28 Dec 2012

'We're in negotiations' - 'Great' Argentina striker responds to LFC rumours. Relief?

With the transfer window just around the corner, Liverpool are currently being linked with a move for Wigan striker Franco Di Santo, who is free to sign a pre-contract agreement with another club on January 1st 2013. It's an understatement to suggest that Reds fans are significantly underwhelmed by the prospect of signing the Argentinean, but according to the man himself, there's no chance of the moving happening.

Over the last couple of days, several reputable sources - including Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo - have linked Liverpool with a move for Di Santo, who worked with Reds boss Brendan Rodgers during his time at Chelsea.

Responding to the speculation earlier tonight, the 23-year old tweeted:

"I'm a Wigan player and I have contract until June. We are in negotiations and I don't have [any] idea about what the newspaper said."

Thanks god for that. Liverpool fans can now breathe a huge collective sigh of relief (!)

Having said that, DiSanto's response is precisely the kind of thing you'd expect him to say in public, so we're not out of the woods yet. After all, who knows what's going on behind the scenes?

I personally don't rate DiSanto (who has a goal record of one every eight games), but according to Wigan manager Roberto Martinez, he's a 'phenomenal' player. He told Sky Sports recently:

"He is a striker with a tremendous touch, great finishing and energy and I think he can be outstanding in every aspect as a centre-forward. He is doing his duties defensively, in the counter-attack there is outstanding link-up play with his partner, and then he is as composed as you can be in the box.".

Liverpool legend Dietmar Hamann is also a fan. Speaking to LFC TV after Wigan beat Liverpool in April, the Kaiser specifically highlighted DeSanto, and enthused:

"DeSanto is a hell of a player. He gave Liverpool a hard time all afternoon playing up on his own. He's certainly a player I would love to see in a red shirt next year".

DiSanto recently received a call-up to the Argentina national team, and after hearing the news, he was understandably ecstatic:

"It’s incredible, I’m so happy and proud to be selected to represent my country. There are many world class players right through the squad and of course it is a national team with a great history so to be given the chance to show the national team manager what I can do is a big honour for me and for my family".

Clearly, DiSanto has great potential, but Liverpool desperately need the finished article right now. Admittedly, chance would be a fine thing - the idea of buying a proven goalscorer seems totally foreign to Rodgers and FSG.

Jaimie Kanwar


71 comments:

  1. It would be better for Yesil and Morgan to get a shot at the first team rather than waste wages on Di Santo.

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  2. Jaimie, the other day you wrote an article listing a number of Rodger's failings (e.g. poor transfer business), a list which I was totally in agreement with, however, you stated that you still felt he was the right man for the job and many are in agreement with you. Whilst I'm not advocating him being sacked, the only positive contribution I feel he has made to Liverpool thus far is the introduction of the youngsters, which was likely to happen at some point whoever was in charge, and was actually a crisis of his own making. The departures of so many senior players has left the squad thread-bare. There are many things which will contribute to his ultimate success or failure, but one of the biggest things is going to be the quality of player that he is able to bring in.

    I am unclear as to why he could not use the £30M he was given in the summer to aquire at least one world-class player, then use the upcoming transfer window to acquire another world-class player. Sounds daft, yes, and it would take a while to acquire a team of world-class players (a top team really only needs 5 or 6 to challenge for titles), but it's a damn sight better than filling our ranks with numerous average players, which are not good enough to be starters (Assaidi, Sahin). If the problem is that he cannot persuade these world-class players to come to Anfield (which I think is half the problem), than it just illustrates what I was saying all along - that he is the wrong man for the job. Three major things attract players to a club: money, trophies and the manager/players (history is a very distant 4th). Liverpool can't best the competition in these areas any more.

    Throughout most leagues in the world, whilst having the best players doesn't guarantee you success, without world-class players, you barely stand a chance.

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  3. Praise the lord if its true he,s staying at wigan, no more "prospects" please!

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  4. Get a life Jamie. Such a load of bull#hit. All you do is read other posts and try to find an angle. Saddo!!

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  5. I think Sturridge and Ince are better options than Di Santo.

    I do have 2 concerns about Sturridge - I feel his attitude may be questionable and also his decision making on the pitch leaves a little to be desired. Technically, I think he is a pretty good player and he seems to have shown signs of being a decent finisher in the past. Although Ince is pretty raw in terms of first team experience, it is hard to argue with his return this season (albeit in the Championship).

    Generally, I think I would be pleased with these 2. I agree with BR in saying that the more extensive work will be in the summer, I get the impression that the second part of this season is going to determine a few players futures at the club.

    I would have more than 3 envelopes with players "who will let the club down" at the moment :-)

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  6. I agree with banoog. You need 5 or 6 world class players to challenge for the league. Under Rafa, we attracted Alonso, Mascherano, Torres and Reina (who had world class potential back then). Aligned with Gerrard and possibly Agger, we had a great team capable of challenging (2009). However, Rodgers is bringing in sh1te; average sh1te at that. Now look at what Rafa is doing at Chelsea. He has sured them up at the back (which we need to do desperately) and has now got their attack playing with confidence. I'm sorry, i believed in Rodgers but we're going nowhere under his tenure - bring back Rafa; a manager with real authority and tactical awareness instead of this clueless fucking wannabe who deserves two or three more years cutting his teeth in small clubs before he makes it to Britain's most successful club.

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  7. Would rather see Ngoo get a chance he looks a beast

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  8. Good, it sounds like we dodged a bullet.

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  9. Banoog and others you are missing the point...selling some senior (highly paid) players was to reduce the wage bill so as to conform to proposed (still actually being discussed at prem level) FFP Rules / thresholds.

    Rodgers, to his credit, understood this and was still willing to take what can only be considered as a poisoned chalice.

    Whilst his record is equal to Hodgson after 19 games, the football is more attractive, and we appear to be heading in the right direction.

    Forget making statements like "managers are judged on the players they can attract" as that is nonesense. Rodgers has taken over a mid-table TEAM, forced to reduce the wage bill, stripped of senior players, adopt a more attractive playing style and all within 19 league games.

    Is it apt to mention the intrusion of "being Liverpool" at this juncture...FFS give the lad a chance to settle in....please.?

    My main worry is he "talks a good game".....hhhmmmm.

    Anyone can blood youngsters, doing it at the right time, with the right blend, and with the correct tactics is an art....and BR appears to be, for me, a bit of an artist. So forget speculation, as its time for the circus to visit, and deal with the facts as they occur.

    YNWA!

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  10. Give the lad a chance FFS.

    Rafa is the past, deal with it. Challenging for titles is a thing of the past, for now......deal with it.

    We're a mid table team, a club in short-term crisis ( relatively speaking ), with a great LONG-term future based on solid foundations being built ground up.

    I like the fact we have the most promising academy in England and youth is being given a chance as they can "grow together"

    Our future is bright.....so go sleep for a couple of years if you ain't got a life or can't handle it.....

    YNWA!!! xxx

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  11. Yeah..its crystal clear Rafa & only Rafa can bring back the glory years to Anfield..Please come back Rafa!!!

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  12. Team building will take time. We have to be patient. If you sack BR now.We will be back to square One with total dismantling of the team by the next guy and this will only be negative.
    The problem lies with the senior squad members who are unable to cope with the tic-tac system employed by Buck. It is clear that not only do we need a quality striker but we need good defensive cover. Our defense is in a shambles. Dagger and Skrtle are just not up to the task with the tic-tac system. We are losing valuable points because of defensive errors.

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  13. Neither Yesil nor Morgan is ready for the first team, they still have long way to go before they break through. But i agree signing Di Santo wouldn't have made any sense as he doesn't offers enough goals, which is what Liverpool need.

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  14. Suarez definitely are on his way out from anfield this summer. He should stay with CL club next summer.

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  15. I'll be relieved when it's 2 February and he's still a Wigan player

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  16. This season how many goal did he score?He is not natural goal scorer. For what reason B.Rodgers try to sign him?I worried it is will be wrong investment.

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  17. Where does it say that Rodgers wants to sign him Zanz?

    Guess what, it is a made up story from the papers. Surely it cannot be that difficult to see in Jamie's article? Di Santo said (and you should open your eyes and read) "I don't have any idea about the news paper said".

    Where is the part of Rodger's saying he wants to sign the player?

    People who actually foamed at the mouth of this BS story clearly have forgotten that we are linked with a host of players every transfer window.

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  18. Someone who actually makes sense.

    You would think that the longer serving players i.e. Reina, Agger, Skrtel, Johnson, Gerrard ect would be out performing the new players but obviously they aren't.

    The first change that needs to be made in our defence is Pepe Reina. His is getting worse by the game and has been in a comfort zone for too long now. He has never had competition in the LFC squad. We have Brad Jones who did a good job while Reina was out but we need a proper replacement for Pepe. Time to cash in on Reina while we still can.

    Arsenal are after him so there is a good possibility that he will be gone by the summer but that is if Wenger does not make a move for Reina in January.

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  19. Villa available for 20 mill euros. Butland for 4 mill po

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  20. We need experienced quality players. No more prospects we have enough of them in the academy. Currently we are not consistent or good enough to be challenging at the top end of the league. We all long for the glory days to come back,give it time and they will. I am not talking about top four I want Liverpool Football Club to be number one we need proper funding to get there. FSG please give Rodgers the funds to get us there.

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  21. The point is, you must have a coherent plan. You cannot reduce the wage bill and then complain about how you don't have enough personnel at your disposal. You cannot sell on your experienced players and then complain about how there is not enough experience in the team. You cannot pay over the odds for average players (which BR said he wouldn't do) and then expect results.

    Sing BR's praises as much as you want, but our defence has regressed under his leadership, yet more average players have been brought to the club and LFC's main problem last term - the inability to hit the back of the net with regularity - has not been addressed. So whilst progress takes time, most fans would expect any new manager to make inroads in these areas. FSG are just as culpable in these failings.

    Regarding managers attracting players, if you don't have much money or trophy-potential at your disposal, then the manager is a great pull. Look at the players Arsenal is able to attract for not much more money than LFC spend on their players, look at how Spurs were able to attract Van de Vaart. It matters!

    At the top of the season, BR and the management stated that they had the financial resources to bring top players to the club. Did they mean that, or by 'top players' did the mean the likes of Joe Allen? There is a worrying commonality amongst our recent signings - very few clubs are interested in these players, leaving Liverpool with little competition. If these players have the requisite quality to move LFC forward, then no problem, but they do not. Liverpool have been heading for mid-table obscurity for the past few seasons, now, they are firmly entrenched in it.

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  22. ginster, if u watch all our matches like some of us do , u will notice that we are going no where under BR. there is no future for us , go to bed for two years and u will comeback to meet us in the championship.all the players have lost confidence and and are mostly player out of position,suarez is always sulking cos he is fighting the battle alone we need to accept the fact that we have made some harsh sacking in the best and go beg for forgiveness we shouldn't be shy if you look at the list i published in the last blogg pep guardiola spent £116 on flops while kenny spent £70.34 on flops , yet still they gave him a chance and look what he got for them.we need a manager that people would just be craving to sign for OMG !

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  23. Agree David, the 70's and 80" is something that the club has not been able to replicate for the last 22 years.

    Top 4 is the aim for the near future but the bigger aim is finishing first. Not second, third or fourth.

    Liverpool is a club that was used to winning trophies season in, season out a very long time ago and since the turn of the 90's we have been a club that has failed time and time again. Trophies are what we should be aiming for and clearly trophies are a long shot from where we currently are.

    To expect any manager no matter who it may be to turn around 22 years of failure into success when half a season has not even gone by is quite simply bordering on stupidity.

    FSG have set out a plan and they will give this plan time to mature whether our knee jerk fans like it or not. Why would they want to change the plan again? It will just set us back even further than what we are now. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out that some patience is required and FSG would make them selves look like complete fools if they change the plan which they are insistent on since they have joined the club.

    But of course I will get responses of 'Rodgers is clueless' etc. Let them suffer if they do not want to show patience. We don't need no water let the m***********'s burn, burn m***********'s burn :)

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  24. spot on Banoog, seriously ginster i dont think you watch all our matches , that is how i used to argue till i made it a point not to miss a single game, we have never played any attractive football as compared to even KD , our players look f**king scared passing the ball backwards and sideways don't u watch how arsenal, man u and even tottenham pass the ball quickly and with confidence forward?we look worse of than under KD .we hoping for a miracle though.

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  25. eeerrrrr Di santo + £40?

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  26. Ok calm down. Seems like you are on fire and want others to burn?

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  27. I am the one that is calm. It is fans like you who does not have patience. spot the differnce?

    So that is why I say you can go and burn cause obviously you are to incompetent to see that patience is required to have us finishing FIRST again.

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  28. Right now only one who is not calm and fuming is you. And just because other supporters don't believe in your point of view doesn't make them knee jerk or impatience, they just have different theory about how LFC should go forward. So just stop your ranting about how bad fans are who wants to oppose FSG and BR because you are as much bad as them if you can't heck others opinion. This is a place to debate and discuss views and not implementing rules as to about who will be labelled knee jerks and impatience.

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  29. I am not the only one that is calm, you can go and find many other comments on this site of fans who are willing to show patience. Do you think every LFC fan in the world is moaning like you and others on this site?

    It is your prerogative to be impatient so have it your bloody way. Just like you say, this site is aimed at debate. Is that not what we are doing? Am I stopping you from posting your moaning and is that not what you have continuously been doing?

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  30. People talk about BR's footballing philosophy as if he invented the passing game. As you say, it was very evident last season under KD, he just didn't bang on about it all the time. It was a better approach because we were more direct.

    Rather than bulldozing the players into making a thousand passes a game, BR would be wiser to gradually move the players towards this pass rate. We have been caught out more than once by trying to pass the opposition to death in our own third.

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  31. Think he is quoting DMX, be careful...

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  32. The Bloodhound Gang

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  33. Good buy in my opinion apart from Cup of nations, but it's old news, I just heard those two informations(both pretty official), and I think both would be money well spent- and Villa probably wouldn't cost as much.

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  34. Even more dangerous...

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  35. A comedy band 'Bloodhound Gang' dangerous?

    Ask DMX to base his music around comedy, now that will be dangerous...

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  36. Site about ENGLISH club, and nobody understands sarcasm? Damn...

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  37. Yeah I know, just in case we had some people who thought that the Blood Hound Gang was a cult like the Ku Clux Clan or a murderer like Jack The Ripper.

    Did you get the part of DMX making Comedy music?

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  38. Of course Barca would still give Guardiola a chance as they bloody won the treble in his FIRST SEASON!

    Dearie me. Don't know why you keep on using Guardiola's situation to help out KK, as it doesn't help him. It just makes it worse for him. One was massively successful, despite flops and the other wasn't. KK certainly wasn't massively successful.

    What KK II did pales into comparison.

    What you don't seem to get is if you are massively successful like Guardiola was in his first season, the fans/owners/board are more likely to be forgiving in relation to bad signings.

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  39. No, I don't really listen to him(anymore), I know a dozen songs, tops...

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  40. Really funny how you define calm. Anyway, if you think labeling terms like moaning, knee jerks, et al is the way of debate then you are better off alone.

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  41. it is funny but this guy ,although we have been struggling in the striker department, has never got a sniff of the first team He has all the attributes ,strength pace an eye for goal,so i can only think if you are a striker and you are taller than brendan rogers you are not going to get in the team.

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  42. Another disappointment from B/R. what a pithy.

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  43. DMX is not my cup of tea infact, I hardly listen to rap music.

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  44. Well you are going to have to ignore me from now on wont you?

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  45. Why would he come back? He has a team now with world class players and that is something we won't have for years yet!

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  46. Agreed, to many people think our young guns are all super stars being held back. They need time, and people expect to much too soon from them. It is not uncommon for footballers to not appear until 22plus, and even then take till about 25 to get to the right levels. 17,18 and 19 year olds, need the odd game here and there, loan spells and not being played to much.

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  47. Villa is over priced imo, Van persie 20mil, yes, but Villa imo has always looked like he wouldn`t be able to keep up with the PL pace. Kinda like a Owen now. Butland for 4mil would be great business though. He is still young, but what a great back up keeper to have, or even buy then loan out for a few years. He makes mistakes due to his age, but in time that would go as he gets more expereniced. I`m just not sure with Butland if signing him as a no 2 makes any sense, as he wouldnt get the game time he needs. I`m not sure if he is ready to be no1 yet, so unless we do sign and loan it maybe a funny one, don`t wanna kill the lad off.

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  48. spot on Banoog but most on this forum cant or refuse to see it....BR constantly contradicts himself..we had the 3rd best defense last year and clubs where courting skirtel and agger for big bucks now you would be lucky to get a pickled egg for the pair whats changed rogers thats what...he moans about strikers yet let go kuyt carroll and co and bought in two midfielders ( an area where we are stacked ) who are no better than what we have ....and hes paying big bucks for players who no one is bidding for WHY ARE YOU OVERPAYING NO ONE WANTS THEM it makes me wanna scream

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  49. There is a few good options out there who are cheap. BA, Butland, Austin, Ince even a bit for Walcott could be under 10mil, then Sturridge for 12mil (personally I think 10mil would be the right figure for him).

    Now I`m not one for wanting to sell Suarez, but the list above could be brought for £45mil.

    BA 7.5mil
    Butland 4mil
    Austin 6mil
    Ince 6mil
    Walcott 10mil
    Sturridge 12mil

    Total = 45.5mil

    If we sold Suarez for say £35mil which would be possible It would mean with only 10mil put in we could get all the list above. That is one heck of lot of good additions in exchange for loosing one player. Or just lose one of Sturridge or Walcott and it would be for the same fee (granted wage bill would go up a lot).

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  50. but rub if the senior players wont except it and he wont drop them it wont work so rogers wont work thats what most are saying ...he doest have the charisma or skill to pull it off at a big club its just all soundbites and to coach top players you need more than soundbites he cant even get his pet puppy allen to play the system so hows he gonna get seasoned international to buy into it...i want him to succeed but i look at the players expressions and body language and know its a lost cause....and i keep stressing you cant be patient ...fans wont buy it ...sponsors wont but it....star players who want to win wont buy it....... this isnt some pet project its the greatest club in the world

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  51. Remember it is euros... That story of no real no 9 only makes sense with Suarez and a killer Villa is. And Butland should be bought and loaned- we will sell Reina for more,so it is smart investing in my opinion..

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  52. just under where he said hed have to be an idiot to loan carroll

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  53. what is this plan red i cant see it ...i dare say all managers in every walk of life have a plan ...but just dont say it ...i have a plan in my job ..but it wont save me if i don't produce ....heres the plan in football my two part plan .......score more goals than the opposition ......dont waste money on crap .....there you go a very simple plan ...or i could write a 180 page dossier on drivel to kid everyone i know what im on about

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  54. 22 years of failure two champions league finals current cup holders and the rest....your just buying into what BR and Fsg are telling you to explain there own misgivings

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  55. Is Di Santo really that bad?

    Why are the Argentine FA putting up with their manager when he picked him before Tevez?

    Has Alejandro Sabella lost his mind?

    What if, and it's a big 'IF', this guy knows more about football than anyone who posts on this site and sees something special in this kid?

    That would be something, eh?

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  56. He's a typical Rodgers bits and pieces player, neat and tidy can play across the front line, keeps the ball well, doesn't score many goals and isn't very good.

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  57. Provided an assist today, only one shot according to the BBC text service.

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  58. Ginster, Thats the best post Ive ever read on this site

    Unfortunately the modern day LFC fans are all experts and want it all and want it now!!

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  59. Well said Ginster again! People should listen to this fela he's speaking sense!!

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  60. not ready yet to play for LFC, we need proven attackers who can make a difference! Not same type of players that we already have!!!

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  61. We need 1 more holding midfielder to add more steel to the m/f as well as 3 attacking players, trust me, that is what we need and all is achievable
    in the coming window IF the scouting team have not been asleep for the past couple of seasons. I've seen plenty that could do a job!!!

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  62. You think Villa can still cut it? Just asking as I aint really followed his game much last year.

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  63. I've read some rumours today about us being linked with Pato, now this is the type of player we should be going after.

    As for the holding midfielder, I know it's a long shot and he's 29 but De Rossi said in an interview earlier this year that he was a massive fan of Steven Gerrard. For all intents and purposes, he's supposed to be looking for a new challenge away from Roma. I think going for him would be a bold move and send out a strong statement of intent.

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  64. I agree they're not ready, my post was a mild sarcastic view on Di Santo's ability.

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  65. I don't think our young guns are superstars being held back. I agree with you and Lion Heart regarding player development. I just think they're better options compared to Di Santo.

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  66. After watching MOTD, FSG should break the bank and get Walcott signed up, pronto!
    Sterling and Suarez with Walcott will be deadly, add Sturridge to that mix and we'll be slaughtering teams!

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  67. wizards do not forget magic

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