I’ve spent years on TIA, now moved here. Been following Liverpool since 1983. I’d rather live in Barcelona though.
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Someone with the skin of KDB would absolutely melt in Barcelona,me too.
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With the figures being mentioned of around £15mill for him,it would make no sense selling him this window for that fee.
How do you replace a player of his quality,experience and knowledge of playing within our system for £15mill?? it’s not enough money to risk losing a player of his quality and weakening our squad depth at the same time,for the coming season.
If we get the option to buy Thiago and keep Gini on a new contract that would be perfect.
2nd best thing is to have both and let Gini leave for free next summer if he doesn’t sign a new deal.
3rd is Thiago in Gini out
Worse case scenario is selling Gini for £15-20mill now,missing out on Thiago and trying to find a decent player to replace him.
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Sturridge, Lallana, Can, Moreno, Clyne all were less important than Wijnaldum and we still did not cash in on them - why should we do now? With or without Corona we should value Gini around £35m. Maybe two years ago Barca would be able to pay £45m for him but since they are not even able to pay more than £20m we shouldn’t even consider picking up the phone.
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Wijnaldum has played 83% of possible PL minutes in the last two seasons. Next season will be the most intense season ever. To let him go would be suicidal.
We would fail trying to replace him with someone of Thiagos injury record in a less competitive league with lesser games than in England - 68% minutes played. -
‘but but but Thiago is a better footballer than Gini…’ and so was Coutinho but people forget that in the moment we sold Coutinho our midfield stabilized defensively - maybe two or three levels.
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Yes, we should keep Wijnaldum as he is a good player, rarely/never injured, and the games are coming thick and fast. But we will see what’s what soon enough.
Thiago is an excellent player who would give us that bit more in midfield, especially in the closer games where his quality would be more telling.
I’m greedy. I was Gini to sign a new deal and Thiago to come too.
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The way I see it is simple:
Thiago is a top class footballer, and if people want to think he could be an improvement on Wijnaldum that is fair enough. Thiago has played for Bayern, Barca and Spain. Won 9 out of the last 10 league titles, 2 Champions Leagues and a host of domestic cups. He is a brilliant player and it’s not undervaluing Gini to think that Thiago might be better. The fact Thiago isn’t as robust as Wijnaldum should not necessarily be a big problem given how many options we have.
The likes of Eriksen? No chance I’m taking him over Wijnaldum. I’d rather have a year of Wijnaldum and him leave for nothing than cash in and replace him with Eriksen, even if Eriksen was free. Gini is far, far better for us. I wouldn’t take any old ‘creative’ midfielder over Wijnaldum, it would have to be a top of the range one like Thiago who is also switched on defensively. Thiago and Coutinho are not all that comparable really, Thiago’s reading of the game, defensive positioning etc are levels above Coutinho’s.
The absolute best scenario is getting Thiago and keeping Gini. Those 2 plus Henderson could give us 4 or 5 more really good years which is a long time in football. That sort of quality and stability in the midfield would be priceless.
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From a club point of view, it would be well timed to announce Gini is staying the day before our first league game. Also allow Gini to play free of distraction/continued speculation.
Then have a busy week moving on fringe players and bring in a couple of new additions.
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If length of contract is the issue then it does present Jurgen… and Gini with a problem…!
For the simple reason that they will both be looking at Curtis Jones making progress each and every day… how good is he going to be at the end of a 3yr contract never mind the 4yr one Gini is supposedly holding out for…
Who knows… maybe Jurgen even has plans to move TAA into the middle soon also…?
I’ll guess it is going to be your second option he stays and he goes on a free and we pay €15M for Thiago?
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Seems to me, Alcantara is a must! Gini staying would push him give even more, while releasing him from duties he is less apt. The percentage of games played would be there around. The team would be truly compact, and could dictate any game! …But then, we have Keita (Kopp’s signing), Ox-homegrown!? (and Curtis role/development)…We have to give up of someone…JK says, they spoke with Gini hundreds of times!? and the status is still in limbo-It’s akward!
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he’s been underpaid here for what he’s contributed, from what i’ve heard/read about it, and even though the club acknowledges it, they’re not gonna start paying him like firmino or vvd on the next contract to make it up to him
i always remind myself that it’s easier to turn down more money when it’s a hypothetical
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Would be a counterproductive move to go to Barca now anyway; professionally, why leave Liverpool at such a great time.
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The wages isn’t the issue. The issue is the length of the contract
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A hard position for the club then, given Milners age and last extension.
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yeah but he’d make significantly more at barca in any case, and would be turning that down to stay
Just a little aside. Gini made 21 passes yesterday in 90 minutes. Curtis made 20 in 25 minutes.
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The irony that one of our players has used a link to Barca to gain a new deal (if he gets one).
We are usally the named club used in said contract negociations!
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If he gets a new contract, I dont think its because of the Barca link.
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A contract is already on the table which is mostly agreed.
The sticking point is length of contract
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Looks like Barca will shift to a 4-2-3-1 under Koeman.
Gini would probably complete 4 players for those 2 positions along with Busquets, Frenkie and Pjanic.
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