Don’t get me wrong, I think he’d be an exciting addition but the fee is pretty high for what is largely potential. Saint-Maximan was also about half the fee we’re talking about for Doku. It’s s much more palatable fee.
Personally I don’t think there’s anything in the rumours for this summer but we know he’s someone we have a long term interest in.
Saint-Maximin is actually a very good comparison for Doku, at least from what I’ve seen from the kid. That said, Klopp talked about how he didn’t have space for new players the other day and would Liverpool really look to buy an unproven but expensive kid right now and stall his development? I don’t think that a transfer like this one happens without all of Shaqiri, Origi and Minamino leaving. Even then, I’m not sure that Klopp would be looking at someone like Doku.
That said, Doku and Bellingham keep learning and growing as players and in a few years’ time, they might be ready to step into Liverpool’s first team as Henderson and Mane won’t be here forever. That seems the most likely scenario to me with this “potential and age” bracket.
get them here ASAP to learn from the best
I read his comments in the light of - we have a 25 man squad, I’m happy. If someone leaves, we will bring someone in to get to 25 again - but won’t be doing the hand ringing that happens on Twitter etc. Happy with squad, but if someone is leaving he’ll look to improve.
Not writing him off, I think he should develop into a good player but I wouldn’t want to spend £40m in the hope he develops some end product. Rather leave him in France another year or two and pay a bit more when he proves he can deliver.
Have to agree with that, for 40 mil which is prob everything we have this window I’f want more of a finished product capable of making contributions this season.
We paid 40 for Jota(just about) I’d want that level of impact for that level of investment.
Does it? Perhaps they are being viewed as playing different positions - when Klopp listed his players in the press conference the other day Elliot was referred to as being in midfield. Obviously he can play as a forward - but that might not be wear Klopp wants to give him his playing time unless he needs to ?
If Shaq is leaving (which is looking likely) then that frees up some playing time as does Origi going.
I’m happy with whatever Klopp does
Rather than £40m what if we managed to get him for the cost of moving on Phillips, Origi and Shaqiri? 3 players on the periphery with no long term future who cost us £23m.
Both sides of the Doku discussion are well done. We all see his athletic gifts, and how they could be useful now, as an option from the bench and occasional player. And we all see that as a footballer he still needs to grow and hopefully add more end product in terms of goals and assists.
Could he reasonably do that if we signed him, and he worked in our set up? I think so. How much better than now? Hard to say.
Is the likely price worth it? Probably not, but then again, you sometimes overpay for potential, and if he starts to kick on even 40M will be a bargain.
I like Kopstars analogy. If it is Doku for three fringe players who are no longer needed, then I would do that, definitely.
Watched some videos there and I’m sold. Such acceleration and close control. Imagine defenders getting beaten down by Mané and Salah all game then Doku comes on to run at them for last 20mins!
Prob no long term future but options that will be able to make some impact this season prob more than Doku at this point.
Dont dislike Doku as a player either and all for giving youth a chance too but with 3 out and 1 in it means Doku Elliott play a fair whack of minutes and will be relied upon 1 injury to Jota or any other front option they are the options with Minamino who hasnt set the world on fire
I’m far from convinced he’s good enough, but to be fair, he’s looked a completely different player in pre-season. He might even be the reason we don’t sign Doku or an attacking player.
I think pre-season performances get overblown every year (e.g. Brewster). Can’t compare to intensity of a PL game. A lot of people are raving about Ox and Minamino but I still think there’s big question marks over both
I don’t think anyone is getting carried away but last season was the perfect storm in everything that could have gone wrong for us.
Having the full break, and then full pre-season is massive for this team (and coaches)
Especially players like Minamino, Keita, Oxlade and Tsimikas… Injury free, fully fit, fully up to speed with our tactics etc. It’s a lot of reasons to be posiitive and see that’s 4 players who played hardly any minutes last season who will contribute much more this season.
I am positive. I think we’re gonna win the thing. Was just referring to previous comment about Minamino’s pre-season specifically
It’s really mad how under the Radar this team is going. A lot of the media is completely ruling us out of a title race, which I don’t understand.
We finished third last season after a hurricane of piss was thrown at the club, and we’ve just added Van Dijk, Gomez, Matip and Henderson back in that team, got fans back in the stadium, and pundits think we’re going to be worse?
So much wanking over United, City and Chelsea. They might have improved, but there is still only one lad from those three sides I’d take for our first eleven. I think the only thing that stops us this season is City’s depth.
And short of having such an inherent drive to excellence as Cristiano had, such a player is more likely to make that step by spending every day training alongside players like Mane and Salah whose application is superb than he will going somewhere less cut throat where he will get games but generally have an easier life.
From the comments I’ve read, I don’t think it is so much ruling us out but more finding things to add doubt in their thinking as to why or how we would win the league. We have our CBs returning, but we still don’t know how long it will take for them to get match fit - and if they will avoid breaking down with injury. We don’t know how our midfield will function without Gini and we don’t know how we will perform through the period where we might lost players to AFCON etc. Even our own fans complain about the squad not being deep enough.
Utd, City and Chelsea have added to what they already had so there is some feeling of certainty there. Obviously, the window is still open so a lot of these points may change over the coming weeks - but I don’t think the media’s position is (generally speaking anyway - individually there are plenty of muppets!) sounding that unreasonable.
I still expect us to challenge strongly for the league & CL and wouldnt be surprised if we won at least one of them, but am not that surprised that view isnt shared by ‘professionals’.
Pundits (and some fans) are impressed by summer spending and shiny new toys. The reality is we have a deep and experienced side that should have as good a chance as anyone of winning the league. We addressed our biggest depth issue from last year with Konate, and need only decent health amongst the midfield to see no impact from Gini leaving… and if Jones and Elliott realize some portion of the promise they have shown we have a chance to be a truly special side.