Who would you buy?

The Albert
3448

Well he did feck all in his season in the Premier League. Perhaps we had an interest, weren’t convinced by what he did in the Premier League and weren’t willing to pay £20m based on playing a league lower. Now he’s flying in La Liga there could be the confidence that his underlying data can translate into output at a higher level.

We tend to want to see that output at a higher level before we commit. Personally I don’t think there’s a big enough body of evidence yet but £40m could look cheap next summer if he carries on as he is.

3449

Is one new midfielder in the summer enough after letting Gini go and clearly one or two of Ox, Keita, Milner and Taki are leaving?

3450

Be interesting to see what happens with Milner. Assumption is he’s going but you wouldn’t be surprised if Klopp wanted to keep him around if he was happy with a bit part role with a coaching aspect and much reduced wages.

Either way one new one is a minimum. If Ox or Keita go then possibly two. I’m still not sure who out there gives us enough money for the club to consider selling either of them based on our previous stance on selling players.

It’s also hugely dependent on what happens up top with the contracts for the front three. Don’t think we’ll want to make wholesale squad changes and if one or more of the front three aren’t signed up long term term then that’ll need to be the big focus.

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3451

I don’t think anyone has suggested the club will only bring one in if we lose multiple midfielders. I cant see that being the case unless the club are confident one of our covering players can also do a job in midfield.

Also, this Gini thing is becoming the new ‘we didn’t replace Coutinho’ thing. He’s been replaced. Whether people feel it’s left us exposed in someway is a different matter.

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3452

Considering he is always seen at our youth games my personal opinion is he’s already on some sort of coaching pathway. He is a huge asset off the field we should be retaining, helps with transitions of managers like Klopp to keep up standards.

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3453

Probably does need cash from outside either of those two being sold.

We have 5 CBs at least one of which could be on the move and might free up funds towards additional cover elsewhere.

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3454

I think Phillips will move on with the replacement being internal.

In midfield there are two interesting prospects that have contracts end this summer in Boubacar Kamara and Denis Zakaria. Either of those signed for “free” plus someone like Ryan Gravenberch or Adrien Rabiot who have only 12 months left on their deals and look destined to move on.

I’m not sure how many recruits we need for CM and if it’s definitely more than 1.

I think we definitely need one younger, athletic, defensively solid, CM that can also play DM. That’s even if nobody leaves.

But Fabinho, Henderson, New guy, Tyler Morton, Jones, Elliott, probably Thiago, possibly Milner, possibly either or both of Keita and Ox?

Even if Milner stops playing for us and both of Ox and Keita move on I’m not convinced we’d definitely need to add another. Maybe purely because Morton and the other deeper CM prospects may not be quite ready to cover for how much game time Henderson and Thiago miss?

3455

Think that area is going to be a big focus no matter what. Even if we did extend the deals of all of Salah, Mane and Firmino (which creates its own issues and just moves some others further down the line) then I’d still expect us to address the “supporting cast”!

What’s realistic for me is one of those main three and one supporting player changed in each of the next two summers.

Ideally we get Salah to commit to a long term extension and at least one of the other two to a short term extension. Either way I think Mane or Firmino moving on summer 2022 and the other moving on either 2023 or 2024 is quite likely.

Apparently Origi is out of contract this summer unless he triggers some performance related option that we obviously don’t know the details of. I’d expect Minamino to either also go summer 2022 or 2023 latest.

I think a realistic option would be 2022 we lose Mane and Origi. Trigger the clause for Szoboszlai and maybe bring someone like Ivan Toney in (especially if Brentford go down and he’s available cheaper). Szoboszlai can then have a season bedding into the squad competing with Jota for Manes old role.

Then summer 2023 we lose Firmino (hopefully he extended his deal a little so we get some money) and Minamino. Szoboszlai maybe moves into the false 9 role (he shares a lot of traits with Firmino but faster, more lethal scoring goals from distance, can probably learn the false 9 role). Hopefully one of the academy kids has progressed enough to replace Minamino. See what we need for one signing maybe? Depends on how Szoboszlai and Toney had settled and if either or both had cemented themselves as a main choice. See how Jota is doing and if Salah is still world class. Salah may have moved to a CF option by then.

3456

Issue with this is selling Mane/Firmino to who and for how much? Realistically I can only see PSG coming up with the kind of cash that’d see us sell him and even then, with a year remaining on his contract, it’s likely going to be less than most people think. I’d guess around the £50-£60m mark.

Mbappe to Madrid on a free, Mane to PSG, someone like Danjuma/Sarr/Doku to come in with Jota doing a bit out wide and a bit through the middle.

Who knows what the deal with Origi and Taki is. Seems we didn’t have any kind of offers of note in the summer but we really could do with moving both on for some kind of fee. Also seems to be some conflicting information on when his contract actually expires.

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3457

Pretty sure Origi is out of contract next summer, so no fee for him. Taki we may be more hopeful with.

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3458

Injuries are starting to catch up to Milner. Wouldn’t shock me either way as to what happens with him.

Brozovic’s contract is up in the summer at Inter as well isn’t it? I always quite liked him, very good all rounder in midfield.

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3459

Personally I would move Thiago and Ox in the summer.

Would sign an engine / power house type of CM in the summer.

Not sure if Bissouma is still an option for us with the problems he has.

Would ‚replace’ Milner with Bellingham in the summer after.

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3460

The person who replaces Milner’s role in the squad is probably Henderson, given his age and status. Although, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Milner sign a year extension.

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3461

Given the situation with Keita and ox running down contracts, I do wonder whether Milner gets a new deal to help that transition where they both to leave in the summer? I’m not sure we have the funds to replace all three this year.

3462

Yeah Henderson starts evolving into the Milner role (although not overnight) which is why I think someone coming in, initially to bed in, find their feet and be a squad option but with potential to develop into a player challenging to start. Someone younger with real potential like Gravenberch or even someone with great quality but still feels like they haven’t cemented themselves as the top CM they could be like Rabiot.

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3463

No way we touch Rabiot, even if he was on a free. Far too much baggage and off field distractions and not the “team first” attitude that Klopp demands.

Agree though, if Milner goes, Henderson transitions into that senior role where he becomes less of a guaranteed name on the team sheet every week and perhaps is more flexible in the positions he plays. It’s the perfect phased approach but wouldn’t be against Milly signing a one year extension if for example we did shift two on in the summer.

Some new blood is needed in there but with Jones already in that ‘potential to develop’ category I wonder if they’d go for someone a bit more established already. I see Neuhaus’ name was being tentatively linked once again as he’s not an automatic choice for the new Gladbach manager.

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3464

One thing I think we need to do with future recruitment is make sure we are more tactically flexible than we have been. The 433 we’ve been using is almost a cheat code with the personnel we have had but we’ve already seen some disjointing effects after Wijnaldum left and last season when (for various reasons) Mane and Firmino spent time out of form.

To make the 433 be as effective as it has been its almost essential that you get at least about 75% playing time from Alisson, Van Dijk, Alexander-Arnold, Fabinho (in DM), Firmino and Salah. And it needs to be most of it in form.

Not quite essential but bloody important you need an inform CB partner/cover for Van Dijk, Robertson or Tsimikas in form, Wijnaldum or someone else doing that role and Mane in form to tie up defence and keep them occupied.

You got all that and this side records over 100 points, wins the CL and goes all season undefeated except in the cups. But realistically things will never go that smoothly.

I’m also thinking this side as is is coming to an end, maybe not immediately, but certainly think it’ll phase out and there’ll only be elements left by 2024 summer which might be when a new manager comes in.

So we need to build a transition side now, using this team to build the best foundations you could hope to have in football. But the all conquering 433 that could beat everyone on its day may not be as perfect when certain parts get replaced with new parts/elements.

Certainly think if/when Salah and/or Firmino go that would be it. The Firmino role is essential for Salah and Mane to be so effective and the team relies on the forwards to score over 80% of our goals. Think we are the Prem side most reliant on our forwards or something. And a large part of that is from the goals and assists Salah provides.

There’s not a right forward in the world we could realistically (or even unrealistically) pick up that would be guaranteed to provide what Salah does so whoever wad brought in if/when Salah moves on we need to spread the goal contributions out more.

I think we need more, good, options of how to set up the attack and midfield. Even the right options to be able to set up with a back 3, our fullbacks definitely have enough attacking ability to play as defensively solid wing backs.

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3465

can we buy Billy Gilmour please?

watched him alot now for Scotland and this guy is gonna be class,

great passer, aggresive, holds the ball well, and he’s young,

only problem might be Chelsea not willing to sell to us,

But no harm is trying…

3466

Is this the same Billy Gilmour, who was the subject of homophobic abuse from our fans? I can’t see him wanting to sign for us.

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3467

They’ll end up selling him and Connor Gallagher to teams outside the top six or outside the Premier League. Insert buy back/first option/match bid clauses should they want them back and a sell on clauses and if they’re a success but Chelsea don’t need them.

There really does seem to be a strong group coming through at Chelsea and they’re getting top dollar for the ones they’re choosing to sell on. I’d never even heard of Marc Guehi before he went for £20m. Him plus Abraham and Tomori made them £80m. Could have sold Hudson-Odi for a fortune a year or two ago and would still get a good fee for him now even though he’s not a regular starter.

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