Earlier this week, PSV Eindhoven director Marcel Brands confirmed that coveted attacker Memphis Depay 'will leave' this summer, and new reports claim that Liverpool's owners have officially sanctioned an offer for the prolific 21-year old.
According to the Mirror on Sunday:
* FSG are prepared to pay £20m for Depay.
* The Reds have been 'courting' Depay for 18 months.
Depay is on fire for PSV this season:
* 25 goals/6 assists in 36 appearances.
* Goal every 1.4 games (1 every 121 mins)
* Goal/Assist every 1.1 games (1 every 95 mins)
Alas, it appears that Manchester United have the edge over Liverpool on this particular transfer. The Mirror further claims:
"United are prepared to meet PSV's £25m asking price. That is too rich for Liverpool, who were prepared to go to £20m. Van Gaal has exploited his close friendship with [Marcel] Brands to ensure United beat Liverpool to Depay’s signature".
If true, this is hardly surprising. Van Gaal gave Depay his international debut, and with his connections in Holland - and world-renowned status - the Dutchman clearly has an advantage over Brendan Rodgers, who doesn't have the pull to entice Europe's elite players.
That said, recent reports also claimed that Depay prefers a move to Liverpool over Manchester United, so it'll be interesting to see how this plays out.
If 'special' Depay ends up signing for the Mancs, it'll be interesting to see how he fares in the Premier League in comparison to Divock Origi, who is due to arrive at Anfield this summer. This year, season, Depay has blown the Belgian out of the water with his superb goals/assist stats, and he's not even a striker.
It'll be sweet, though, if Depay crashes and burns at Old Trafford whilst Origi - whose transfer fee is a comparatively meagre £10m - tears it up. Alternatively, if Rodgers manages to pull off a minor miracle, both players could end up at Liverpool next season.
Author: Jaimie K
According to the Mirror on Sunday:
* FSG are prepared to pay £20m for Depay.
* The Reds have been 'courting' Depay for 18 months.
Depay is on fire for PSV this season:
* 25 goals/6 assists in 36 appearances.
* Goal every 1.4 games (1 every 121 mins)
* Goal/Assist every 1.1 games (1 every 95 mins)
Alas, it appears that Manchester United have the edge over Liverpool on this particular transfer. The Mirror further claims:
"United are prepared to meet PSV's £25m asking price. That is too rich for Liverpool, who were prepared to go to £20m. Van Gaal has exploited his close friendship with [Marcel] Brands to ensure United beat Liverpool to Depay’s signature".
If true, this is hardly surprising. Van Gaal gave Depay his international debut, and with his connections in Holland - and world-renowned status - the Dutchman clearly has an advantage over Brendan Rodgers, who doesn't have the pull to entice Europe's elite players.
That said, recent reports also claimed that Depay prefers a move to Liverpool over Manchester United, so it'll be interesting to see how this plays out.
If 'special' Depay ends up signing for the Mancs, it'll be interesting to see how he fares in the Premier League in comparison to Divock Origi, who is due to arrive at Anfield this summer. This year, season, Depay has blown the Belgian out of the water with his superb goals/assist stats, and he's not even a striker.
It'll be sweet, though, if Depay crashes and burns at Old Trafford whilst Origi - whose transfer fee is a comparatively meagre £10m - tears it up. Alternatively, if Rodgers manages to pull off a minor miracle, both players could end up at Liverpool next season.
panel management
Author: Jaimie K
I hate how we have a billionaire owner but almost every journo or everyone things we cannot afford a lot of players. Like we haven't spent over 200 million in the last 3 seasons alone. It's very irritating.
ReplyDeleteGranted most of that money has been "wasted" but it still shows we're competing. Rodgers needs to go if the appointment of Mourinho and Lvg has proven a worldclass manager goes a very long way.
If we land Depay I will be impressed as we would have a very talented young team if we can keep them hungry and together.
ReplyDeletehe's going to man united sorry
ReplyDeletePut in the bid and see what happens. Worst case, he chooses Utd and we use that 25M somewhere else.
ReplyDeleteAs sb21 below says-we have the money, we spent a lot. But we are acting like teenagers in poker game with people who are divorced because of the game. We are too afraid to bet big or all in on one hand, but we won't show we're pussies so we pay medium for every hand. We can afford him. Could mean overpaying him, but if he is as good as people say- who cares? If he can deliver 30 goals/assists, he is worth overpaying. I hope we spent 18 months not just courting and that we know is worth it.
ReplyDeleteThe rumors saying he's off to Utd are just reliable as the one's saying he's considering LFC. Both are nothing more than rumors.
ReplyDeleteFuck off FSG. Lallana Lovren and Markovic aren't considered expensive? Maybe if you sell goddamn Borini and co. we can make up for the 5m? But hey, look on the bright side, at least we will have future world class player Milner and might even keep English legend Glenn Johnson.
ReplyDeleteI think he'll go Man Utd...
ReplyDeleteThe problem is we've spent that money on bit parts as opposed to a legit stud.
ReplyDeleteIt's like buying 10 Hondas for 100k instead of 1 Ferrari
The sad part of the story is that FSG has made the money available .
ReplyDeleteIt's Ian Ayre and Brendon Rodgers that has blowen it on rubbish player's and now for 5m we loss a top class player !
I can see how this will play out.
ReplyDeleteUnited will have the upper edge on Depay with his Dutch connections so he will probably end up there.
Lacazette may go to either Chelsea, Arsenal or even City who will be looking to replenish their squad with fresh faces after this dismal campaign.
The beauty is we can still go in for Pedro, Firminho, Illamerindi, Felipe Anderson, Vietto, Song, Pjanic, Carvalho etc.
Origi who is looking more like a mistake by the minute but he will come in and maybe Ings.
The links to Milner and Williams maybe underwhelming but we will wait and see.
Sad To Say the buys of BR is not good enough.Instead of buying quantity why not buy quality.FSG will handle him money and also tactically BR is not good enough.
ReplyDeleteWilliams? Which Williams?
ReplyDeleteAshley Williams. Read that Brendan was still interested in him... God Help Us!!!
ReplyDeleteAh - thanks for that. And, yikes! Fowler help us, indeed! (although to be fair I don't think he's all that bad :-) )
ReplyDeleteYeah, he's not all that bad but while Man U are going for the likes of Hummels and Chelsea for Varane it is a "slight" let down we are going after mid-table players who most likely won't take us to that next level.
ReplyDeleteI will rather just stick with Skrtel and Sakho with Lovren and maybe Illori as back up.
A defender I would like to us to go for is N'Kolou but anyway maybe an old head or two who can communicate in English won't be a bad idea with
Gerrard and maybe Johnson and Toure leaving.
The thing is, even if this story is true, it wouldn't just be an extra 5 million transfer fee, it would be at least another 50k a week in wages which would mean over 5 years, adding the extra 5 mil transfer fee, it would cost the club at least another 18 million on top of the budget they initially sanctioned if we wanted to compete with United. That is no way to run a business. If you go 18 million over budget on every player you target, you'll soon find yourself in the financial mire.
ReplyDeleteUltimately we can't compete with United financially so there's no point in trying. Even if we matched their offer, they would just offer more.
Our only hope of signing Depay is that he wants to play every week which he will with us, won't at United
Hummels, Varane and Williams... Yeah, I get your point. I agree with the rest of your comment, too. We need another defensive mid to protect whoever is at the back, too. I do hope we push the boat out for at least one really, really good defensive signing, be it a midfielder or a defender.
ReplyDeleteYou gotta go where your heart takes you, you'll only be miserable otherwise... Hopefully his heart wins this battle.
ReplyDelete