I think the point is we don’t need to make those ‘small gamble’ signings anymore and are now hunting for the highest quality players for our system rather than just good players who are cheap and may have the potential to adapt to our play - cheaty or Real don’t and that’s more Arsenal or even ManU territory at present. On that score Taki has been disappointing and hopefully is the last of that kind of signing - we are now targetting absolute top quality ‘gambles’ like Carvalho or Elliot or players that we expect to come in and take us up a notch Keita, Thiago, Dias or Nunez. Sure they won’t always work out perfectly (Keita has obviously underwhelmed cf when we signed him) but we can still see we got an outstanding player who the manager hasn’t been unwilling to use in contrast to his clear reluctance with Taki.
I’m not saying Taki is a bad player and I think he could do very well at Monaco (or elsewhere) but there were always question marks about his ability to adapt to the PL and the cheap price was cited as the reason that was supposed to make the ‘gamble’ worthwhile. We supposedly pursued Taki instead of Haaland due to this. These days the gamble is being made because the player looks brilliant, not because we may be able to offload him for a small profit.
We did not pursue Minamino instead of Haaland.
It’s worth sometimes making that gamble I did feel it came off the back of those games though which we should avoid.
Minimino are sometimes the types of players you need you can’t have a squad of the highest quality at every substitute position as well.
More is the shame.
As I remember it, it was well known Haaland was going to Germany next when we played them in the CL.
Had big hopes for Mina, Mane, Mo when he first signed. Ah well.
Farewell Takumi. You will forever be adored.
A bit disappointed with that to be honest. While he wasn’t ready at all when he joined us, I’ve got the feeling that we were about to see his development coming to fruition for us. He had a good season and scored some very good goals, with an excellent goals/minutes played ratio. He has also noticeably beefed up recently.
So, it’s another club who will profit from all the hard work put into this lad by Klopp’s coaching staff (and by himself of course), and from his prime time as a player. £15.5m is a good deal for Monaco, and probably marks the end of LFC being able to totally fleece other clubs when selling a player. Edwards gone starting to show maybe? On the other hand, this fee still represents a good profit on the player, so there was maybe no need to push it too hard.
Possibly, it’s the player himself who pushed for a move, which is maybe understandable at this stage of his career. Also, Kloppo wouldn’t let him go now if he didn’t believe that he has better options available to him in the squad.
All the best Taki, you behaved like the model professional you are, gave your best, and can leave your head held up high. YNWA
Gini, Minie, Mane and Mo at one stage!
I don’t follow - you think £15.5m isn’t enough? I don’t think Edwards can get much more from the deal for a player that only really played in the cup comps. I don’t think it’s fair to assume that this would have happened, therefore paving the way to start the “Ward’s not good enough” rhetoric.
Taki’s going into a World Cup season, likely as Japans most important player. He needs regular game time. I think its likely more him, looking at the situation around him and deciding that he’s never going to get in when the club bring in three attacking players in the space of 6 months, two of whom (Darwin and Diaz) are clearly ahead in the pecking order already.
Whilst he’s likeable and clearly a good player, to me it makes sense for all parties given who we’ve signed of late.
Maybe Asensio if the rumours on Twitter are to be believed, which of course they aren’t until the move actually happens.
From a transfer guy able to get £15 m for Ibe, and another £17 m for Solanke, I’d expect more, yes! 
Nah seriously, it’s ok. We’ll see in the longer term how Ward does. He has just about started, so I’m willing to give him time before passing any judgment on his work, if at all.
We had difficulties selling players while Edwards was here for example Taki was apparently available last summer but we didn’t get any suitable offers and there are others we would have sold had the money been right, or have sold for less money that was initially expected for them.
It feels like we are letting Taki go a bit easily as a goodwill gesture to him for his service and attitude.
Two bits here;
You’re forgetting that Ibe and Solanke were both much younger than Taki is now.
The dreaded English Tax - if Taki was called Terry and English, he’d be £35m.
So yeah Ward’s a cunt for not getting Taki to transform himself to an English lad… 
Yeah, Edwards sold potential, promises, something which wasn’t there ‘yet’, and he did it very well. Not sure about the English tax though. While generally PL clubs can pay more than clubs in Europe, Monaco are a stinkingly rich club.
Have they paid big for anyone in years though, I can’t remember anyone though I don’t follow their ingoings.
Wouldn’t worry about the instalments, if it’s ok with the club it’s ok with me. End of the day what matters is it’s still £15m
Takumi was the top scorer in both the competitions we won last season, so I think we did OK out of him.