It’s a tricky one. I think we have offered a new deal or two in negotiations along the way, but thus far Konate hasn’t signed. As it happens he has been poor this season, but he is better than what he has been showing, while probably not the level of player to justify what he is asking for (not that I know those details, but if we haven’t agreed a deal yet it’s reasonable to assume it is because he values himself more highly than the club does).
If he doesn’t sign he will go on a Bosman and get more money than we are willing to pay him due to a big signing bonus, but his form will give elite teams cause for concern, and the Real Madrid news makes complete sense.
The longer his poor showing goes, the lower his bargaining power. If Slot starts to play others ahead of him, I think he will sign what is on the table as he knows the options will be limited. Though by then, we might not be so charitable. And rightfully so.
I said this in the Ibou thread, but why would Real communicate anything to us at all about their intentions, when any deal with Ibou would be done directly with him at this stage and not require any engagement with us at all? Are we to believe this is a courtesy call?
Yeah, but on the other hand, our bargaining power manifests in the wonderful season we’re having so far, almost “needing” to play Konate as long as he’s fit.
He’ll have options, if it’s not Real (and they have options other than him), then I’m sure there will be a few more clubs sniffing.
I can imagine a scenario where Konate signs and stays, we bring Guehi in. Would possibly mean the end for Gomez.
But the reality is that the longer it drags, the chances are higher for the player to leave.
Edward’s. Hughes. You wanted to be Billy Big balls. But you messed up. The rot was there to see when we won the league. They gave up. Now we believe we are special! No. No tactics. No fight. I would fecking take big Sam to kick these up the arse.
Not sure what Edwards play in all this, everyone assumes he would have a big role but we’ve been trying to get that Getafe deal done for a while and his scope is bigger than Liverpool.
Ultimately he brought in Hughes and he is responsible for that, though if I’m looking at the quality of player his three biggest errors are chasing Isak after Hugo was signed instead of looking for an alternative, letting Diaz go and waiting on Palace with Guehi and all three have factors being them though with Palace playing in the second Europa League leg I have a feeling that was the reassurance Parrish gave FSG.
Problem with centre forward is that Gakpo could have covered there and so could Salah if you have to rotate Hugo.
I have no issue with Kerkez, Wirtz or Frimpong as they’ve all performed elsewhere. Let’s be bluntly honest if Liverpool hadn’t gone after Kerkez you’d have been surprised. Same with Wirtz when you are offered quality of that you sign him.
Yeah people keep throwing Edwards into the mix, and Im sure their relationship means he’s been an available sounding board. It has also been reported that both Edwards and Ward initiated some of the conversations we had with other clubs due to their existing relationships with people at those clubs. But the reality Hughes was hired by Edwards to do a job. There is a point where Edwards would remind him of that, and that he himself had his own job to do, if he was being pulled too much into those conversations and the decision making
Everyone needs to be looked at from the club’s perspective.
And Slot doesn’t see Gakpo as a central option. Salah also doesn’t want to be play there. So it’s coulds but it’s easy for us to say it, what exactly, that we didn’t have to buy two strikers because we have other players who can play there?
And Isak hasn’t performed elsewhere? He’s arguably the most proven player we’ve signed this summer, along with Wirtz.
But that’s not even that important as their past is no guarantee for the present and future with us.
Successes and flops happen regardless how glorious or bad some pasts may be.
