Do we need a Contract Negotiations thread?
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I think the player threads should suffice for this.
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I know we fans donāt really care how much the owners have to plough in of their own money. But even with our prudence, the club still hardly made any profit. Do we really want a club that is at the mercy of how much the owners are willing to put in of their own money? One day if they decide, nope no more, our club is screwed.
I think Slot is willing to take that risk to work this season out, have a good debut season, identify the long term needs and then move accordingly in the transfer and contract renewal market. Donāt be surprised it will move way into the 2nd half of the season. I think the club would engage but not necessarily commit early and honestly if the 3 players are committed to stay, they will not mind waiting till even April to get a clear picture. By then, even if they want to leave, itās not too late to get a good deal
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I think the wording suggests that offers have been made, or at least a discussion around the offers has been had.
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The only concern for me re. negotiations going on until April is that the media will really whip up a frenzy, and fans (largely the wet wipes online) will go full ape. This could end up being a distraction for the players. Of course, all three have come out and said they are 100% committed for this season, and what will be will be re their contracts.
These three deals are probably heavily linked to one and other too. Virgil and Moās camps will want to know what the other is being offered, and it might be a case of which camp blinks first. Trent probably wants to be on the top money, and therefore will want to see where Mo and Virgilās contracts end up, especially with Real Madrid likely chatting.
My real hope is that when one signs, the other two follow quickly. It would be nice to at least out a couple to bed before the end of this year.
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The Klopp departure will have created an impasse behind the scenes, because in many ways FSG had bet the farm on him - he had taken more control of football operations, and the SD role had been sidelined.
Kloppās departure announcement was a point where FSG did the sensible thing, and went back to the drawing board to redesign the football operation. Under those circumstances I think nobody wanted to get into contract talk - not the players (who naturally would want to wait to see who they would be working under) and not FSG who were focused on getting the post Klopp football operation in place.
At this point in time, I think we might have a sequencing issue to work out. Trent, Van Dijk and Salah all expect to be at the top of the wage structure, and they all have a legitimate claim. I think it becomes a really challenging question which one you do first, considering the other two will be benchmarking off that contract. And the players may want one of the other two to go first, with the idea of using that contract as a reference.
Then you have other contracts to throw into the mix. Quansah has just signed, and there is talk of a new deal for Ibou. The club might want to get this done before Van Dijk, as the other defenders will be judging their worth from how important they feel they are relative to Van Dijk. Likewise Diaz and Salah.
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To put it back on trackā¦
https://x.com/Plettigoal/status/1843591576611656154?t=mzcwL27UP51AU-qzmjWXiQ&s=19
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I love how thereās a group within this forum that thinks contract renewals/transfers are solely on the club.
The players still have to say yesā¦ā¦
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You learn something new everyday.
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Such as that, in this case, āeverydayā should be two separate words.
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From tomorrowās BBC gossip column:
Liverpool have identified Bayer Leverkusenās Dutch 23-year-old Jeremie Frimpong, Monacoās Brazilian 23-year-old Vanderson and Fiorentinaās Italian 20-year-old Michael Kayode as potential targets should they lose right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold. (Caught Offside)
Andā¦
The Reds are continuing to assess transfer targets to bolster Arne Slotās central defence, having made the position a priority for next summer, with Sevillaās French 24-year-old Loic Bade and Sportingās Portugal international Goncalo Inacio, 23, among the candidates. (Caught Offside)
Iām sure there will be plenty of other names plucked out of the air by the ājournalistsā over the next few months.
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More thrilling stuff:
Real Madrid and Barcelona are interested in Spanish 21-year-old Benfica and former Manchester United defender Alvaro Fernandez Carreras. (O Jogo - in Portuguese, external)
Liverpool are also in the race to sign the Benfica player. (AS - in Spanish), external
Chelsea, Tottenham and Liverpool have sent scouts to watch Borussia Dortmund and England Under-21 winger Jamie Gittens in recent weeks (Bild - in German, external)
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Kittensā¦Gittensā¦ donāt tell me this is a young Git??? Your successor???
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Go back to your artwork.
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Just when we thought we were out, they pull us back inā¦
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Iām assuming thatās David Lynch the sports journalist, not the Twin Peaks guy.
I suspect the Zubimendi thing was personal reasons rather financial or career ones.
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To be honest, our transfer strategy at times looks like it was written and directed by THE David Lynch.
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Our sporting director got lost in the Black Lodge. We now have to find out if the Edwards who was rehired is the real Edwards or the evil doppelganger Edwards
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I imagine Premier League trophy looking at our clubās crest and saying: āIāll see you again in 25 yearsā¦ā
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