Liverpool mailbag: Origi and Shaqiri’s futures, contract renewals and Elliott’s role this seasonBy
James Pearce 3h ago
We asked for your questions and the Liverpool mailbag was soon bulging with more than 300 of them.
There was a common theme — transfers. Clearly, there’s concern over the lack of incomings this summer with £35 million centre-back Ibrahima Konate still the only new arrival at Anfield.
What’s likely to happen over the final month of the window, the situation with player contracts, how Liverpool will line up when the serious business starts and which youngsters are ready to make the breakthrough in 2021-22, all featured heavily. This is your mailbag…..
Do you think our current squad is good enough to win the Premier League? (Christopher M)
How are you feeling about squad depth at the moment? I’ve no doubt that we have a group of 14 or so players that no rival team can better but I must admit the large squads that City, Chelsea and even United have is a worry. Especially with AFCON this year… (Sam R)I share your concern currently about whether Liverpool have sufficient depth in midfield and in the frontline. I think they need two more signings — a central midfielder and an attacker who can play through the middle. I know that Fabinho won’t be needed at centre-back this season, Jordan Henderson is fit again, Thiago is expected to be much more influential and Curtis Jones will have a bigger role to play. But Georginio Wijnaldum played so much football, I do think it would be a mistake not to replace him, especially with Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s previous injury issues.
Liverpool also need someone else to compete with the established front three and Diogo Jota. The drop off to Divock Origi and Takumi Minamino is too big. I also think some people are too quick to forget that this squad finished third despite an unprecedented injury crisis. With key personnel back fit Liverpool will be stronger this season, regardless of what business they do before the deadline. But I’d say they are still two signings away from giving me the belief that they can finish above Manchester City.
Who do you see being the centre-half partnership for the opening game against Norwich? (Johnny D)As things stand I’d say Joel Matip and Ibrahima Konate. It’s great to see Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez back in action but I’m expecting their minutes to be increased slowly over the coming weeks after so long out. There’s no need to take any risks with them.
What is the plan with Ben Davies? Will they loan/sell him and sell Nat Phillips too? Seems like that would leave us short on centre-backs again. (Mike E)Now Van Dijk and Gomez are back, Liverpool are prepared to let Davies leave. Last week they rejected an initial loan offer from Sheffield United, who wanted an option to buy him next summer. He’s also attracting interest from Celtic and Bournemouth.
As for Phillips, he’s available for around £12 million to £15 million. There have been plenty of enquiries but no firm offers to my knowledge. Burnley, Brighton, Newcastle and Southampton have all been in contact. If there’s an offer in the coming weeks which is right for the club and right for the player, Liverpool won’t stand in his way. If not, Klopp will happily keep him as back-up.
Personally, I’d like to see Phillips stay put but, if not, Klopp still has Rhys Williams and Billy Koumetio as well as his four frontline senior centre-backs which should be sufficient.
When are you going to announce Mbappe? (Michael C)Could be a long wait for that one…..
Is the Wolves offer for Origi real or made up by internet ITKs? (Aman S)
In 2019 Origi signed a new long-term contract. Do you know how long it is and how would that influence the club’s valuation? (Ching Yat C)
Any update on Shaqiri and Origi potentially leaving? (Calum)I was told this week that talk of Wolves bidding £10 million for Origi was utter nonsense. He’s someone they have pursued previously but there’s been no recent approach. Wolves actually agreed a £22 million fee with Liverpool in 2018 but the player didn’t want to go there. Origi’s current deal runs until 2024. Liverpool are open to offers. Back in January they were after £20 million for the Belgium international but I think they would take £15 million now.
Xherdan Shaqiri is keen to leave and Liverpool will grant him his wish if they get a suitable offer. He’s valued at around £12 million. Lazio and Napoli are keen and Michael Edwards has also previously fielded interest from Sevilla and Villarreal.
Does Jordan Henderson get a new deal or will he leave this/next summer? (Tahir I)I certainly don’t see a situation where Henderson leaves this summer. What happens beyond then is unclear. Ideally, he would have had a new contract sorted going into the new season but, as The Athletic revealed recently, talks over an extension just haven’t progressed. It’s a tricky one and I can see it from both sides. Henderson’s current deal takes him up to the age of 33 in 2023. The reality for Liverpool is that they have bigger priorities currently – underlined by securing Trent Alexander-Arnold, Fabinho and Alisson on new contracts over the past week.
But Henderson has been so crucial to the success Liverpool have enjoyed in recent years and I still believe he’s got so much to offer at the highest level. Sometimes there’s so much focus on his leadership that his qualities as an elite midfielder are overlooked. I’d love to see him stay at Anfield until the day he hangs up his boots.
What I would say is that for Henderson, this isn’t about money, this is about feeling wanted. He wants Liverpool to see him as still being absolutely integral to the team beyond 2023. Clearly, what’s currently on the table doesn’t suggest that’s the case. It’s going to be interesting to see how things develop.
Is Keita staying for another year? What’s the point though? He only has a year left after this season. His market value is only going to plummet unless he shows a phenomenal performance throughout the year. Are Liverpool really banking on that? (Anfield K)Yes, unless there’s a dramatic change of heart, Keita is staying put. He has looked very sharp in pre-season. The big question is whether he can stay fit and belatedly show us all on a consistent basis what we know he’s capable of. I can see the club’s logic. He cost £52.75 million. If Liverpool had tried to sell him this summer in the current COVID-affected market they would have been lucky to get £15 million for him. That would have been a hefty loss and Klopp genuinely still believes in him. Keita himself hasn’t shown any interest in wanting to move. He’s happy at Liverpool. He wants to prove himself.
Yes, his current deal only runs until 2023, but if he shines this season he will still be worth a lot more next summer than he was this summer. He might even earn himself a new contract. This season really is make-or-break for him at Anfield.
Kaide Gordon looks to have impressed and caught the eye in pre-season. Are there any young players we should look out for this coming season? Who could possibly feature in the domestic cups? (Craig G)Gordon is still only 16 but he’s definitely one to watch. I can see him making a senior debut this season in the League Cup. Owen Beck, Tyler Morton, Conor Bradley and Mateusz Musialowski will also be in the mix. James Balagizi wasn’t involved with the senior squad in pre-season due to injury but I really like him. He’s got everything you’d want in a central midfielder and I’m excited about his potential.
Do you think Klopp will try a formation with a back three while using Robbo and TAA as wing-backs? Or do you think he’ll stick to his 4-3-3? (Marc S)Klopp does like having the element of surprise but I’d be amazed if he shifted to a back three this season. If he tweaks his 4-3-3, I think we’re more likely to see 4-2-3-1 or even the 4-2-4 we saw on occasions last season. Liverpool’s best XI for me based on current personnel when everyone is fit includes a midfield three of Fabinho, Henderson and Thiago with Salah, Jota and Mane in the frontline.
How will the homegrown player rule affect Liverpool’s transfer strategy? (Stephen F)It is a factor as each Premier League club can only register up to 17 non-homegrown players in their squad of 25. Liverpool currently have the full quota. That’s why further outgoings before there are any more incomings isn’t just about money, it’s also about making space.
What will be the front three against Norwich? (Karan N)I’m going for Salah, Mane and Jota. Roberto Firmino has obviously only just returned for pre-season and I don’t see him being an automatic starter anymore given the downturn in his output last season and the impact of Jota.
After Alisson, which contract extension is the most likely to be agreed next? (Kraig W)There are a few in the pipeline. I can see Van Dijk being next. Liverpool are also looking to tie down Salah, Mane and Andy Robertson. Salah is the big one for me. His record is sensational and if Liverpool can get him to put pen to paper then it would be a massive boost. You don’t want him entering his final year next summer.
Didn’t the club state that the RedBird investment would help them function as normal throughout this transfer window? Other clubs are strengthening and we’re falling behind. (Keshav G)Just to be clear, RedBird bought 10 per cent of FSG, not 10 per cent of Liverpool FC. I was told that investment would help the club absorb the impact of the pandemic, which had seen revenues dip by more than £120 million, and also enable the club to push on with the redevelopment of the Anfield Road End. That’s been the case. It was never going to lead to a massive transfer kitty.
Liverpool’s net spend a year ago was around £30 million, with about £50 million of their £80 million outlay recouped by sales. So far this summer they have spent £35 million on Konate and sold £30 million worth of talent, although Fulham won’t start repaying the £12 million for Harry Wilson until 2022. It might not be the kind of expenditure a lot of fans want to see but new deals for key players also don’t come cheap. Player retention is a big part of Michael Edwards’ work this summer.
Is there any future plan for a squad overhaul with the ageing squad? (Magnus S)Yes, there’s an acceptance among the club’s hierarchy that the squad needs to be refreshed. I’d expect that process to really step up a gear in 2022. They can’t allow too many of the players to grow old together. That was one of the factors in letting Wijnaldum leave for nothing. The overhaul needs to happen gradually. For example, you can’t find yourself in a position where you are trying to replace all the front three around the same time.
You’ve mentioned it’s unrealistic to expect all of the front three to have their contracts renewed and that Mane and Salah are both in line for extensions. Does that mean we should expect this to be Firmino’s final season at the club? (Jack S)
The front three are all 29 and their current deals run until they are 31. You can’t commit vast sums of cash to keep them all until they are 33 or 34. Salah is the priority and then Mane. I think Liverpool will do everything they possibly can to get Salah to sign a new deal. If he doesn’t then you either have to consider selling him next summer or accept you run the risk of losing him for nothing in 2023. Firmino is clearly the most vulnerable. His contribution did dip significantly last season. What happens with him depends to a large extent whether Salah and Mane sign, and whether he gets back to his best in 2021-22.
Do you see Harvey Elliott staying at Liverpool this season or loaned out? If he’s going to stay, where do you see him playing? (James P)Elliott will stay put. He’s been great in pre-season. Klopp loves versatility in players and that’s why he’s experimented with the 18-year-old in an advanced midfield role. He can play there but I still think we’re more likely to see him being used as an impact sub playing wide in the front three.
What are the chances of us landing Saul in your opinion James? (Muhammad B)Unless there’s a change of heart from Liverpool, I can’t see it. He’s been offered around to a host of clubs but his wage demands are massive.
When is Thiago back in training? (Darren A)Klopp hopes to have him back in full training early next week. He reported back for pre-season with a minor issue.
Are Liverpool looking to sign Jonathan David or Renato Sanches from Lille? (Mike E)As I reported last summer, David was on Liverpool’s shortlist when they signed Jota. The third name was Ismaila Sarr. I’m sure they have continued to monitor David’s progress but I’m not aware of any fresh approach. I reported recently that West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen was also under consideration when it came to attacking targets. As for Sanches, whenever he’s been linked Liverpool have distanced themselves from that speculation.
Is it true you are a black belt in Kung Fu? (Alexander J)That is wide of the mark.
Any shot at Harry Kane? (Mike P)Absolutely no chance. Daniel Levy wants £150 million for a 28-year-old and then you’ve got crazy wages on top. That’s not a deal for Liverpool.
Any chance Tsimikas starts a few PL games this season? (Athan M)Yes. There’s a belief among the staff that the Greece international will be much better equipped to ease the burden on Robertson this season. It was a tough first year for him at Liverpool with the injuries and struggling to adapt to what Klopp demanded from him. Defensively, he still needs to improve but there have been some promising signs.
I know COVID-19 has had an impact but the club must have money to spend. Sponsorships abound, we won the Champions League and the Premier League. The team hasn’t evolved or been properly invested in. Why do FSG never speculate to accumulate? (Mark D)I’d say the team has evolved to a degree. Jota and Thiago arrived last summer and I’d have both of them in Liverpool’s best starting XI. The priority this summer was another centre-half and Konate ticked that box. I understand the current sense of frustration at the lack of incomings but the accounts are there for all to see. Liverpool’s wage bill has rocketed to £325 million.
The business model is very different to say Manchester City or Chelsea. FSG don’t take any money out of the club but neither do they put money in. You could argue that having turned a £300 million investment into one worth around £3 billion, they should do. But I think the time to properly assess this transfer window is when it has closed. A lot can change between now and deadline day.
Which club does the best food in the press room? Did Wigan just give you a pie? (Lee C)The last time I went to Wigan there were a selection of pies in the press room with a helpful colour-coded guide on the wall telling you what flavours were on offer. Glorious.
The best Premier League clubs in terms of hospitality for the media are Chelsea and Arsenal. Tottenham and Leicester City complete my top four. Those perks bit the dust when football returned behind closed doors after the first lockdown. The only treats over the past 18 months have involved the Echo’s Ian Doyle dishing out Club biscuits at half-time.
Typically, Liverpool like to get their business done early. Klopp has spoken about getting new signings in for pre-season. But last year Jota and Thiago signed in mid-September and then in January both Davies and Kabak came in very late. So far this summer we have only signed Konate. Why the shift in approach? (Luke M)The financial impact of the pandemic. Transfers come down to availability and affordability. Over the past year the landscape hasn’t been clear for Liverpool until the back end of the transfer windows. Sometimes you have to bide your time in order to get the deal you want. That’s what happened last year with the structure of the deals they agreed for Thiago and Jota.
Do you envisage Liverpool signing anyone else in this window? (Ben H)It depends what else happens in terms of outgoings. Clearly, if Shaqiri and Origi both leave then Liverpool will need to sign an attacking player. I hope they also bring in a central midfielder.
Last pre-season you were obviously spot on about needing another centre-back unfortunately, do you think the forward situation at the moment is equally as precarious? (Mark)I definitely think it’s an area of the squad that needs to be reinforced. Elliott will have a role to play this season and he’s such a gifted young player. That loan at Blackburn did him the world of good. But it’s the lack of options through the middle that worries me. Liverpool need another No 9. They need an upgrade on Origi. I’d love to be proved wrong but I do fear that Firmino’s best days are behind him.
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