4 Jun 2015

Transfer Insult: Angry £12m 'warrior' threatens to quit Liverpool; confirms 'interest' from 'other clubs'

In May, the agent of Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel revealed that the Reds had offered the Slovakian defender a new 'three year deal', and confirmed that he was 'assessing the situation'. Well, the assessment period is apparently over as £12m Skrtel has rejected the new deal, and accused the club of lowball tactics.

When asked this week about the status of his new contract, Skrtel barked:

"The contract is unacceptable, so I did not sign it. Contracts like this offered to players who are much older, or who had fitness problems"

Skrtel then issues a veiled threat to quit the club:

"I have one year left and there has been interest from other clubs, so we will see what happens."

Liverpool are well known for incessant lowball tactics during transfer negotiations, but it appears that strategy is now being used on experienced, established players, too, which is an insult to Skrtel.

The Slovakian has displayed complete loyalty to Liverpool over the last seven years, and unlike some, when asked about transfer rumours, he has always been emphatic about his allegiance to the club.

For example, when asked in April about an alleged offer from Wolfsburg, he told reporters:

"I am not leaving anywhere. Not to Wolfsburg nor to Naples.”

With Gerrard gone, Skrtel is now the club's most experienced first-team regular, and it's arguably unwise to allow more of the club's senior players to leave this summer.

I doubt Skrtel is being greedy, here. Based on his comments, the implication is that Liverpool's seemingly derisory offer is not commensurate with his experience, seniority, and performance, and if that's the case, then his ire is understandable.



Like last season, Skrtel - hailed this season as a 'warrior' by Rodgers - is Liverpool's most consistent defender, and is far more deserving of a new contract than, say, Raheem Sterling.

Yes, he makes the odd mistake, but so does every defender. The majority of the time, though, Skrtel is solid as a rock, which is impressive considering his defensive partners are constantly changing.

If Skrtel leaves this summer, Liverpool face the terrifying prospect of a Lovren/Sakho partnership *shudder*

The less said about that, the better.

Can Liverpool do better than Skrtel? Probably, but that will entail spending another £20m+ on a top-class central defender, and after splurging close to £60m on defenders over the last two years, that doesn't seem financially prudent.

Author: Jaimie K


53 comments:

  1. There are guys at the club being paid just to screw up negotiations... Where is the accountability? In what other job can you mess up things on such a regular basis and nothing happen to you..

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  2. feck. I hope he signs some sort of contract! we need stability through the spine of the team.. Skrtel and Henderson are the only names guaranteed on the sheet in that spine. Bring in I assume, Milner / Can next to Henderson, and Origi up front, its a whole new team again if Skrtel leaves..

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  3. Maybe Blatter is actually the head of our Transfer Commitee :)

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  4. Pieter Engelbrecht8:21 pm, June 04, 2015

    so agree with you

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  5. Jaimie, you say that Illori is not good enough for LFC but do you actually think that he could do any worse than Lovren has.. If Skrtel leaves and Sakho being as injury prone as it is, Illori could become crucial.

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  6. Where is Illori? Ive only seen im in the bootroom photoshoot when he signed...

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  7. No wonder we're so slow!

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  8. Imagine being Skrtel. Or Henderson and Cou. They offer you a 90 or 100k deal and the James Friggin Milner signs for 150k a week. You know what, I no longer just want Rodgers gone. FSG can f off too! This is not MLB. They cant pull off here what they pulled off with the Sox.

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  9. When our transfer team heard the Frigman was available, it was only then that they became competent but only for once in a generation talents like Frigman. The moment he signed, back to lowball tactics.

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  10. Bordeaux on loan.

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  11. Brendan Bodgers8:38 pm, June 04, 2015

    Can we do anything right ?

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  12. Is he playing much? At all?

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  13. Been injured a bit, played a fair few games too, great pace and technical ability and 6ft 3" tall.......................could be very decent.

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  14. Apart from the fact he can't defend

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  15. I don't think players begrudged Suarez and Gerrard big wages because they ha won games single handed ......trust me milner is in no way shape or form in this bracket and if everyone is fit may struggle to even start ....150g for a sub

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  16. In regards transfers no......we either pay to much or offer to little its bizarre how incompetent Liverpool have been since the days of Barnes and Aldridge when it comes to transfers .....dark days ahead

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  17. lord•¥CloudMir9:16 pm, June 04, 2015

    I'm a big fan of skrtel, but the way he handled it was also unacceptable. You expect an experience player like him to not do aidy ward

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  18. It shows how far we have slipped when skirtal is head and shoulders your best defender ......

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  19. What is wrong with the club? Honestly. First we offer Sterling 150K, then we try to lowball Henderson with a poor offer....

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  20. Is it just me but if everyone is fit I can't see where Milne's goes in a 433......lm assuming we ditch343 after the stoke and palace trouncings

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  21. FSG needs out. As much as I don't think BR is fit to run the club, these monkeys somehow managed to let him stay while we live off of signings like Milner, whom is now the highest paid player here. Yes, a player who hasn't even made his debut yet.


    I expect nothing but another season of mediocrity here. With Gerrard and Sterling leaving (Yes, having Sterling leave is actually not good for us), it's only expected players like Coutinho and Sturridge will follow, until we are left with nothing more than a bunch of Englishmen out of position.

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  22. Sterling will be forced to stay - just been officially informed - going to make an example of him - his carreer is knackered

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  23. Who informed you?

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  24. Why don't the club ask the player what he is looking for within reason? Too high, send him on his way. Skrtel is a great defender and that partnership with Agger was incredible, but in the last few games I think he is showing signs that his best years are behind him now. Very loyal player and always loved to watch him put his head where it hurts.

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  25. 2 more years skrtl.sterlings staying

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  26. The reports are LFC wanted to put in an appearance clause into his contract and that was the bit he wasn't happy with.


    Also just seen that the Baggies are looking to secure Gignac, I've been arguing for him with my friends he's a solid striker 15-20 goals a season man has CL and International experience and like Suarez (though he's obviously not the same quality) he harries from the front. Surely if they can lure him in we can too. Marseille can't afford to pay his wages due to a tax law change but we can definitely match what the Baggies offer.

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  27. He has been offered a new contract for what is probably a huge sum by normal standards shouldn't he just sign it or does that only apply to Sterling?

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  28. £12m Skrtel? wtf

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  29. Just the latest casualty in the purge of the experienced, high-wage players that Rodgers didn't sign.

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  30. This is the beginning of what i said i my last post.....!!!! FSG will only change Tactics and sack Rodgers when they meet empty stands at Anfield or when fans denounce Rodgers and everything relating to Liverpool's Transfer tactics and transfer committee by booing Liverpool during matches...I know the passion for Liverpool fans is high..but why i love them?...they wont hesitate to vent their anger when they see stupid atrocities committed in Anfield.


    Now to the Skertel Issue...It is a systematic exit of all the players that gave us the best memories at Anfield,and Rodgers is following that script to the latter. How in God's name will Skertel's contract negotiations be a subject in public domain. A robust and consistent player who gives his all during games!! A right Candidate for Captain,the most experienced player in the current Liverpool squad! Its so sad!!!


    This said..this is what i think is happening in Liverpool....We need to sack the transfer committee and those 'outdated legends' should know that Football has changed!!!! They allowed Gerrad go,when even the Milner that is being bought as replacement can't even tie Gerrad's boot laces!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It hurts!!!


    Brendan Rodgers is using Liverpool as an experimenting Ground for bringing in outdated and inexperienced players. and FSG don't know anything about football as a game. they are looking at balancing the books,forgetting that winning trophies gets you better endorsements and loads of cash!!! ASK Chelsea/Madrid/Barcelona/Arsenal etc!!!


    *******How do you win trophies!!!!! Get a World class Coach,who in-turn will get you world class players ,who in turn will guarantee you Champions league football on a regular basis!!!! Which will definitely bring in the much sort after Money!!!!!!******


    Finally expect the following ...Couthinho WILL BE LEAVING SOON ...JUST WATCH!!! Then we will be looking at replacing him with another sad tale for a player....GOD help Us!!!

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  31. That was kind of my point...

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  32. Have you taken your anxiety pill?

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  33. People are now commodities

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  34. I couldn't agree more

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  35. I have ...got tons to share...Need some??

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  36. What ever @Ichiban has mentioned makes complete sense and I seriously don't think if it was hilarious.
    Sanity pill ? I guess a lot of people need it(if there is any)

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  37. None required but thanks ;-)

    I tend to meet with triumph, and disaster and treat those two imposters just the same, as the non cake-making Mr Kipling once espoused

    Not sure some of your predictions will happen

    But I feel your pain.

    Fret not- should BR not arrest and reverse the decline we saw last season pretty much from the off, then I confidently expect a change of stewardship by Jan

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  38. Say what you want about Blatter but he gets things done. He was blatantly corrupt for nearly two decades before anyone had the gumption to impede him.

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  39. 4eva LFC, LFC 4eva1:28 am, June 05, 2015

    Here we go again we are going to pay Milner 29 years old 150k a week and then shit all over a player who has bled for us given it all when on the pitch. Players like Torres, Alonso, Masherano and Suarez were all right to leave and i hope that Martin go's as well and before any of you so called fans say why just ask yourself if you gave everything for our club and then they slapped you in the face would you stay.
    Good on Skrtel hope you get what you want.

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  40. IF Skrtel dont like it how evetr how much it is he can leave he is certainly not irreplaceable by any means.

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  41. Great but that means we need him AND Martin not WITHOUT

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  42. Couldn't agree with you more.

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  43. 4eva LFC, LFC 4eva2:27 pm, June 05, 2015

    Couldn't agree more, they are basically saying that Milner is better than anyone we currently have on our list. This is a disgrace I could understand if they brought in Vidal, Pirlo, Yaya or even kept SG god knows even he scores more than Milner.

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  44. Milner was earning 165k at MAnchester City. How exactly are we supposed to attract him with no CL football to offer and better clubs such as Arsenal willing to sign him too?

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  45. By offering him 150k a week and our other important players as well. Or at least something similar. We're fine with a manager who wastes 200 million in 3 years on transfer fees but not with players earning a competitive wage? Bit odd no?

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  46. Don't fret we'll get Williams for 20 m & give him 90k PW wages

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  47. I was agreeing with you eric

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  48. whats going on with the RED contract deal.....they willing to pay big money for RS but give the most important player last season unacceptable offer.......who handle this contract offer in this club actually?? weird...

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