17 Aug 2026 19:09:57
Is Fabrice Hawkins some new Social Media ITK?
Seen a few places mention him and he's supposedly dropped that we've come to an agreement with PSG on Mbaye.
17 Aug 2026 19:20:34
I think it's Stephen's brother.
17 Aug 2026 19:21:54
Extremely reliable for all things French football. And he certainly isn't new.
17 Aug 2026 19:22:50
About as reliable as they come in terms of France news.
17 Aug 2026 19:23:35
He's meant to be quite reliable for PSG specifically.
17 Aug 2026 19:34:25
Stephen's brother. ??
17 Aug 2026 19:41:39
Hawkins reported we have come to an agreement with the player, not PSG.
Liverpool agree contract terms with Ibrahim Mbaye on a 5 year deal, the player doesn't wish to pursue interest from Leverkusen anymore.
17 Aug 2026 19:43:17
He's absolutely top tier for French football.
17 Aug 2026 19:53:56
Yes, reported a deal agreed with player only, PSG not been approached about a deal according to Hawkins, so nothing new really, stand off in what we want to pay and PSG will accept apart from player wants us.
Click bait in my opinion unfortunately.
17 Aug 2026 20:01:32
Hawkins and PSG will inform is the equivalent of Joyce or Ornstein and LFC.
17 Aug 2026 20:05:40
PSG must have been contacted to give permission for Liverpool to approach him to discuss terms, right?
17 Aug 2026 20:10:53
Two PL Clubs bidding for BB, when it reaches £130 million Rayan's release clause will be "TRIGGER"-ed (Dell Boy and Rodney).
17 Aug 2026 20:19:50
If Leverkusen were paying £35m and we have to pay more than now, PSG has to accept the lower fee. Barcola turning down other clubs as well. So either they lower their fees or keep two unhappy players.
17 Aug 2026 20:39:00
Fabrice Hawkins is as top tier and reliable as they come for anything French football related.
17 Aug 2026 20:45:28
He was in the Darkness band, wasn't. I believe in a thing called.
17 Aug 2026 21:57:30
Fabrice Hawkins is basically the French Paul Joyce, a Tier 1 journalist who is 100% reliable.
17 Aug 2026 22:23:39
Liverpool shouldn't overpay, everything is in our favor, worst case, we go again in Jan and get them cheaper, in the meanwhile AI builds the foundations of current squad and we work work with what we have.
17 Aug 2026 23:27:42
Nice thought that, Kaka, but in my eyes it's a big risk. Say we walk away due to the fee now, and we do terrible until Jan, do you think either will want to join us if another team say Arsenal also want them and will happily pay a reduced fee and most likely be sitting top of the league due to no real disruption this year for them.
Or PSG let them go half way through a season, also they will be on winter break and not be match fit either by that or not by playing, which alone will be at a reduced fee.
We then wait a good few weeks for them to get up to speed.
Unsure we benefit in a scenario if we want the players to wait till Jan aside from financially, but too many variables for things to not be in our favor overall.
18 Aug 2026 00:25:31
ChickenEkitikka, Yeah, why would Barcola and Mbaye want to sign for one of the most successful clubs in the EPL (most successful English club in the CL), with incredible history and fans, where they can come pretty much straight into the starting 11 at LW and RW and play exciting, free-flowing football when they could sign for the little angry man who's a control freao and loves boring football while heavily relying on dark arts and set pieces, and have to compete for their positions with Martinelli and Tzolis (who's killing it in preseason) at LW and an established starter (Saka) at RW, right?
?
18 Aug 2026 03:22:09
Gregarious, exactly what I was about to say but you covered it for me. I believe the only Champions League team which has either wings open for a top player to immediately come and make a impact is LFC at this point.
18 Aug 2026 07:02:16
See Guehi and Semenyo if you think there's no risk in waiting.
Not saying we should get ripped off, but sometimes you have to pay now to avoid disappointment later.
18 Aug 2026 07:10:00
It isn't my money, and I have credited Hughes with shaving off a large sum on the Isak and Wirtz deals. Newcastle wanted £150m, we got him for £125m, and Leverkusen wanted around £135m, and we got him for £105m.
However, I would like us to remember the Semenyo and Guehi sagas. Both ended badly because of our "patience" or belief that both wanted us over anyone else.
We cannot be as arrogant to think others won't enter the market for both and outbid us.
Arsenal are desperate for new wingers, and I am led to believe they are interested in both still.
I believe/hope we get both done sooner rather than later, but if we have the funds, let's not try to be too tight and get these over the line and training with us ASAP.
18 Aug 2026 07:34:10
He's not an ITK, he's a proper accredited journalist. Fabrice Hawkins works for RMC Sport, joined them in August 2022 from Radio France, and his beat is PSG, the France national team and the mercato. So on a PSG player he's about as close to source as you get, and he broke our initial interest in Mbaye as well.
Worth flagging one thing though: the agreement isn't with PSG.
Hawkins reported we've agreed personal terms with the player, a five-year deal, and that Mbaye has turned down Leverkusen. Negotiations with PSG over the fee are still to be done, and they're apparently trying to package it with Barcola.
So it's a genuine step forward, just not the step people are reading it as.
18 Aug 2026 07:59:03
I'd rather it takes longer to get the best deal for the club. Hughes is doing his job. We could probably end up getting the two of them for not much more than what PSG originally wanted just for Barcola.
It's ok, just saying 'get it done', but it's tens of millions of pounds we're talking about here. Probably the difference to allow us to sign that top class MF everybody also craves.
18 Aug 2026 09:02:29
We are talking about £150,000,000 for two players, whose value to the club will depreciate to £0 over the term of the contract. I would say all parties concerned will take every precaution to protect such valuable assets and rightly so. We would be up in arms if we made mistakes by rushing into any deals, but for that amount, extra care is required. Patience!!
18 Aug 2026 09:04:21
Sophie B Hawkins? Damn I Wish I Was Your Liver?