Contract until 2030 apparently
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He has a release clause though, so it matters not.
I meant, we’re giving him a contract until 2030
Ah…my bad.
Only a 5 year contract? Fuck he’s already trying to manipulate his exit on a free.
Jezah out!
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So, this has legs apparently. A reasonably good full back for 35m looks like pretty good business in these crazy inflationary times. He’ll be on lower wages than Trent initially, so that’s that as well.
The first thing I looked up was his injury record. Bar one bad spell in spring 2022, he looks good on that record.
He’s also in the ideal age to make that proverbial step up, so that’s a thumbs up.
Being Dutch, Slot will know him well enough to pass judgment on whether he can use him effectively or not.
He’s pacy, more pacy than Trent.
Of course, all this is as usual no guarantee that he will be a success here, and I haven’t seen him enough to pass any kind of judgment on the player, but on paper, it looks like a good move from the club.
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Is it weird that I’m cold on this is because it’s too obvious?
I have come to expect the hidden gem that’s on no one’s radar. Sort of how we got Slot, when everyone thought that Alonso and then Amorim were the clear favourites.
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I think that is completely reasonable. It’s been part of the fun of this period of this club
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From what I have seen of him in the Bundesliga, I find him a very exiting player to watch. Presumably, the stats guys can see whether he fits in with our squad or not.
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Would you feel better if we suddenly announced the signing of Bebe who is playing in Ibiza now and Slot went to Ibiza …
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Szoboszlai was one of those also
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After seeing this, I am worried as fuck too!
Bit strong no? If he signs and is shite he won’t play.
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So… flexibility.
Great, but is his sort of flexibility the right one for us?
Just how well he will play at RB and how well at RW?
I like flexible players, but it still needs to be the right player and the right sort of flexibility.
Jota’s flexibility was part of why we brought him, Klopp spoke of his ability to play across the front line (obviously better on the left and central than on the right). It’s different to telling Frimpong to play a little bit in defence in a back 4 and then to play a little bit as a right winger.
Riise was a player who was at times a LB and a LW. To mixed success, sometimes better, sometimes worse. But when I said Jota I was thinking about known flexibility at the moment of signing a player.
You can have a player who can play two or more positions (and this is a midfielder who can play two different roles, but someone who would, what, play a little bit as a RB in a back 4 and a RW?), but none of them to the style and level required.
We cannot predict the future, there are no guarantees on paper in some positions (especially the fight Bradley and Frimpong might have), but surely we have a general, main plan where he will mostly be used. So far, judging by reports, it seems he will be viewed as a RB.
We’re not doing this (I bloody hope so) because he’s homegrown, has a relatively low release clause and as for his position… ah, who cares, we’ll see with time if it’s more RB or RW. We must have a clearer vision than that. The rest are possibilites and reactions to situations.
It’s interesting how Slot uses his full backs (more on the inside and and our two main options for RB and LB are players who are pacy, energetic, love attacking down wide areas. One of which who has made a name for himself by playing like a very high RW.
Is it possible that we are changing something? Maybe.
Is it possible that those players can play a bit differently or evolve? Maybe.
But this is far from a no brainer situation.
It’s something we’ll have to see what we have in mind and if it will work once pre-season begins.
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If we sign him its because Slot and his team, and Hughes see him as having the requirements we need.
Amateur tacticians can second guess all they want.
I trust the professionals. Slot has been exceptional thus far with an inherited group of players. His own type of player added to the mix will see a growth in the team.
We get the odd transfer wrong.
But we should trust the future.
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I’m not entirely convinced but then thinking about I couldn’t come up with any alternatives that would be attainable, have that required game experience in a top league we like, play in the way we’d want and hit the usual age and cost profile we like.
If we didn’t have Conor Bradley then he’d probably be the best option. But we do and looking round I think there’s just a dearth of good up and coming right backs. They’re all either still very early in careers, too old or at clubs we’d struggle to get to sell.
He may not be perfect but perhaps he’s the best fit of what’s out there and they’re confident of being able to work with him. With Bradley and Gomez as options it’s not like we need him to hit the ground running and start the first 20 games of the season.
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dont forget chiesa!
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Wow, racist…
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