The way it’s being reported suggests that it’s a done deal if recent experience is anything to go by.
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There seems to be a lot now trying to confirm it like they knew all along. There has been talk for quite some time of our “interest” and even rumours of an attempt to sign him for this summer. Could be legit.
As such I’m going to ignore the doubts on injury and look at the positive of how he’s a perfect blueprint at CB for us and still only 21;
I also kind of believe the rumours of us actually wanting two CBs, although the rumours stats one older more established and one younger more a prospect I think I’m more inclined to believe age isn’t the factor. More one to challenge for starts even when everyone is fit and one to be a real good prospect who can offer cover for now. Konate could be the starter and Kabak the prospect still if we are happy with both. Both are traditionally RCB but both can play LCB so not that worried about that.
Maybe we’re buying both? I know it seems incredibly luxurious (for us) but I’m thinking next season we are still going to be suffering a hangover from this season’s injuries. No way Matip plays more than 20 games next season and Gomez takes ages to get over injuries. I’m assuming JK is itching to get Fabinho back into midfield on a permanent basis as well. I think we need to buy two.
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This has been my thinking. A slow easement of VVD back into a week in week out starter over the first half of the season. Gomez there’s not actually any guarantee yet he’ll play a part at all next season and it may take longer than VvD to get back up to speed. Can’t rely on Matip even if he is here. So for me we need two CBs who are good enough and compatible enough to start together for the start of the season.
My assumption is we will buy both of Kabak and Konate then roll with van Dijk, Gomez, Matip, Konate and Kabak.
In fairness his injury record basically shows one serious injury that kept him out for a year and an ankle injury that kept him out for two months. If we get scared off by that we will never sign anyone.
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I don’t think we’ll buy Kabak if we buy Konate.
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I wonder if this was in the pipeline during the winter window and we were trying to get it done then, hence a delay on other pending deals and working to avoid a loan to buy deal on Kabak.
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Apparently not according to some on here. We screwed up in January as if we actually have no idea what we’re doing. We also apparently screwed up in the Summer failing to predict an unprecedented injury crisis and a pandemic would happen at the same time.
Seriously though, your suggestion has a lot of merit to be honest.
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Read somewhere that Kabak is worth almost twice than what we would have to pay for him.
We could buy him and cash in next year.
“Worth” is something that is pretty vague, nobody can really determine that. Not even an “unofficial” fan-made site like transfermarkt (they can give a pretty good idea and they’re consistent with it).
I could see the logic, Real did something similar with Morata when they activated the buy-back clause from Juve and then sold him for a big fee to Chelsea a year after.
But in a year like this, I don’t think we can afford playing that game. When/if we buy Konate, I expect us to move onto a central midfielder and a forward and the rest of the focus will go to reducing the numbers in the squad.
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If we hadn’t drawn them in the CL then maybe we could have got it done in January. Once that draw was made though there was no way they’d let him come to us in that window.
It’s an interesting one and Ornstein is pretty much bang on the money these days. He was one of the first to say our 2019 summer was going to be extremely quiet and he got absolute pelters for that at the time but he was very much correct on that. The Athletic like to see themselves as above your usual transfer rumour mongering for clicks type content so I’d imagine this is pretty solid for them to go big on it.
Injuries have to be a concern but that’s more so in light of the season we’ve had of them in that position but it seems unlikely he makes the French squad for the Euros so hopefully a rested summer and a chance to bed in.
Always thought Upamecano got all the attention because he was the flashier of the two but Konate was perhaps technically the better player and certainly looked more of a calm and assured presence.
Question is, can we afford to spend £40m on him and £18m on Kabak and run with five (plus Phillips and Davies) centre backs next year. We know VVD is back in the side as soon as we feel comfortable he’s fit so are we worried about his long term fitness or Gomez getting back to where he was? Or does this mean Kabak deal won’t be made permanent.
As weird as it sounds after this season, this wasn’t an area I thought we’d spend £40m on this summer, let alone the better part of £60m. Would concern me about what we’re doing in midfield and up front if we brought in both and for the long term fitness of one or both of VVD and Gomez.
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He’s basically on an extended trial. If he does well for us I imagine we will buy him. Even if that means buying him and Konate.
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In a better situation, maybe. In a year like this, I don’t think so. I doubt we can quickly find a buyer for Matip or Gomez. No big deal if Kabak goes elsewhere and becomes a good player. Sometimes you have to make decisions and you can’t have them all.
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Failing to predict the pandemic last summer would be interesting as we were in it. The only unprecedented part of our injury crisis is VvD being out with a season ending injury (and even then only the length, he was well overdue some form of injury with how often we were playing him). Gomez and Matip aren’t surprises. Henderson actually isn’t that surprising either. Playing players week in week out till they break down (Henderson, Matip, Fabinho) also isn’t that unpredictable due to them being so much better than the alternative options within the squad.
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I love when we are basically announcing a transfer out of nowhere.
I know this lad has been linked but to see the headline this morning “closing in on transfer” is so much better than it being drawn out for weeks
I think what this season has told Klopp is Henderson and Fabinho should not be considered as options at the back. He may have had to due to budget restrictions, but going forward he’ll want good depth.
I think Gini gets replaced if he leaves, or stays… Then our other target is CF.
Note both positions were covered by Pearce a few weeks ago in his article about the summer as our priority, so looks like we are moving early for the first piece.
Also very nice to know we can and will invest on top players without CL confirmed.
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I don’t remember but how did he play against us?
Doesn’t half remind me of Matip.
He was on the bench in both games and didn’t come on.
I fully agree. I was never a fan of the idea that three plus Fabinho was sufficient as he’s such an important player in midfield for us. But if we were to go with five centre backs I’d have thought Davies/Phillips would have been number five on that list. You might be able to pay for half of Kabak by selling both of them but we couldn’t carry VVD, Gomex, Matip, Konate and Kabak for more than a season. The wages alone would be astronomical let alone looking at game time and forming partnerships.
I think Gini is off so we probably need one more in there but we might just be able to get away with not replacing him this summer given the numbers we have for that area already but that would mean more games for Milner and needing Ox and Naby to stay fit and up their game.
Up top we have to buy a centre froward. We can’t keep running Bobby into the ground season after season. Minamino hasn’t worked out and Origi is contributing less and less each season so it’s an area we know needs looking at.
You’re right though, good to see we can potentially attract top players despite missing out on CL football this season.
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