I think I’d keep Davies, sell Phillips. That’s our 4 association trained players taken care of (Henderson, Milner, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Davies).
I’d keep Woodburn because we’ve got one space for a Club Trained player and he may as well take it and see what he can bring when needed.
I’d hope we move on the surplus List A players (Karius, Origi, Shaqiri, Minamino) which would give us three spots to add anyone.
At that point I’d be inclined to add Doku and Cammavinga. Young players with potential who can contribute now but develop further under Klopp. Leave one spot open for perhaps a move in the winter window if needed.
The problem with Doku (from reading a few deep dives into his game) his end product is basically none existant. I don’t see us spending £40mil on a player that needs to add a lot to his game.
Mane, Jota for example were much more productive so their base level was good enough, it then got improved to elite levels.
This is based on us needing our wide forwards to be goal threats.
I think Klopp/LFC has made a not for sale statement about him. Not that it’s anything conclusive. But given how intensively Klopp played him during the preseason, I feel he would stay.
Doku has athletic gifts that very few players in the world possess. His pace and dribbling is a potent weapon to open it up.
And with that said it’s a fair point that his goals and assists are nowhere near what we would want, at present.
He is just 19 so all the stats are for an 18 year old in a new country, having made a big move from Belgium perhaps a year or two too soon?
If Klopp and his team think they can work on his game and improve him as a footballer, adding more end product to go with his undeniable athletic gifts, he could grow into a quite devastating player and in time be Mane’s successor.
I guess that’s why Jurgen and co get paid the big bucks, as I’ve no idea how good the player will become. He will get a lot more expensive if he starts to show more end product, so there’s a real art to knowing when to buy.
After Messis transfer to Paris, Lukaku back at Chelsea and hopefully Kane to City it would mean that there are not many options left for Haaland and Mbappe next summer.
Could Real go for both? I’m not sure.
Would Haaland sign for ManU? Something happened with his father there, right?
I know would be difficult deals to get done but if we save our money this year maybe we would be able to activate Haalands release clause or get Mbappe on a free.
Bobby would be 30 with one year left on his contract by then - just saying.
I doubt Haaland would sign for United and not just because of what Keane did to his Dad but mainly because Haaland was a Leeds fan as a kid and they hate United more than any other club.
I wonder though, could Haaland and Mbappé play together?
Mbappe would be cheaper than Haaland next summer,we’d only have to find his 5 year wages and a signing on fee,say around £100mill+.
Haaland although having a release clause would cost any club a £200mill+ investment over 5 years,including £100mill 5 year wages,£75mill fee and over £40mill+ to his father and Raiola.
Doku is said to be like Mane before he came here. Quick, good dribbler but poor end product. Klopp got Sadio his shooting boots. Wonder does he feel he can do it with this Doku lad. The price may be steep for such a youngster but we have been chasing this lad since he was a kid really, the club must be keen and think he has the skill and talent.
I think this is either Mo or Sadios last season in all honesty for some reason and I’d rather have a future Sadio/Mo at the club than looking to buy after selling such a talent in the same summer.
Not really. Sadio had a goal every 215 minutes at Southampton which isn’t bad for a winger. His record here is a goal every 182 minutes so it’s not been that dramatic an increase. Doku has a goal every 1,420 minutes at his current club. Not the same situation at all. However the point with Doku is (I think) he has some raw qualities you can use as a base whilst trying to teach, develop and improve the rest. I mean he’s only just turned 19 at the end of last season. But I think it’d be too much to expect him to be ready to be a main starting star for us within a year.
To be fair Doku is 19 and prior moving to France, had a fantastic record in Belgium already as a 17 year old. Mane’s record in France when he was 19 is terrible too. He only started showing his worth in Austria.
We always wanted our club to identify players before they become grest so that we don’t need to pay 100m when they actually are. So not sure why having a not so great record would count against a teenager rather than looking at his qualities that can be molded. If he had been scoring like Haaland did, he would cost alot more.
He decided to stay in Belgium which is common for youth prospects. Moved to Rennes, I presume for his 1st professional contract, for a reported €26 million last year.
Seems to be doing well and well worth keeping an eye on which I’m sure that LFC are doing concidering ‘we’ gave him a trial at the age of 16. Seems a common route for such players who we were interested in for our academy but went else where that we track them and see what they are worth once developed.
I don’t think anyone is writing Doku off or even dislike the idea, in theory, of him being here. But the logic seems to be getting spread that Doku would be the Mane replacement next summer or summer after and 20/21 year old Mane wouldn’t have been ready for that either. It’s no slight against Doku to point out that he might not be what we need at this precise moment.
. Would take Doku here though