18 games, but after getting excited over players like Sinclair, morgan, ibe etc it got a bit old!
10 Apr 2025 15:08:06
Dean, or my favourite academy prospect (who came to nothing but at least he scored a screamer against Arsenal IIRC) was the one and only Neil Mellor!
Breaking all of God's records for fun in the age groups, but wasn't quite there at first team level.
{Ed001's Note - his attitude was not that great with Mellor. Remember him being the one going whoring with Rooney, when Rooney famously banged the geriatric hooker. Mellor was there bragging about how many goals he scored for the reserves. He thought he was already a star.}
10 Apr 2025 15:33:43
Didn't know that Ed001, that's a shame. He seemed to have it all when coming up through the ranks - wasn't that quick but had the build of a Shearer. Really had high hopes, but if the six inches between the ears are missing, then you're up against it!
{Ed001's Note - I know, it's the lack of that which has led to me ending up doing this rather than being able to get a proper job!}
10 Apr 2025 15:51:45
Same with Rooney, Ed001, albeit he was also missing 6 inches elsewhere too which was why he was chasing grannies!
10 Apr 2025 16:10:45
Not a bad shout with Aruajo. I had heard some rumours from Barcelona that he is Anfield bound in the summer.
11 Apr 2025 01:29:32
I think the rumour was he was going to swap clubs with Diaz.