Topic: LIVERPOOL TRANSFER THREAD - WELCOME, 'A PLAYER'!!

[Skeeve]

Given his continuing problems with never being available when we need him, we should probably be looking to make two signings and give up on really considering Matip, treat him as a bonus when he is actually available.

[HardworkDedication]

KLOPP PICK Liverpool identify their chief transfer target after Virgil van Dijk injury sparks change in transfer stance

Sunday World
October 24 2020 11:00 PM

Liverpool have identified RB Leipzig defender Dayot Upamecano as a chief transfer target as they look to fill the void left by the injury to Virgil van Dijk.

The Premier League champions are set to be without Van Dijk for the rest of this season after he damaged knee ligaments in a clash with Everton keeper Jordan Pickford last weekend.

Now they are set to step up their interest in 21-year-old Frenchman Upamecano, who was already on Liverpool's list of potential targets before Van Dijk's injury.

Sources in Germany have told the Sunday World that Leipzig are expecting Liverpool to make a move to sign their centre-back in January, with an offer in excess of £40m hard for them to turn down.

"It will be tough to find a quality player in January, it Liverpool need to do it if they want to keep their ambitions for this season on track," says Sunday World columnist and Anfield great John Aldridge.

"It might be that he needs to drop the defensive line back, try to play with a little more caution and look to the front three of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino to win matches and he tries to get to January 1st without too much damage inflicted on the season.

"The option of using Fabinho in that role looked decent when Van Dijk was in the mix, but they look horribly short in that key position now and it means a move into the transfer market might now be the only solution."

Upamecano recently put pen to paper on a new contract with RB Leipzig, committing himself to the club until 2023.

Yet there are suggestions that the deal included a €42m release clause that will be active next summer, so it remains to be seen whether the German side would consider selling one of their star men mid-way through the season.

While Liverpool have not made any formal moves to sign Upamecano at this stage, he fits the age demographic of players recruited by the club in recent years and could be a valuable asset for the next decade if he is to arrive at Anfield.

A move for Upamecano would represent a change in transfer policy for Liverpool, after they opted not to sign a central defender despite the exit of Dejan Lovren last summer.

https://www.sundayworld.com/sport/soccer/liverpool-identify-their-chief-transfer-target-after-virgil-van-dijk-injury-sparks-change-in-transfer-stance-39664279.html

[Something Worse]

I feel like I know the answer but is this a legit source?

[Samie]

You're asking if Sunday World is a legit source?    SUNDAY WORLD!!

[Something Worse]

You're asking if Sunday World is a legit source?    SUNDAY WORLD!!

Someone ban this guy from the transfer thread!!!

[Barefoot Doctor]

I don’t think we’ll do this, but there’s an argument that we should sign a mid-profile CB in winter, to help us through the season - and then trigger Upamecano’s clause in the summer to replace Matip.

[PeterTheRed ...]

I think that Ozan Kabak is a much stronger possibility in January. He is cheaper than Upamecano, and since Schalke have 5 other central defenders, they could be willing to sell him in January in order to improve other areas on their team.

As for Upamecano, with Leipzig involved in the Champions League and in the Bundesliga title race, and with Klostermann out with a knee surgery, I doubt that he will be available in January.

[Reeves]

I think that Ozan Kabak is a much stronger possibility in January. He is cheaper than Upamecano, and since Schalke have 5 other central defenders, they could be willing to sell him in January in order to improve other areas on their team.

As for Upamecano, with Leipzig involved in the Champions League and in the Bundesliga title race, and with Klostermann out with a knee surgery, I doubt that he will be available in January.

Plenty of links with Kabak. Are either tall enough though?

[PeterTheRed ...]

Plenty of links with Kabak. Are either tall enough though?

Well, they are both 6'1", but it seems that Kabak is better in the air, with Upamecano being better with the ball in his feet ...

[rawcusk8]

I don’t get this tall enough argument, some shorter defenders and attackers are very good in the air. I agree we need a aerially dominating CB but I wouldn’t rule anyone out because they aren’t the same height as Virgil.

[rocco]

Personally think RB Leipzig's CB Ibrahima Konate is a better choice
 
Scratch that after looking at his recent injury record

[Legs]

Well, they are both 6'1", but it seems that Kabak is better in the air, with Upamecano being better with the ball in his feet ...

Koulibaly is also 6ft 1 too I thought he was taller than that but he isnt.

[jonnypb]

I don’t think we’ll do this, but there’s an argument that we should sign a mid-profile CB in winter, to help us through the season - and then trigger Upamecano’s clause in the summer to replace Matip.

Would really like to see Upamecano here and I don’t see us being able to get him in January. However, with his release clause next summer a club might be willing to test the water with an offer of slightly more. It could be money well spent rather than buying a stop gap in January, especially if players like Thiago and Keita stay stay fit as Fab can help out at CB when Matip or Gomez aren’t available.

[Barefoot Doctor]

Would really like to see Upamecano here and I don’t see us being able to get him in January. However, with his release clause next summer a club might be willing to test the water with an offer of slightly more. It could be money well spent rather than buying a stop gap in January, especially if players like Thiago and Keita stay stay fit as Fab can help out at CB when Matip or Gomez aren’t available.

Leipzig are tough negotiators. Remember when we tried to bring Keita here early in January 2018, and they were asking for an extra £15-20m.

They’ll know Upamecano is a goner in the summer, but I think to get him in January you’d be looking at something like £50-55m which is a bit mad when his release clause is something like £38m. Now, someone might pay that to steal a march, but I don’t see us doing that.

I think if we’re signing a CB, it’ll be like the Minamino deal and it’ll be announced a few weeks before the window opens, with the player joining us at the very start of January.

[Legs]

There is a chance we sign Kabak in Jan and Upamecano in the summer.

We will more than likely sell Shaqiri Origi Wilson these 3 will possibly fetch us around £50-60m in the market.

[classycarra]

The Kabak stuff seems pretty textbook us planting a story. Then we come out firmly denying the speculation, until people think we wont be rushing into the transfer market. Until we find an opportunity we like, and close it off quickly (maybe in advance of the summer)

[El Lobo]

There is a chance we sign Kabak in Jan and Upamecano in the summer.

We will more than likely sell Shaqiri Origi Wilson these 3 will possibly fetch us around £50-60m in the market.

Careful with that, treeless whopper will be in soon to tell you we won’t get £15 million for those three

[JerseyKloppite]

Can’t see us signing Kabak after he got a 5 game ban for spitting at someone.

[dudleyred]

Can’t see us signing Kabak after he got a 5 game ban for spitting at someone.

Agree entirely.  Just paper talk or diversionary tactics.

Also can't see us doing a deal this early

[Skeeve]

Would really like to see Upamecano here and I don’t see us being able to get him in January. However, with his release clause next summer a club might be willing to test the water with an offer of slightly more. It could be money well spent rather than buying a stop gap in January, especially if players like Thiago and Keita stay stay fit as Fab can help out at CB when Matip or Gomez aren’t available.

Signing somebody along the lines of Kabak (however doubtful he might be) would not be a stop-gap though, he'd be part of the squad and if we still wanted Upamecano in the summer, it'd be Matip who would make way as we cannot rely on him to even be available when needed as a backup nowadays.

[Samie]

Reports saying Liverpool are in talks with Schalke are true.
There wasn't an official bid for Kabak from LFC yet [@SPORT1]

[Barefoot Doctor]

Agree entirely.  Just paper talk or diversionary tactics.

Also can't see us doing a deal this early

No idea if the Kabak links are genuine, but it wouldn’t be surprising if we’re already talking to clubs about potential deals. It’s just over two months till the window opens, and we’d probably want a deal sorted in advance of that.

[Welshred]

No idea if the Kabak links are genuine, but it wouldn’t be surprising if we’re already talking to clubs about potential deals. It’s just over two months till the window opens, and we’d probably want a deal sorted in advance of that.

No doubt that we will want someone to join us bang on January 1st

[Sangria]

Plenty of links with Kabak. Are either tall enough though?

Koumetio and Rhys are both giants, aren't they? Do we need physically commanding CBs for most games? IIRC we once brought in Ayala against Stoke, with the sole purpose of heading away everything that came his way.

[PeterTheRed ...]

Can’t see us signing Kabak after he got a 5 game ban for spitting at someone.

He seems to be pretty nasty ...

https://youtu.be/7Lan7AenQVY

[TepidT2O]

The echo saying the Kabak story is Schalke trying to drive a deal by advertising Liverpool’s ‘interet’.

[Ghost Town]

The echo saying the Kabak story is Schalke trying to drive a deal by advertising Liverpool’s ‘interet’.

Welcome to Liverpool, Ozan.


(Here's a pack of tissues)

[rawcusk8]

The echo saying the Kabak story is Schalke trying to drive a deal by advertising Liverpool’s ‘interet’.

As Ghost Town says, Welcome to Liverpool! They really dropped a bollock with the whole Thiago is not an active target, can’t be trusted as a serious source, you should know better Tepid.

[Reeves]

I don’t get this tall enough argument, some shorter defenders and attackers are very good in the air. I agree we need a aerially dominating CB but I wouldn’t rule anyone out because they aren’t the same height as Virgil.

I have all the memories of us being shite in the air defensively (bullied at corners) for about 30 years except for when we had Sammi or VVD. I think one of the two needs to be tall and aerially dominant.

[aw1991]

I'd still take The Echo over Sunday World and RMCsport

[Flaccido Dongingo]

What with the Powershift©™® wouldn't it be the Blue Echo now?

[Barefoot Doctor]

I'd still take The Echo over Sunday World and RMCsport

Every report from every outlet should be taken with a pinch of salt. But at least with the Echo their info comes from the club - that doesn't mean it's true, as we've seen many times in the past, but it's more valuable than a lot of reporting out there. On Kabak, I'd tend to believe that if the club is saying the links are just agent noise then that's the reality.

Thought this was a good piece on potential CB recruits - looking at some of the names already mentioned but flagging Caleta-Car at Marseille as a possibility. Big lad, really strong aerial stats. Spent four years at Salzburg before moving to Marseille and is only 24. Much like Virgil, he plays LCB although is right-footed.

https://marginalpains.substack.com/p/finding-the-virgil-van-dijk-replacement

[ApfelStudel]

It seems like its a good time to be in the market for a CB. There are several CBs that would be a great addition to our team - which would put us in a good negotiation spot. I would love to get Upamecano, the several times I have watched him he has been really impressive. I would however not be dissapointed if we end up with a Caleta-Car, Kabak, or even a Wesley Fofana type (he seems like quite a good defender considering he is still only 19).

[BJ]

Do we  make a habit of identifying chief transfer targets and telling the  world?  Edwards and Klopp will have had names in mind.  They obviously didn’t see it as a priority. did anybody?  Soyuncu looks decent at  Leister.

[PeterTheRed ...]

Thought this was a good piece on potential CB recruits - looking at some of the names already mentioned but flagging Caleta-Car at Marseille as a possibility. Big lad, really strong aerial stats. Spent four years at Salzburg before moving to Marseille and is only 24. Much like Virgil, he plays LCB although is right-footed.

https://marginalpains.substack.com/p/finding-the-virgil-van-dijk-replacement

Even though I am a big fan of us getting Nikola Milenkovic from Fiorentina, Duje Caleta-Car would also be a great addition.

[Knight]

Every report from every outlet should be taken with a pinch of salt. But at least with the Echo their info comes from the club - that doesn't mean it's true, as we've seen many times in the past, but it's more valuable than a lot of reporting out there. On Kabak, I'd tend to believe that if the club is saying the links are just agent noise then that's the reality.

Thought this was a good piece on potential CB recruits - looking at some of the names already mentioned but flagging Caleta-Car at Marseille as a possibility. Big lad, really strong aerial stats. Spent four years at Salzburg before moving to Marseille and is only 24. Much like Virgil, he plays LCB although is right-footed.

https://marginalpains.substack.com/p/finding-the-virgil-van-dijk-replacement

On this particular transfer I agree but seeing as the club almost certainly brief journos that they are interested in players that they're not (or not seriously interested) AND they brief journos that they're not interested when they are, I'm not sure what the Echo says means much either way these days.

[deFacto please, you bastards]

Even though I am a big fan of us getting Nikola Milenkovic from Fiorentina, Duje Caleta-Car would also be a great addition.

Think you're overrating him just a bit.

[TheYashLFC]

Well, we can only put 2 of them in the starting line-up, and 1 on the bench. What type of a 4th choice central defender would you like, considering that he might get very little playing time?

I think that you just want a shiny new toy, and that you don't have the slightest idea what type of a 4th choice central defender we need.

I only "wanted a shiny new toy"... what an idiot.

[Ciara (with a capital "C")]

Can we sign anyone on a free at the moment? Are there no free agents we could sign, to make up the numbers even?

It is bare bones stuff now.

[Samie]

Yeah we can but none of them are any good and the one player we could sign who was good is Ezekiel Garay but he's old now.

Safe to say Michael Edwards better be signing someone on January 1st.