Summer transfer thread

[CCTV]

PSG are open to selling as many as 10 players, including Senegalese former Everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye, 31, in order to complete the signing of the Argentina legend

May as well cash in on Mbappe and free up some wages.
Pretty sure LFC could muster 70 mill Mbop4dKop

[Insidious]

Liverpool are eyeing a move for Rennes and Belgium winger Jeremy Doku, 19.

Has talent, but is raw. Rumoured fee would be £38m.

Not sure that represents good value - "value" being the key word, as it doesn't always mean being "cheap" - I half imagine some posters think I'm only interested in the bargain bin

He has something like 8 career goals. Martinez (rumoured £60m fee, Spurs trying) has closer to 80 career goals and is "only" £22m more, plus is at an age and stage of development more akin to Jota, ie he is ready NOW whilst still having room to develop, which is a really good combination. The question (money aside) might be whether or not he would get enough game time, or indeed if he did, would the player he usurps does? If he came in and forced his way into first-choice, we we'd have Firmino on the bench earning £180k per week and that just doesn't seem like a situation we would want to touch.

In a two-per-position scenario (we play with a front three, thus six players required) I think we're more likely to stick to a formula of having 4 top players supplemented by 2 promising prospects, rather than a 5-and-1 scenario.

Anyway - £38m for Doku seems a bit much in a situation where Martinez might be available for £60m.

[CCTV]

Has talent, but is raw. Rumoured fee would be £38m.

Not sure that represents good value - "value" being the key word, as it doesn't always mean being "cheap" - I half imagine some posters think I'm only interested in the bargain bin

He has something like 8 career goals. Martinez (rumoured £60m fee, Spurs trying) has closer to 80 career goals and is "only" £22m more, plus is at an age and stage of development more akin to Jota, ie he is ready NOW whilst still having room to develop, which is a really good combination. The question (money aside) might be whether or not he would get enough game time, or indeed if he did, would the player he usurps does? If he came in and forced his way into first-choice, we we'd have Firmino on the bench earning £180k per week and that just doesn't seem like a situation we would want to touch.

In a two-per-position scenario (we play with a front three, thus six players required) I think we're more likely to stick to a formula of having 4 top players supplemented by 2 promising prospects, rather than a 5-and-1 scenario.

Anyway - £38m for Doku seems a bit much in a situation where Martinez might be available for £60m.

Are you putting Martinez/Jota in as top players or promising prospects? Elliot/Taki as promising players ?

The rumour bs beforehand was we were looking at that (19approved) chukwuzee fella for 35 mill but they wanted 70 mill, iirc he has like 12 senior goals.

It's at the point where we either scoop them up earlier than doku/chuk or we spend a little more on proven talent.

Martinez could be a good fit. But unlikely to see the commercial growth an icon like Mbappe would bring.

If the bs/rumours are true perhaps PSG could be leveraged with their want of Messi. Mbappe would still command a reasonable fee in his last year and would free up wages. €70-90m.
Of course if they are not overly concerned about ffp then they might be willing to see him leave on a pre contract in January and take a run at the CL with Mbappe Messi & Neymar.
Mad to think PSG could have that front3 playing in Ligue1.

More top players should allow us to take the domestic cups more seriously and enforce our chances in the big 2 competitions.

[miller0863]

I like Doku, has all the physical attributes he would need to succeed here, with a year or two of good coaching. You can’t teach pace or dribbling skills, he has both in abundance. But you can coach where and when to make your runs, when to release the final ball and when to beat another man.
I think he’s worth the £38m personally

[LFC-DPG]

I like Doku, has all the physical attributes he would need to succeed here, with a year or two of good coaching. You can’t teach pace or dribbling skills, he has both in abundance. But you can coach where and when to make your runs, when to release the final ball and when to beat another man.
I think he’s worth the £38m personally

Spending next summers transfer budget already?

[teesred]

Doku turned us down a couple of years back. I'm sure I read that it was Lukaku who put him off the move.

[Insidious]

Are you putting Martinez/Jota in as top players or promising prospects?

Jota is capable of plenty of goals. He's banging on the door of our starting XI and thus I view him as a top player.

Martinez has got in-and-around 20 goals per season, 2 seasons in a row, playing nearly 50 matches in both seasons. A "top player" already, with further room. Someone who is fit as often as that and bangs away goals as often as that, whilst still having time to develop even further (like Jota) is definitely worth looking at. £60m is a fair bit of money of course, but "only" £22m more than Doku - and when you consider that we might be able to recoup, let's say, £30m-£35m from Origi+Shaq+Phillips then I think you have to have a close look at it, especially as the front three won't last forever - Firmino arguably looking the most vulnerable long-term.

If your "six" was Firmino/Salah/Mane/Jota/Martinez and another (Taki? Elliott?) that may yet blossom, you'd be laughing. Though I think (given Klopp's love of a consistent starting XI) that having 5 "top" players might be seen as overkill - seems a waste to maybe have someone on £180k or so per week (Firmino) end up sitting out 15 games in a row because someone else forced their way in. Whereas 4 "top" players and 2 "prospects" probably helps you get more from your four, whilst also not creating an impossible obstacle for the "prospect" players on the rotation/injury front.

Take Elliott. He has been used in part as a no.8 during pre-season, possibly in part due to him lacking the raw pace of Mane/Salah. Now if (if!) he is being moulded to be a midfielder rather than a wide forward and we have -

- Fabinho
-Henderson
-Thiago
-Keita
-Ox
-Milner
-Jones

- already on the books, then you probably don't want to bring another midfielder in, despite the loss of Wijnaldum, as it makes the life of Elliott (or indeed Jones) that much harder in terms of breaking into regular starting XI opportunities in the League and Champion's League.

So the balance (leaving money aside) is, as ever, tricky to achieve in terms of developing those who have a genuine chance of becoming seriously good players, without jeopardising your targets for the season. I will always lean towards developing players as much as possible as that's my preference admittedly - I love seeing the journey of a player and I love seeing coaching - what managers like Mourinho and Pep do just feels, if you'll excuse the irony, very "cheap".

[justme]

The difference in transfer policies between us and the likes of Chelsea is mind boggling.They go out and buy an 100 million pound player whos 28 and have no real sell on price when his contract is up. They can simply afford to throw away money..
I dont fully agree with our transfer stance on somethings .But i can agree on not buying players who will be 30 in a year and half and paying out an 100 million for them.

[LEGS]

John Stones reported to now be on £250k a week.

Its laughable really I imagine after Grealish lots of players will be looking for a nice top up.

[miller0863]

Lyon have made an offer for Liverpool and Switzerland forward Xherdan Shaqiri, 29. (L'Equipe - via Get French Football News)