Liverpool Fc @ Anfield - Reds Supporters Gatherings

[ThisIsMelwood]

Originally Posted by owen10

Anything can happen within one year

Like a drastic drop in form, long term injury

Why need to wait almost one year for a player ?

Simple because RP Liepzig don't want to sell this summer. They are playing in CL.

Just like Monaco rejected our two bids for Thomas Lemar.

[naemlo]

Originally Posted by owen10

Why need to wait almost one year for a player ?

This was why I questioned the logic by buying an unproven expensive player in advance. Dunno how Liverpool management thinks and ironically the boss agrees to this.

Barca might be very very keen in Coutinho but if he plays like shit this season, Barca manager might change his mind or new manager might not want him.... What if Klopp is sack this season or RB relegates? Is he that good that Liverpool hits the jackpot by signing him b4 Barca, Madrid, Munich or other clubs start to approach him??

Originally Posted by ThisIsMelwood

This is forward planning. Expect Liverpool to have some massive clearance by 2018. Plenty of dead woods around and nothing heard. Many will not even make the bench.
If we don't progress Carabao & FA Cups then many of these players are getting paid but no game.

Also too many star players will not sit down waiting to be sub. Klopp need to manage their expectations.

Forward thinking??? Why dun Barca buys Coutinho in advance?? Refer to my replied on top....

[Anfield2017]

What a joke?

Brazil doctor claims Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho's back injury "caused by stress"

The attacking midfielder is yet to make an appearance for the Reds after handing in a transfer request

Latest news unconfirmed.

Coutinho may be sold to Barcelona for £148m if Liverpool can land the right replacement either Lemar or Sanches. After 5 games playing without him, FSG and Klopp deicded to cash out since he reiterated he has no desire to play for Liverpool again.

Origi also allowed to go on loan.

Stay tune for breaking news before transfer window closes.

[francined69]

SPORT
Naby Keita - Klopp happy to wait as Liverpool make real statement of intent

Reds finally land top target - but he won't feature for the club until next season

COMMENTS
BYJAMES PEARCE
20:34, 28 AUG 2017

Naby Keita will join Liverpool next summer

Jurgen Klopp is convinced that Naby Keita will prove to be worth the wait.

Liverpool’s summer-long pursuit of the Guinea international is over after they secured a club record deal with RB Leipzig.


Keita, who underwent a medical in Wilmslow on Monday morning, has agreed a five-year deal with the Reds which will come into effect on July 1 2018.

Liverpool will pay a premium in excess of the £48million release clause in Keita’s contract which can be triggered next summer. Mohamed Salah's stint as the most expensive signing in the club’s history proved shortlived.

Joy at landing a genuinely top-class talent - a real statement of intent from owners Fenway Sports Group - will be tempered somewhat by the fact that Liverpool won’t have the dynamic midfielder on board until next season.

But in truth it’s the best outcome the Reds could have hoped for after being repeatedly frustrated in their attempts to land Keita during the current window.

Leipzig simply weren’t prepared to lose him this summer - despite the chance to make a huge profit on a player who cost just £15million from Red Bull Salzburg a year ago.

Bids of £57million and £66million from the Reds were rejected with the Bundesliga outfit adamant he wasn’t for sale at any price.

Having qualified for the Champions League for the first time in their history, sporting director Ralf Rangnick had vowed to keep their team intact for another 12 months.

Keita informed Leipzig of his desire to move to Anfield, but they feared that if they allowed him to go then fellow star men like Emil Forsberg and Timo Werner, who had attracted interest from other top clubs, would demand to be treated the same.

Klopp knew before the Premier League campaign kicked off that his top target would remain out of reach this term. But such was the manager's burning desire to get Keita on board that sporting director Michael Edwards was tasked with thrashing out an agreement for 2018.

Leipzig tried to get Keita to commit to a new contract which would have removed the £48million clause which comes into effect next summer. But the player made it crystal clear to Rangnick that he wasn’t prepared to do that.

As a result Leipzig agreed to negotiate and it’s a deal which makes sense for all parties. Leipzig will pocket more than his release clause with reports in Germany suggesting the premium Liverpool have agreed takes the fee up to around £60million.

The Reds have also taken away the danger of being gazumped. The fear was that if Keita enjoyed another stellar season in Germany like 2016/17 he would have had every top club in Europe after him next summer.

The big attraction for Keita is the chance to work with Klopp. A glowing recommendation from Sadio Mane - the pair share the same agent - whetted his appetite about life at Anfield.

Growing up in Conakry, the capital of Guinea, Keita was nicknamed ‘Deco’ after the legendary Portuguese midfielder and he’s become an icon in the West African country.

In 2013 he was snapped up by French outfit FC Istres after being previously turned down by FC Lorient and Le Mans. He got his big break after being spotted playing in a youth tournament organised by former Celtic defender Bobo Balde. A year later he headed to Austria after signing for Salzburg and his career took off.

Klopp believes Keita is the complete midfielder and the perfect fit for his blueprint. The 22-year-old has been likened to N’Golo Kante but he’s much more than a midfield destroyer.

The Liverpool boss sees him playing in an advanced central role where his dynamism and creative spark can flourish. He scored eight goals and contributed eight assists in 31 Bundesliga outings last season.

Klop legend Didi Hamann, who has watched him closely in his role as a German TV pundit, told the ECHO: “Leipzig were the closest challengers to Bayern Munich and he had a huge impact.

“Kante is a holding midfielder who doesn’t really create or score. But Keita can really play. He can play two positions - deeper or more advanced.

“He isn’t shy about putting a shift in. He’s strong in the tackle and he’s got good feet. Going forward, he’s clever with his runs. He’s pretty sharp and uses his body well with a low centre of gravity.

Didi Hamann
“It’s rare that you get a midfielder these days with those kind of all-round talents. People talk about box to box midfielders but it gets harder and harder because the game is too quick now. Few midfielders can affect a game at both ends but he’s one of them.”

News of the Keita deal fuels the feelgood factor in the wake of Liverpool’s 4-0 demolition of Arsenal.

Now the focus turns to securing more immediate reinforcements. The Reds are hoping to land Monaco attacking midfielder Thomas Lemar prior to Thursday’s deadline.

[escobar43535]

Originally Posted by naemlo

Keita signed and joining Liverpool in 2018... Personally, I can't figure out the logic behind this.

The way I see it, after the panic fiasco buys with respect to Andy Carroll, Mario Balotelli, Christian Benteke and apparently missing out on Mahmoud Dahoud after 'waiting' a year for him, FSG and Klopp probably decided that this was the best route to take to secure a player Klopp desperately wants to have in his squad, a valuable key asset for the long term since Naby Keita is only 22 years old.

[escobar43535]

Originally Posted by hotguy2468

That means they are letting Coutinho go since they have Keita coming in.... just my guess

Keita coming in has nothing to do with Coutinho as they play in different positions.

Similar if Coutinho was going to Barca, it would not be to replace Neymar. More like he would be replacing the ageing Iniesta instead.

[naemlo]

Originally Posted by escobar43535

The way I see it, after the panic fiasco buys with respect to Andy Carroll, Mario Balotelli, Christian Benteke and apparently missing out on Mahmoud Dahoud after 'waiting' a year for him, FSG and Klopp probably decided that this was the best route to take to secure a player Klopp desperately wants to have in his squad, a valuable key asset for the long term since Naby Keita is only 22 years old.

I am not sure Klopp will still be in Liverpool for next season if he wins nothing now.

[escobar43535]

Originally Posted by naemlo

This was why I questioned the logic by buying an unproven expensive player in advance. Dunno how Liverpool management thinks and ironically the boss agrees to this.

Barca might be very very keen in Coutinho but if he plays like shit this season, Barca manager might change his mind or new manager might not want him.... What if Klopp is sack this season or RB relegates? Is he that good that Liverpool hits the jackpot by signing him b4 Barca, Madrid, Munich or other clubs start to approach him??



Forward thinking??? Why dun Barca buys Coutinho in advance?? Refer to my replied on top....

Didn't Barca buy Neymar first but let him remain in Brazil before he eventually moved to Spain? Ditto for ManCity and Jesus Gabriel i think?

It seems Klopp really rates Naby Keita very highly and desperately wants him in the Liverpool squad for the long term.

Originally Posted by naemlo

I am not sure Klopp will still be in Liverpool for next season if he wins nothing now.

FSG seem to view Klopp for the long term as well, if not they would not have given him a new six year contract. Looks like they are planning long term so don't think Klopp shall get the sack even if the Reds don't win any trophy this season.

[naemlo]

Originally Posted by escobar43535

Didn't Barca buy Neymar first but let him remain in Brazil before he eventually moved to Spain? Ditto for ManCity and Jesus Gabriel i think?

2 mighty clubs, Madrid and Chelsea wanted to sign him together with Barca. Barca paid an initial about 10 mils and the rest when he moved to Barca.

Gabriel Jesus was signed in Jan 2017.

As for Keita, which club is interested too?

Originally Posted by escobar43535

FSG seem to view Klopp for the long term as well, if not they would not have given him a new six year contract. Looks like they are planning long term so don't think Klopp shall get the sack even if the Reds don't win any trophy this season.

Contract can be given and broken anytime...BR had 2nd contract but was kicked out too. Long term like Arsene Wenger?

Anyway, who bothers about next season when this season comes with no significant trophy again?

[ThisIsMelwood]

Originally Posted by naemlo

Anyway, who bothers about next season when this season comes with no significant trophy again?

True that this season just started. Already so exciting.

[Anfield2017]

News just in!

Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona: Neymar tells Liverpool star to REJECT Barcelona move

NEYMAR has reportedly urged Philippe Coutinho to stay at Liverpool and reject a move to Barcelona.

http://www.express.co.uk/sport/footb...Liverpool-News

[Anfield2017]

Side notice!!

Nice coach Lucien Favre slams Mario Balotelli's 'negative performance'

Nice coach Lucien Favre criticised his star striker Mario Balotelli for putting in a "negative performance" as they crashed out of the Champions League at the playoff round on Tuesday.

Balotelli had little impact on the game and was on the sideline at the start of the second half when Napoli scored their first goal of the night en route to a 2-0 win.

The Italian forward was called over for a jewelry infraction and while in the process of having it covered, his side conceded while down to 10 men.

Balotelli had some words for the officials immediately following the goal, and was eventually replaced in the 77th minute with Nice trailing 3-0 on aggregate.

Favre was reluctant to speak about Balotelli after the game, but told Mediaset Premium: "I don't want to talk about his performance. It was a negative performance and he should've come off a lot earlier."

The coach then reiterated that stance in a news conference, saying: "Mario did not play well and I should've replaced him earlier.

"I call it the way I see it, he wasn't good enough tonight. I don't know what happened on the first goal. I just saw there was something between Balotelli and the officials."

[naemlo]

Originally Posted by Anfield2017

Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona: Neymar tells Liverpool star to REJECT Barcelona move

Boring news, just sell him.... The more interesting news is Liverpool submitted 3rd bid, cash plus Origi for Lemar.

[Anfield2017]

Originally Posted by Anfield2017

Liverpool fail with two bids for Monaco's Thomas Lemar

By Sky Sports News
Last Updated: 28/08/17 10:50pm

Sky Sports News understands the latest offer made by Liverpool was around £64.8m, having previously submitted an offer worth £55.5m.

It is also understood Monaco want Lemar to stay at the club beyond this summer's transfer window.

Latest news!!

Liverpool latest bid £75m for Thomas Lemar and may use Origi to loan Monaco.

[Lamborghini]

Originally Posted by naemlo

Who is the Captain since Henderson is the back up to Coutinho ?