Get him for less/close to what we receive for Quansah with a buyback option in 2 years seems like decent business
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If we can get him for close to what Quansah brings fair enough, but at the price Palace are asking ,he is a swerve for me.
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https://x.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1939640165099528463
Btw, Asking AI … according to other rumours,who else is on the list for Liverpool centre back shopping?
Liverpool’s centre-back targets beyond Marc Guehi include several young, versatile defenders. Murillo from Nottingham Forest is noted for his aggression and speed. Ousmane Diomande and Goncalo Inacio from Sporting CP are physically imposing and possession-savvy. Piero Hincapie from Bayer Leverkusen offers versatility, while Ajax’s Jorrel Hato is technically gifted. Jarrad Branthwaite from Everton, Castello Lukeba from RB Leipzig, and Brentford’s Nathan Collins are also linked. Liverpool prioritizes youth and players suited to a high defensive line, but transfer fees and competition may influence decisions.
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AI is always very log winded, isn’t it? I can remember an episode of “Frasier” where he gets a human encyclopedia on his show, and it was just that: verbosity without insight.
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I think we’ll end up buying one if not two young CBs for about the same price as Guehi. Given that he’s now in the last year of his contract, the 50 million that Palace are asking seems more than a bit excessive.
Of course, if we were to get two CBs that would allow Joe Gomez to seek regular game time elsewhere instead of always being our back up guy.
Talking of regular game time, I really don’t understand Guehi’s motivation for wanting to join us. With the World Cup at the end of next season, surely he’d be better off staying at Palace for one more season and playing every week, rather than waiting for Konate to get injured.
Maybe he’s determined that Palace get some money for him instead of leaving on a free like some people do.
He might reasonably believe that the perception of him and his performances have a ceiling while at Palace. He was drafted into the side last summer, largely because of injuries, was one of the better performers and that did not properly establish him. You can imagine that even 20 games for Liverpool would elevate perceptions of him compared to how he is just another name in a crowded field as he is now.
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In his favour though is that no top English centre backs play for traditionally ‘big’ clubs.
Gomez isn’t England quality anymore, Stones seems to be increasingly sidelined by club and country, Konsa plays for a team outside of the Champions league now, and Maguire plays for a team fighting relegation.
I liked the look of Charlie Cresswell in the U21s but he plays for an unfashionable team in France.
England really has a dearth of quality CBs atm.
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I know it isn’t the same thing, and it’s not how the academies will train their players, but I still find it amazing how many kids coaches at grassroots level still shout ‘GET RID’ as soon as the ball goes anywhere near a centre back.
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Which is appalling considering the likes of Ferdinand and Woodgate came through 25 years ago, and Stones more recently.
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Have been for a long time.
I suppose Stones was okay for a bit. As was Gomez before when he was fit. But England haven’t really got good CBs. Loads of serviceable ones , sure. But the ones which showed any real potential (read Gomez) got derailed massively after repeated injuries.
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As good as Konate is, Guehi has every chance to dislodge him to be the main partner for VVD if he joins. Guehi is probably at most just at a slightly lower level and with the right coaching and application, who knows what his ceiling is. That’s probably why we might be interested, albeit at a reasonable price
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I thought we’d already established that his ceiling, at 5’9", isn’t high enough?
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Bobby Moore was 5’10".
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And if he were Bobby Less he’d have been 5’8"
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As was Crazy Horse.
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Isn’t he 6ft anyhow? I know there is an obsession on these things and his heading doesn’t look great but I think he would be an improvement on where we were last season.
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Yeah, it’s not optimal but it’s not totally unheard of. I think as long as we pair him with a guy who’s strong in the air it shouldn’t be too problematic.
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Yeah, 6ft according to Wikipedia.
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1.82m according to his bio. So sounds about right. I think his aerial battles won is what is bothering people. Is that the right term? It sounds like the Red Baron or something.
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