Agree .. don't care about the fee. As for it being offset by whatever Coutinho brings back .. well, I don't think they are intrinsically linked. I'm still not convinced 'Pool will sell him .. even in the summer. On current form he's a top 10 world class player .. basically impossible to replace. Not at all sure Barca could even afford the fee he will command. (They are rumoured to be acquiring Griezeman - not to mention the delightful anticipation of a transfer ban - initiated by Atletico over tampering with Griezeman)Not too concerned with fees at this point considering they’re sure to exceed that with what Coutinho will bring back, and the bargain that is Salah.
Edit: what he said
My guess is that they already have an agreement with Coutinho to let him leave next summer plus a good sense of his market.Where exactly are Liverpool getting the money for fees at this level? The VVD signing brings their net spend in the FSG era to ~370m gbp, with about 180m in the last two windows (including the Keita deal). FSG don't have Man U/Barca/Madrid/Bayern-level revenues, and they don't have petrodollars. LFC reported a 20m gbp loss for the year ending 31/5/16, and that was in a year with a net spend of 40m, not 180m.
Sadly this is probably the case. If he was worth 100m last year to Barca then it has to be up to 130-140m next window. And that would pay for both VVD plus Lemar - who I think they view as Coutinho's eventual replacement.My guess is that they already have an agreement with Coutinho to let him leave next summer plus a good sense of his market.
Their transfer business in 16/17 was basically break-even (they made a 5m profit). Expanding Anfield would seem to weigh against transfer fee investment, not in favor -- it's an additional capital expenditure that sucks up cashflow.Beats me. Although I believe their net spend was actually positive last year.
Couple of points .. Klopp seems to have "his guys" .. and he doesn't seem to care what it costs to get them. Keita would seem to fall into that category .. and maybe even Oxlade-Chamberlain. Not to mention showing incredible loyalty in the face of what would seem to be glaring weaknesses .. Lovren being exhibit A.
Secondly, it wasn't just VVD and Keita .. they wanted to sign Thomas Lemar last window .. and that was going to be in the 90m plus area.
As to where the money is coming from, I guess the Premier League windfall plus champions league profits - and the expanded Anfield - have embolden FSG. They clearly have bought into "In Klopp We Trust"
Expanded Anfield vs. Expanding Anfield .. I was referring to the expanded main stand opened last year. There have been rumblings aboutTheir transfer business in 16/17 was basically break-even (they made a 5m profit). Expanding Anfield would seem to weigh against transfer fee investment, not in favor -- it's an additional capital expenditure that sucks up cashflow.
Could be that their plan is to sell Coutinho for huge money, but can they really get 100m+ for him? Barca already spent a lot of the Neymar money on Dembele. Who else will they be bidding against that will push the fee to that level?
Can any of them play keeper?Rumors that in January and continuing in the summer Liverpool will go after Goretzka, Lemar, and Milinkovic-Savic.
Goretzka from Schalke would be on a free. I'm sure the other two would cost a pretty penny. Milinkovic-Savic is someone I really hope doesn't go there. He's been Serie A's best midfielder (next to Nainggolan) and would vastly improve any midfield he went to.
It would be a massive January to pick up VVD and even one more of those guys, but I’m skeptical.Rumors that in January and continuing in the summer Liverpool will go after Goretzka, Lemar, and Milinkovic-Savic.
West Ham willing to offer £3.72 for Wilshere I hear, maybe able to talk them into adding a packet of Walkers Cheese and Onion.Southampton getting 75m for VVD means Arsenal aren’t going to do a damn thing, except sell.
That'll never get it done, every one knows Cheese and Onion is the weakest flavour on the Walker's roster. If they could dig deep and find some Salt 'N Lineker they might get it done but it's gonna take a least a box and they'd need to be edible, which is a concern, if you're an Irons fan.West Ham willing to offer £3.72 for Wilshere I hear, maybe able to talk them into adding a packet of Walkers Cheese and Onion.
Today's over pay is tomorrow's market value. And I'm trying to think of a time when a generally considered to be top five in the league defender was playing for a mid table club. Rio had to move to Leeds before he got the big transfer, and the big rep, but if you saw him at West Ham, he had it.Its definitely an overpay, but it doesn't matter right now. Unless you're going for an unknown name, a club with money is almost always going to have to pay more.
VVD is a solid defender, he's the best available right now and he's premier league proven. I don't think he's a top 5 defender in the league but he's certainly better than anything Liverpool has at the moment and will improve them. Barca are going to overpay for Coutinho, United overpaid for Lukaku, etc... When everyone overpays no one overpays. Make sense?
He's sure put himself in the shop window the last few weeks. If he went to Utd, would it make Pogba's job easier, to do more damage in the final third, where I, and many punditos think he's most effective?I’m surprised there isn’t any chatter about Mahrez to United. We’re desperately needing some creativity from the right and with Mkhitaryan playing terrribly I thought Jose, who normally is active in January, would go for him.
I mean the other way round dude. If you take Scholes' recent comments about Pogba he was saying Pogba needs to be in the final third doing his thing, not spraying ball from a deeper position.I mean I think a player of his quality would benefit the whole starting eleven, but yeah Pogba is our best player and Mahrez can finish so he’d benefit from Pogba’s creativity.
Adam Dunn?the most hilarious rumor yet:
https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/5269281/chelsea-andy-carroll-antonio-conte-west-ham/
The Big Donkey to Chelsea. PLEASE YES!
Andy Carroll is a lot like Adam Dunn, except if Dunn didn't walk, just 40 HRs and 200 Ks ever yearAdam Dunn?
there's also a rumor of him to West Ham, which some fans like because he's an East London boy and Hollywood through balls.There was a brief rumor of Jonjo Shelvey to Everton, at which point I would have wept in despair.
Who’s definition of 142 bps are we using here? Wasn’t one of the pre-season hang ups that Barca’s big offer wasn’t a real one with incentives, etc?As close to an official source as you'll get - Coutinho to Barcelona for £142m
FSG risk a fanbase revolt if they don't have a Lemar level replacement lined up... I don't think Lanzini cuts it