19 May 2015

Confirmed: Liverpool free to 'negotiate' transfer for 'world-class' £20m CL winner. No-brainer?

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho recently admitted that Petr Cech could leave at the end of the season, and with Liverpool regularly linked with a move for the 'world-class' goalkeeper, the opportunity is now there for the Reds to pursue a deal.

In March, The Mirror claimed:

* Brendan Rodgers is 'confident' of signing the 32-year-old.

* Liverpool will have to pay to £125k-a-week in wages.

Speaking to TalkSport over the weekend, Cech's agent, Viktor Kolar, confirmed:

"Petr has a valid contract with his current club. However, I can confirm that we have been permitted by Chelsea to negotiate with interested parties and Petr has confirmed his interest to play regularly at a top club."

So: £20m-rated Cech is available, and is allowed to speak to other clubs? Get on it, Brendan:

* Just pay whatever it takes to bring Cech to Anfield. A top-class goalkeeper is absolutely essential to any team's chances of consistently challenging for trophies, and Mignolet is not the long-term solution.

* After playing second fiddle to Thibaut Courtois, there's almost certainly no chance of sealing the deal unless Rodgers guarantees to make Cech his first-choice goalkeeper, and I personally have no problem with that. Just do it.

* Cech has proven himself repeatedly over the last 8-10 years, and it's (arguably) as close to a sure-thing as it's possible to get.

* Cech could conceivably be Liverpool's number one 'keeper for the next 5-7 years. A good comparison here is Edwin Van Der Sar - he signed for Man United at the age of 35, and remained the club's main goalkeeper for six years.

* Cech is a winner, and a leader at the back, which is exactly what Liverpool need. Plus, with the ongoing exodus of older players at Anfield, another experienced head at the club will be a huge boost.

* I'd much rather see Liverpool pay a a huge £100k+ salary to Cech - a proven, world-class performer - than a pretender like Raheem Sterling.

Cech is a popular choice amongst Liverpool fans. I recently conducted a poll on the site asking fans to select one goalkeeper out of the seven currently linked:

* 55% of participants chose Cech as Liverpool's next goalkeeper.

* Sergio Romero was 2nd-favourite with 11% of the vote.

* Only 3% voted to keep Mignolet as LFC's number 1.

Liverpool's lack of Champions League football is a problem, but if the club really pushes out the boat, and shows Cech how much he's wanted, then it may make all the difference.



Historically, though, this isn't how Liverpool tend to operate, and it's cost the club several high-profile deals in the past, including Christian Eriksen, who revealed that he rejected Liverpool because Spurs 'really showed intent' to sign him.

In my view, it's a mistake to rely on Mignolet next season. Rodgers needs to be ruthless, and replacing him is the only viable option for a team with serious designs on winning the league at some point in the next 3-5 years.

Cech is available; he wants a move; he's a proven, experienced top quality goalkeeper, with years left at the top level. Where's the downside?

Author: Jaimie K


104 comments:

  1. Mike Aitcheson1:01 am, May 19, 2015

    Definite no brainer. Can organise and inspire confidence.
    Sterling gets another mention despite this being about a goalkeeper

    ReplyDelete
  2. And leave with 1 chip butty

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh I'd love Don Carlo at the kop. And it's not price tag. Kroos cost less than illaremendi.

    ReplyDelete
  4. 3 champions league trophies and trophies in 4 countries who else can say that?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Honestly I blame the whole club for this #RM situation.
    At this rate it's only a matter of time ibe and ojo go the same way.

    ReplyDelete
  6. It's easy not to be 'integral' in the Madrid or PSG squad. From what I've seen, Illara would be a great addition as a DM and I'd absolutely love someone with the creative quality of Pastore to replace Sterling and play alongside Lallana, Coutinho et al.


    I'd pay 10-15m for Illara, and 20m for Pastore. Put it into perspective with 20m for Markovic, 20m for Lovren, 25m for Lallana. Unless you believe the prices would be higher than that?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Off track -


    Heard rumors that Ancellotti 'll get the boot from the Madrid Dons (which means Klopp 'll go to either Bayern or Real, they are talking about Mou as well, but I don't think the Mafia boss 'll allow that).


    Is there anyone better choice to turn our tide than Carlo?

    ReplyDelete
  8. Don Carlo does what ever he wants.
    Ramos is one of the best footballers in the world . Played rb or cb looked at home. He's quick and is more likely to score than illaremendi at any position he plays.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Cech definitely, though give Migs his due, he has made massive improvement.
    On Sterling, Phil Mc Nulty has a very reasoned piece on the BBC online, worth a read.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I doubt Sterling just turned up for interview 5 seconds before it was filmed. Like most interviews, he (and his agent) probably discussed what questions would be asked beforehand, and the interviewer probably asked if it was okay to talk about the contract rejection. They probably even did a dry run.

    Also, the interview didn't just happen out of thin air - Sterling and his agent clearly set it up.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Re Sterling - perhaps you should get over it already?

    I am anti-greed/mercenary, and I will ram that point home as often as I can, so you and others should get used to it.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I'm sorry liverpool did not "make" sterling . He was a boy with potential who signed for the best team he could have when he signed for lfc. If he had stayed at qpr and worked hard as he has at lfc he'd be in the same position he is at lfc. Rejecting a big money contract to move to a bigger team. Let's be honest we have become a small club with huge revenue. We can't even compete with Tottenham and Dortmund for players. Because no body at the club has any experience at this level.

    ReplyDelete
  13. That's a big "if". Any way itll probably be danny ings. 10 goals all season hehehe amazing.

    ReplyDelete
  14. There is actually no steel in the midfield any more.

    ReplyDelete
  15. To me Sterling can go as long as we fleece the club that gets him he thinks his you know what dont stink but it does and so does his game what little he has of one.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Theycallmemrburt2:26 am, May 19, 2015

    I had no idea Raheems agent Aidy Ward was also the agent of Saido Berahino. Lets just say that Aidy does things with a little more aggression than most agents.

    ReplyDelete
  17. first things first we need to get rid of that guy sterling. hes not the finished article and has only played for himself all season, he may become the finished article, but his dirty attitude towards the LFC cause will stop that development and we should sell straight away. there are enough options out there who we can sign to replace him.


    when sterling goes (£40M), i expect balotelli (£10M), borini (£10M), lovren (£10M) allen (£10M) aspas (£5M) alberto (£5M) coates (£2.5M) lambert (£2.5M) all to follow him out.
    that will give us £95M. they either all dont play when regulars are fit and contribute zero to LFC. with £95M plus a £50M kitty we really need to get it right this summer. priorities first. 2 top strikers, 2 wingers with goals.assists, right back and left back, replacement for stevie and holding midfielder.


    Yevhen Konoplyanka - LW - 26 - FREE - experience
    Kevin Prince Boateng - CM - 29 - FREE - experience
    Aleksander Kolarov - LB - 29 - FREE - experience
    James Milner - CM - 29 - FREE - experience
    Sami Khedira - DM - 28 - FREE - experience
    Alexander Lacazette - ST - 24 - £30M - marquee
    Marco Reus - LW - 25 - £35M - marquee
    Luciano Vietto - ST - 22 - £13M(release clause)
    Son Heung Min - RW/ST/LW - 23 - £15M(release clause)
    Kieran Trippier - RB - 24 - £2M
    total: £95M


    this is all extremely possible and realistic signings, plus players we are interested in. all are within reach bar maybe the Lacazette and Reus signings but like previous year when we missed out on other marquee signings, we need to make sure we have alternatives. Higuain or Benteke for Lacazette and Pedro or Mkhtiryan for Reus,


    ------------------------------Mingolet
    Trippier----------Skrtel---------Sakho-----------Kolarov
    ----------------------Khedira--------Hendo
    ----Son Heung Min-------Coutinho-----------Reus
    ------------------------------Lacazette


    subs Origi, Lallana, Ibe, Vietto, Boateng, Milner, Konoplyanka


    the experience like Khedira will help players like Hendo, Can to become finished article like him. Reus will be able to be our Suarez, not so much in skill or ability, but in that he will take the free kicks, and be the focal point and stimulus to the rest of the team. Coutinho will have the pace and end product around him to get 20 assists a season, we will have perfect cover and balance if any injuries occur.


    that would be my dream summer and team for next year. lets get proper players and stop playing stupid formations to fit in players who shouldnt have even been bought aka all BR signings bar Coutinho and Sturridge

    ReplyDelete
  18. Cech has not been the same keeper since that head injury, but he's still a very good keeper. Mignolet has been fantastic in the 2nd half of this season, making some unbelievable saves and commanding his area much better than the previous 6 months. I have to think that Migs will get even better next season based on his improvement since he came back in the side. He has been almost flawless of late and to replace him with Cech who may be better in the air but not as good at shot-stopping is a bit flawed in my opinion.

    ReplyDelete
  19. me too. and not just that, its not as if he is Luis Suarez who's stats and performance levels were ridiculous. sterling doesnt even try at times and thats just digusting. really is.


    JK is with me, we both hate sterling and really wouldnt care if he left. 2 full seasons as an academy graduate and alreadty wants to leave. cant believe it, but not bothered. LFC were trying to develop him, hes NOWHERE near the finished article, not even close and his consistency poor.


    to be fair to sterling though, Brendan Rodgers signings have been absolutely appauling. and that doesnt help people like Sterling, nor Coutinho or Henderson who have had many of there passes wasted by the likes of Lallana, Markovic, Lambert, Lovren and Balotelli, all extremely poor signings.


    if i was Sterling i would be digusted too, i have to be honest because watching players like Joe Allen, Markovic and Lambert at Liverpool is really shocking and makes me sick.


    But that doesnt mean you have to say the things about the contract and the flattering interest during the middle of the season. i always remember 'King Luis' Suarez after many good performances, would always say even if LFC didnt finish in top 4 he would stay at LFC, even if that meant he had other plans at the end of the season, at least that way, the media think you have shrugged off the interest and it wont mess up the team. Sterling could have said i want to stay with LFC for many years and then at the end of season said he wanted to leave. at least his commitment would be there until the end of season.


    when someone commitment in the squad goes, how can the other players be commited when the manager continually starts him?


    this season has been shocking

    ReplyDelete
  20. Great get i hope they dont stuff around and lose him to someone else as for Ancellotti an over rated manager wouldnt want him at Liverpool.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Petr Cech is worth every penny of that 125k per week compared to our wannabe star player in Raheem Sterling. Just wondering who's the saviour in paying us 30 mil pounds to bring the kiddo away and show him a game or two. We need funds for established players such as Asier Illarramendi and Stevan Jovetic, not only in transfer fees but for their high wages also.

    Now back to Petr Cech, he certainly fits the bill to be a world-class keeper and yes, he still has at least a good 5 years left in him. Now the question is do we have the ambition to bring him here? We are not the only team that needs a new keeper, Arsenal needs one, Man Utd certainly needs one as well when Real Madrid calls on David de Gea. Spurs may need a new keeper if Hugo Lloris's head is turned by a top team. We are having more than a handful of potential competitors for Petr Cech I believe. Something that we can do is to start negotiation early, as in immediately and loosen that blo#dy purse strings i.e. pay him 150k a week, some amount more than he asks for. A player of Cech's stature should be rightfully earning much more than Raheem Sterling and James Milner (100k each?).

    It's now all up to the owner and management to display their ambition in steering LFC forward. If they can pull such a deal off, who knows? It may create a domino effect in attracting other world-class or at least established players.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Yes far better quality than the junk we bought last year and probably cheaper.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Stan Dinaround3:20 am, May 19, 2015

    I want to know who is putting this out there, and who wants to join me in shutting them up permanently

    ReplyDelete
  24. Stan Dinaround3:23 am, May 19, 2015

    I'm sick of players thinking they have a god given right to trophies and the CL... Whatever happened to earning the right to play in Europe.... I remember a certain semi final only weeks ago that could have been the start to a trophy, but if I remember right, Sterling didn't turn up...

    ReplyDelete
  25. It was Sterling who bought out figures in public like most i dont care if he leaves as long as we rip off the buyer hes done nothing special.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Well he played 50 odd games for Real wasnt just a bench warmer.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Stan Dinaround3:31 am, May 19, 2015

    There is a chance we have a budding Francis Jeffers on our hands... We may be wise to sell now...

    ReplyDelete
  28. Not sure where you got that from, it's clearly BS. Lovren has been on the bench for half the season, Markovic hasn't even been picked on the bench countless times, or Ibe and Lambert have been used ahead of him.


    Come on John, or Stan...People believe anything now...

    ReplyDelete
  29. Wow, I didn't know that's how you think of our season 14/15...but I'm joining you guys in terms of the Sterling effect, or certainly a lack thereof. I don't hate him but I despise him for demanding an established player's wage but producing mediocrely uninspiring games more often than not, despite being given more than enough chances by BR.

    The way we threw away last season's 120 mil pounds is more than appalling. We are closer to 7th than 4th in the league and that's something I cannot comprehend. Not forgetting we are still very much in danger of getting 7th after this coming weekend. The thought of it produces an ultra disgusting shockwave just sends shudder down my spine. If that happens, someone's gotta get tossed out for sure and I hope it's the entire team of the CEO/negotiator, transfer committee, manager and scouts (do we have any to begin with???).

    ReplyDelete
  30. Rodgers being forced to play Lovren and Markovic? Biggest load of tosh I've ever heard.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Stan Dinaround3:57 am, May 19, 2015

    Once again, hence "rumour" being the second word in said comment. The players mentioned are assumptions, it could be anybody, they are just the two that came to mind...

    ReplyDelete
  32. My comment isn't directed at you personally, just the 'rumour' itself.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Stan Dinaround3:58 am, May 19, 2015

    Fair enough..

    ReplyDelete
  34. Sorry...I'm only looking out for strikers on your list of players. I didn't know Luciano Vietto has a release claus at 13 mil pounds only. But I know his idol is Messi and seems like Barcelona is interested in the player. Alexander Lacazette is almost certain to play in the UCL next season with Lyon. I really don't see any attraction for him to play for us next season.

    Of course I'm not saying they are unrealistic targets. But we have to be really ambitious in terms of remuneration package offered, in short, big money!

    ReplyDelete
  35. He won't see a shirt at man city don't be confused, because he's playing first team here doesn't mean that how it will be... Sterling won't be a starter in any top4 team across Europe. I don't know what the fuss is all about, (needlessly saying ) i would be more than happy to see his back

    ReplyDelete
  36. Not for me - He suffered a bad injury and wont pass a medical at LFC probably BUT this Sterling geezer is a complete ungrateful overated kiddo - I blame B R for not sorting him out months ago - he should never have been selected against Palace. How can the owners trust B R when all his signings disappoint - TONY PULLIS ????????????????????? Nobody will mess him around and he is a good guy

    ReplyDelete
  37. P S Lets make a vow never to use this Aiidy guy ever again even if he offered us Messi on a free - both the youngsters he manages are spoilt kids

    ReplyDelete
  38. He did. If you notice, he's mostly a bit part player in games RM are fully in control. He only played for a significant period against teams that are considered inferior such as Elche, Celta, Almeria, Eibar and his former club Sociedad. He has no assist or goal to his name so far. RM over paid (26m+) and realized they have an average player on their hands and Marca is leading the promotion to offload him by linking him with LFC because they think we are gullible. We should not fall for that. If a player is not an upgrade on what we have, he should not be brought in because we have more than our fair share of average players.

    ReplyDelete
  39. Good one! if we are populating our team with players like Illarramendi, it will be more like relegation scrap!

    ReplyDelete
  40. Yes please on Illarremendi and Lacazzette. This is the cailbre we should be chasing not Milner, Delph etc.............please dear God, Strike down Ayre and Rodgers if they don't get that.............

    ReplyDelete
  41. I thought I could engage you in a debate. You say I'm emotionally involved, and how about you? Your previous comments about Raheem have been hyperbolic & tribalistic to say the least. Even when I clarified the race issue you. You back out of a debate by putting words in my mouth, the very thing that riles you!

    ReplyDelete
  42. You say coasting, I say lack of confidence. The fans have openly given him stick.

    ReplyDelete
  43. Mike, I've asked the same question time and time again. Now I love lfc but this for me is a sticking point, in how they treated Raheem.

    ReplyDelete
  44. Not sure where you got that from - referring to the credibility of a potential source and/or how far fetched that idea is, not so much directly questioning you. It's half a saying, and in the vernacular over here. No need to take it to the face, mate.


    It doesn't matter if it's personally spoken or typed, people can claim to be in the know and just spout nonsense. Lovren and Markovic are poor examples as they've seen serious bench duty. If you or the source refer to Sterling to perhaps keep him happy and encourage a new contract etc then it would appear slightly more reasonable. Still has no grounds IMO.

    ReplyDelete
  45. You forget Ian Ayre will negotiate and we will end up paying 30million in the swap deal. That is after he lowballs Cech wages and nearly scuppers the deal.

    ReplyDelete
  46. I cannot remember Suarez training with reserves but am willing to concerde that point a you are usually right and well informed.


    Nevertheless the outcome was he got more money and shortly afterwards the transfer he really wanted and FSG got more money. A deal was sorted.



    BR might struggle though as he has already said he will not be sold in the Summer interesting times coming. For the first time my optimism about the future AND BRs continued tenure is shaken

    ReplyDelete
  47. He also played for Spain cant be too bad lad and Real would not even consider any of our players.

    ReplyDelete
  48. Stan Dinaround8:14 am, May 19, 2015

    Please except my humble apologises, obviously my referring to Lovren and Marko even though newly aquired are to your impression of the rumour poor examples... even though they would be the perfect examples in the sense that they are the newly aquired players that FSG (rumour) were trying to push.... Even though, for a large portion of the early season, Lovren and marko were played often, and in Lovren's case, almost every game at the beginning, and to the detriment of the team.... Adding credance to the rumour that, even though he was costing the team dear, he was chosen over other players, ie, Toure and or Sakho.... This could be taken as an example of being pressured into playing the player.... Balotelli would be another example, and all though not in the first comment, would go to show that certain players were being played, even though they continued to cost the team dearly..... I even went to the effort to find and name the site and podcast for you to listen to... Hoping that perhaps you would make up your own mind, rather than insinuating I was a gullable moron called John, or maybe Stan....but hey ho!

    ReplyDelete
  49. To be honest I wasn't trying to be funny :-)

    ReplyDelete
  50. And that's why we will end up signing no one worth mentioning

    ReplyDelete
  51. Well, Isco cost the same. There seems to be a midfield price tag at RM as they always pay the same amount (Modric, etc.). The only exception was Xabi Alonso for whom the paid a little more. Anyway, as far as I'm concerned, he's not an upgrade on what we have. If we can't attract better players, I would rather we pay Milner 20k/pw more on a 36 month contract. He will be a much better player and much cheaper as well.

    ReplyDelete
  52. Stan Dinaround8:29 am, May 19, 2015

    Just a little after thought, Balotelli was, as far as we can gleen brought to the club against Brendan's wishes, he didn't even try and hide that fact when specifically asked about the chance of Balotelli moving to LFC, For all intents and purposes, Balotelli is/was the polar opposite to the sort of player Brendan would want and need to implemant his football philosophy.... Even when it was abundantly clear that Balotelli couldn't be worked into the system, he was still played, and as we know, with less than positive results.... People talk of Brendan implementing Balotelli properly, but consodering he was never wanted in the first place, should Brendan really be expected to change the entire way his team have played for the previous seasons just to accomadate Balotelli because some wise guy thought to bring him to the club.... In my opinion, Balotelli was brought to the club simply to sell shirts, and on the first day of his shirt going on sale, they sold some £50,000 worth of shirts in the club shop, something of a record.... Consider the number of questionable temsheets we have spoken about this season, and even the questionable substitutions.... It was not until after christmas that Brendan started to change the early approach, Balotelli was dropped almost permanently, and Lucas was brought back into the fold.... Whether it's true or not, you have to admitt, it does seem alittle self destructive of Brendan to go so gung ho....

    ReplyDelete
  53. FSG sign the Cech

    ReplyDelete
  54. Well idiots wil perservere they are like cockroaches, they would survive a nuclear holocaust. On the other hand, Balkans has very bad image in the world, and one would think that our sporting success would repair it, but there are always brain dead "supporters" igniting national tension. Im glad at least u and I are exceptions to the rule.

    ReplyDelete
  55. Well that is actually what I was saying when you were repeating that speculation. When it turns out to be right then it actually shows that something must have been released from one of the parties involved. If not LFC then his agent released it. So turns out you were right all along. So don't argue with yourself.

    ReplyDelete
  56. The fact that Jones is leaving surely means we must be on the search for a Gk, surely Cech is the best option available?

    The only thing I wonder is 1 if he'd be automatic 1st choice, and if not would he really want to play 2nd fiddle at Liverpool? I'm guessing not.

    ReplyDelete
  57. A midfield three of Henderson, Can and Illaramendi sounds pretty good to me.

    ReplyDelete
  58. I can't see a downside apart from convincing him to come rather than choose Arsenal or PSG. He'd be a top priority for me but I see Matthew Ryan as more likely.

    ReplyDelete
  59. And there was I thinking you could only see one direction for next year - down

    ReplyDelete
  60. I don't think there's a better manager in the business.

    ReplyDelete
  61. Maybe that player is Gerrard.

    ReplyDelete
  62. Hugely disappointed at not being in the Champions League... Which divine right did I miss?

    ReplyDelete
  63. I was quoting from an article in the mirror. I agree, demanding CL football now is silly.

    ReplyDelete
  64. WIth City reportedly chasing Rafa, Im appaulled that IA and FSG are happy to stick out with the beleaguered Rogers

    ReplyDelete
  65. Ayew wanting a move to a bigger club because Marseille can't match his ambition and wages sounds awfully familiar

    ReplyDelete
  66. they bought him for something like 35m 2 years ago?

    i think it's fair of them to demand 15m, there's no need to lowball them

    ReplyDelete
  67. I'm sure I remember Sterling saying he wanted to stay at LFC for years and win trophies with the club... Seems like a long time ago now....

    ReplyDelete
  68. Atletico have already made noises to Villareal about Vietto....Khedira is off to Wolfsburg, and Reus just signed a new contract.....Real will more than likely sign Lacazette, and Trippier is worth way more than a poultry £2m...

    ReplyDelete
  69. Sorry comment meant for Kopite s

    ReplyDelete
  70. "Cech is the first piece of that spine which still needs a top DM , CM and a 20 goal+ striker"

    Yes. yes and yes please. If only...

    ReplyDelete
  71. I'll back up your spine comment.

    ReplyDelete
  72. Obviously we have different views on this, it just doesn't wash with me. I also think it's an unacceptable sports business practice. It's inevitable at Madrid because of the price tags, but should not and does not (IMO) occur at Liverpool.

    Who is calling the shots? Ayre is a business management and money man. Are the yanks in suits telling Rodgers who to play? No one else would have the authority to command something like that. A head scout or secret head of the transfer committee couldn't do it either, at least I don't think they could.

    The only time I saw Rodgers actually try to do something with Balo was his first game with Spurs, when he was paired with Sturridge in the diamond, just like the set up for most of the previous season. It lasted one game, never tried again. Balo never given any striker partner after that in any shape, and was later dropped completely. I don't see enough to suggest that he's been forced to play him and then eventually got fed up.


    Questionable team sheets is a fair point and I've head scratched at probably every single one this season, but half of those have been without Balo rather than with him.

    I don't agree with the shirt sales point either. That's not a lot of money in comparison to his transfer fee or even his weekly wage. Over a season I'm sure there's great commercial income but it would differentiate so far from just one signing. He's a maverick and attracts attention, but not financial book busting stuff.


    I do, however, agree with your assessment of Brendan's approach, it is gung ho. Treatment of Balo may not have directly cost Rodgers his job but his tactical failures all season long may eventually do so. A week or so and we will know the answer.

    ReplyDelete
  73. Mourinho's a pretty immature manager who hates strengthening rivals.
    The conversation with his agent would have gone like this " You can go abroad on a free, or if you want to stay in England you'll have to sit out the rest of your contract, we're not selling you to a rival"
    Numerous teams would have taken Demba Ba for £10m, but he goes Beskitas for £5m, Thats what will happen, no chance of him coming here

    ReplyDelete
  74. A GK is far from where we should be spending our limited money. A top striker, arguably 2 are needed, RB and CM all before a GK.

    ReplyDelete
  75. No the player Rodgers promised is Depay. Then he decided to sign for a manager who has won things

    ReplyDelete
  76. And, and that's why always miss out, on how many others are interested and whether they are willing to pay the asking price. When you're looking to sign a guy that clubs like Barca, Bayern etc are interested in, you know they will pay what is asked. If you go in to negotiate then, you might as well not bother

    ReplyDelete
  77. Well we did bring in 11 players in the summer with the 50 million we got for Sterling

    ReplyDelete
  78. Read the other day Alonso to Juve and Totti to us. Then why not just sign Alonso?

    ReplyDelete
  79. Why negotiate at all? Illaramendi and Benzema for Sterling. Done.

    ReplyDelete
  80. Mike Aitcheson3:21 pm, May 19, 2015

    Granted, but that specific figure was out there well before the interview, and the interviewer herself didn't present it as if it were a new piece of information they were revealing, rather asking for clarification on why it was rejected
    And I already said it was set up by Sterling/his agent. Sterling has to take the blame clearly

    ReplyDelete
  81. I think you are harsh on migs and based on current form I would 100% have him as our number 1. As for cech there is no way he will be joining us when arsenal and other big teams are in for him. I think we should sign a young keeper imo but in all other areas of the field we need experience!!

    ReplyDelete
  82. That's dependent upon the market though.


    If other teams of greater current stature are involved, then we will have to overpay to beat them.


    What bothers me is how we're willing to overpay for someone like Lallana or Lovren (at least in transfer fees), but not for Sanchez (in wages to change his mind about going to London).

    ReplyDelete
  83. From what I understand Sanchez turned down the bigger offer from Liverpool to play in London.

    ReplyDelete
  84. He did choose London. Albeit, I'm not sure if there was a disparity in the offers.

    The way I look it, every player has his price. Not to say that we should break the bank for Sanchez, but the fans need to understand that we would have had to make him an offer he couldn't refuse, which was probably not financially prudent for the club.

    ReplyDelete
  85. Well this is liverpool we ate talking about. Downing Carroll adam and balo allen aspas. That's the kind of signings we used to. It's not as if it's going to change over night.
    Because non of the top brass has any experience on how to run a top football Club.

    ReplyDelete
  86. Unfortunately, it would not be an isolated incident. If LFC had offered obscene amount of money to Sanchez in order to change his mind, this would have led to others wanting a raise in line with what Sanchez would have been offered. To an extent this happened with Sturridge - he was offered £150k pw in line with Suarez's pay rise.

    I think Henderson, Sterling as well as any new additions would expect a few more thousand as a result

    ReplyDelete
  87. If Sakho could remain injury free (big if I know), £17m would be a bargain. Considering David Luiz went for £50m & Thiago Silva for nearly £40m

    ReplyDelete
  88. Actually the £100k figure probably came from his agent, leaking details at the same time as planting stories about sterling potentially turning down £150k if it was offered and other stories even quoting higher. This is a simple negotiating tactic as once that number is in the public domain, the idea is that if £120k is the magic number then it looks a good deal in comparison to the numbers previously mooted in the press. Then, if a man city is willing to pay that, then people are asking why wouldn't liverpool pay the 'extra £20k a week' to finalise the deal. Classless and tasteless, but good briefing and negotiating tactics.

    ReplyDelete
  89. I agree with you.


    And that goes along with my line of thinking that it would not have been a financially prudent move for the club.

    ReplyDelete
  90. Stan Dinaround8:41 pm, May 19, 2015

    Assume the norm and we won't be dissappointed hey.....!

    ReplyDelete
  91. Stan Dinaround9:13 pm, May 19, 2015

    It's unacceptable, I agree, but we all have memeories of certain owners/chairman who really wish they were the manager, Abramovich did it with Schevchenko and Torres....It's not too much of a stretch to think of FSG doing the same, The transfer policy at LFC kinda creates a situation where it is more beneficial to have the new recruits playing as soon as possible to helpspeed up their development, and ultimately add he value that this transfer policy is geared towards..... It is a shocking concept to think that our manager is having to operate in such a situation, but just looking at Brendan, and his level of experience... He must have thought all his christmas's had come at once getting such a job... 8th richest club in football... You have to wonder just what he would put up with to keephis job, and it would shed some light on why FSG haven't replaced him yet, even after such a poor season... Whether it happens to be true or not, it does provide food for thought...

    ReplyDelete
  92. Well aren't u sick of being shot down back to earth.
    I know I am. I want be flying anymore thank u very much. I'm sick of being shot down. One of these days I may just die of disappointment. No body at the board room no anything about managing a top club anywhere in Europe.

    ReplyDelete
  93. very good :-)

    ReplyDelete
  94. In terms of his situation at the time of purchase, we still overpaid for him. He may very well be worth £17m to us, but we overpaid for him based on his value at the point of sale.

    ReplyDelete
  95. I could see Pastore costing a fair bit more than £20m and then he'd have big wages. I think the fact we overpaid for Markovic, Lovren and Lallana isn't a good argument for being less concerned about the fees we pay for other players. I think it favours my argument that we need to make sure we're not getting fleeced.

    ReplyDelete
  96. Pastore is on another level to Markovic and Lallana. At least you can say that Pastore is somewhat proven, in two decent leagues, opposed to the Markovic signing which has demonstrated no sense of return on investment or value for money.

    Whether we get fleeced or not is determined by the success of the incoming player and IMO Pastore would deliver far more than Markovic, Lallana, Sterling this season etc. We get fleeced for average-joe performers, it's worth aiming a little higher.

    ReplyDelete
  97. Mike Aitcheson1:01 am, May 20, 2015

    Knock yourself out.
    It won't make it any more or less true

    ReplyDelete
  98. It's not about London for every player. Man U and Man City manage to attract top players and there are 50km between Liverpool and Manchester? And most of them don't live in the city centre anyway. My point about paying the price for top players was that top players attract top clubs so we will never get them by negotiating. Paying the asking price is just a basic requirement to get to talk to the player in the first place. And that's where the negotiating should start.

    ReplyDelete
  99. Keep in mind that one only pays the asking price if there is competition for the player or if team seller doesn't actually want to sell.


    Hence, why we ended up paying Soton's asking price for Lovren and Lallana. They didn't want to sell but felt the couldn't turn down the offers.


    And then look at Balotelli, where we convinced Milan to sell him to us at zero profit for them... because there was no competition. I'm sure they wanted more, but we weren't inclined to pay it.

    ReplyDelete
  100. If we get Cech , he has to be our 1st option with Mig backing him otherwise it's not worth the cash simply to have him play backup and tbh,I'm sure h'd rather be backup at Chelsea instead of us.

    ReplyDelete
  101. Milan wanted to get rid because everyone in the world of football knows Balotelli is a never will be. That's why they were happy enough to take any money they could get for him. I'm sure they peshed their pants laughing when they realized how much they fleeced us for. Same goes for Southampton. If they really didn't want to sell they wouldn't have. They didn't need the money. But they realized they overachieved last year and this was the time to cash in. Then build a team that got them the exact same result with half the money. The money United paid for Shaw was just as big a joke really.

    ReplyDelete