Saka is a good player. It wouldn’t make sense to sign him now, but depending on outgoings he would be worth a look.
Too many variables to assess it properly now.
As for the current level of the player, of course he is below Salah and Mane. But that doesn’t have to rule it out. Saka is at the start of his time as a big player. Salah and Mane are nearer to the end… still peak players, but how long left at the current level is the all important question as we weigh new deals.
Both of those contracts are very similar to the way Utd treated Rashford - responding to a near desperation to not have their current situation made worse by the embarrassment of having a top young home grown (sort of) talent leave to go an play somewhere where the prospects of winning were better. It solves an immediate problem but as they are now seeing it creates others down the road.
Typical Australian google, poor company just doesn’t know how to google down under.
If he becomes a flop, our transfer committee will somehow manage to recoup something back. If he becomes a real star and becomes Xavi/Iniesta/Thiago MKII, we may have found ourselves a really long term successor to Thiago, possibly solving a very long term problem for us!
At least so far Gavi has played a lot of his football further forward. I have no doubt he has the talent to make the change David Silva did at City, but at least so far I dont know that Xavi/thiago are really the comparison to making for him.
I thought he is a CM???
I think that’s probably where he’ll play most of his football, but so far for Barca a lot of it has been in one of the forward roles.
There are a lot of names being thrown around the media, but presuming we sign Carvalho I just just see any room for loads signings. I think we’ll be looking for a belter midfielder to replace Keita and/or Oxlade Chamberlain. But I can’t really see anything more than that.
That might change if we move on any of Salah, Mane, Gomez or Firmino. But I don’t think we will.
I think next season will look like this
GK: Alisson, Kelleher, Pitaluga
FB: Trent, Bradley, Robertson, Tsimikas
CB: Van Dijk, Konate, Matip, Gomez
MF: Fabinho, Morton, Henderson, Elliot, Thiago, Jones, Carvalho + a belter.
FW: Salah, Mane, Firmino, Jota, Diaz, Gordon
So you think the club will give new contracts to all 3 or risk losing 2/3 of them on a free?
Not sure what a belter is, but guessing it’s a No8 type.
Like Morton, but he’s not ready to compete with/cover Fab yet.
It’s at DM that we’re short.
And yeah, what Zoran said.
Personally think there’s almost no chance of that from a business and sporting perspective. Could happen but I doubt it.
I could see Salah and Bobby being extended, the latter on the basis of Jota taking over as first-choice no9, and Mane either sold or, failing that, running his contract down a la Gini. We’ve already signed his replacement.
I don’t know, but I do know from our past record the club are not fussed about a player leaving on a free. I think there is a mindset that with some players you’re better off using them for a final season rather than cashing in.
I think they’ll definitely extend Salah, probably extend Mane, and let Bobby leave on a free.
I just mean a really, really good player. Basically, I think we’re all in on Bellingham.
I think there’s a huge difference between Gini/Can/Lallana and Salah/Mane. Even Firmino we are probably talking as much as we’d have been turning down for Can, Lallana and Gini combined.
It’s a tricky situation, as the players have a lot of power. They are already well paid, and they could wind down their deals in order to maximize their earning potential and see what offers materialize. The longer it runs, the more power goes to the player in the negotiation.
I think Mo will sign a new deal. We seem to really want that one, but it will be hugely expensive.
I think Mane is a maybe, and if so, might be sold. Just won AFCON. Excellent player. Star is high.
I think Firmino will wind down his contract, or maybe a modest extension.
It’s all guesswork though.
What if Carvalho deal gets done with Klopp planning to do an Elliott on him, though? For the time being, that would be Henderson, Alcantara, Elliott, Jones, Carvalho and perhaps one of Keita and AOC in those two advanced midfield roles. I think that the midfield target is someone who’s more than capable of deputising for Fabinho.
I’d absolutely love Bellingham at Liverpool, he doesn’t hide his affinity for this club and is a quality talent but, provided Carvalho deal gets done, that would be three youngsters of similar age (costing a grand total of 12-13 million pounds) fighting it out with another youngster (extremely expensive one) for two positions - that’s before you factor in Henderson and Alcantara. I just can’t see it happening.
Henderson turns 32 in June, I wouldn’t be surprised if we did drop big money on a Bellingham or a Tchouameni (who can also play as a 6) with an eye to phasing him out over the following 1-2 years, and at this point, given his availability, I’d be treating Thiago as a ‘nice to have’ rather than someone we look to build around. I’d also accept any offers for Ox AND Keita.
We’d have arguably the best midfield in the league at that point.
You might have a point about Mane. But I don’t think the market is there for Firmino that you think there is. I think given his age, contract situation and unique skillset means we’d struggle to get £20m IMO. At that point, I think the club would take the last year and let him walk