Neil Jones says Milner is leaving in the summer. Even with the emergence of Jones and Elliot I think we will definitely bring in a midfielder and maybe even another depending on what happens with Keita and Ox.
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I think there’s a little lack of appreciation as to how much work there is to do to be honest.
I’m not saying buy buy buy although that’s a strange complaint to see in the “Who would you buy thread” where its basically the main/only topic in conversation. But free signings, Academy products. This club has shown that, when given the chance to add to the senior side, they are good at identifying talent.
But there are some alarming issues to resolve by 2024. Edwards is going, hopefully his replacement is as effective but we don’t yet know. Klopp is due to leave in 2024, we all hope he extends his stay but to be honest he’s looking more and more fed up and tired and less and less happy these days. Might be pessimistic but I think he will stick to 2024.
By 2024 (with their ages then) we would have lost (as things stand); Karius 31 and Adrian 37 (so some good news at least 
), Matip 33, Gomez 27, Keita 29, Thiago 33, Ox 31, Milner 38, Mane 32, Minamino 29, Salah 32, Firmino 32 and Origi 29.
Ignoring the keepers that’s 11 outfield players most of which will be of an age that it wouldn’t be a great idea having them under contract much past 2024 too so not sure the wisdom on extending all their contracts even if it was that simple.
Some of the players that would then be entering the last 12 months of their deals (usually when you’d consider your last chance to move them on and get some kind of fee);
Van Dijk 33, Phillips 27, Tsimikas 28, Henderson 34.
I’d almost certainly extend Van Dijks contract if possible unless his form really drops off a cliff. Phillips I imagine would have gone by then without needing a replacement/replaced by the academy. I can’t see us getting to 2024 with both 30 year old Robertson and 28 year old Tsimikas both happy with their playing time between now and then. Henderson is likely to be running on fumes by then and likely to be hanging up his boots sometime around then.
I think it’s not unrealistic to say between now and the transfer window closing in 2024 we probably would have had to replace 12/13 players, most in contention to be starting roles. Including our whole attack apart from Jota.
We’ve basically recruited 5 outfield players for the senior team over the last 3 years. Under Klopp we’ve never even recruited more than 3 outfield players for the senior side in any single season.
So being blasé over the idea of recruiting 12/13 outfield players, most capable of starting for us, within 2 summer windows under Klopp and 1 for whoever takes over, it seems a bit King Canute telling the tide to stop coming in to me.
I’m hoping to god, bare minimum Van Dijk, Gomez and Salah extend their deals to lessen some of the workload for the recruitment team (plus I think they’re all ace and will continue to perform past 2024). I’m also hopeful of Elliott and Jones nailing down their places as well as hoping some more academy graduates come through. But I think we need at least 3/4 incomings per season and probably nearly all being big signings in terms of impact.
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I don’t understand why this is an issue.
Summer 2016 - Mane, Karius, Matip, Klavan, Wijnaldum, Manniger
Summer 2017 - Salah, Solanke, Robertson, Chamberlain (Van Dijk would also have been that summer, had it not been scuppered)
Summer 2018 - Keita, Fabinho, Shaqiri, Alisson
That’s plenty of recruitment, and not more than we really need to do this summer. I’m also not sure why you’re excluding Keepers, as surely this is really about how many new players you can settle into the squad and his much business we can physically do.
If it’s about settling lads into the senior group, you’re also not considering the youth players who’ve been promoted. Like how people complain we didn’t buy a midfielder in the summer, but disregard we brought Elliot back from Blackburn and dropped him straight into midfield. That’s not the dopamine hit of a new signing so it doesn’t count.
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I think my bigger issue with the whole post is the presumed lack of competence or a strategy, which is hardly what we would expect given the last few years, and the pragmatism of the people involved.
Edwards is leaving, but the whole team that built the machine will still be here. The scouts, the data people. There is no reason to presume that our approach will change dramatically, or that we will suddenly turn into United overnight.
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It also seems to disregard whatever hopes the club have got for the plethora of young talent coming through the academy. Elliot, Gordon, Morton, Bradley, Pitaluga. Those are the ones at the top of my head, but there will be more.
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I don’t think keepers impact much on the outfield squad, they’re a separate unit with separate training, coaches etc.!
And for the record I don’t think it’s a matter of how much business can be physically done in a summer. We’ve had other managers that have brought in more in a window and other clubs have. The actual business can be completed. I just don’t think there is a desire to have that many “first choice” options coming in per window from Klopp or the club. We’ve been very “slow and steady” patient build up. But I think that will leave A LOT of work required for whoever the next manager is in 2024.
We definitely won’t turn into the dysfunctional mess United are in. However it’s all assumption without knowing exactly how it works when people confidently presume there won’t be a change. We know Edwards was the individual that used the data and scouting reports to highlight Salah and convince Klopp on him and has got a good reputation around Europe of a shrewd operator when it comes to prices both selling and buying. There could be change, we don’t know. Especially in 2023 for instance when players know Klopp is only going to be here one more year. Harder sell.
Actually how many times have we ever bought a player for our first team squad from South America directly? I think English teams generally don’t seem to do it pretty often right? Is it a language issue or visa or permit issue? Was looking a Julian Alvarez and looks like a good prospect at 21 years old and having a breakout season with River Plate. Decent speed, but nowhere near Mane or Salah fast. More like a Jota type, decent speed and getting into relevant positions to score or assist. Touted prices of around 20m pounds or less. I think some English teams like Manures are linked.
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Language/cultural issues may be a factor but work permit rules are probably the biggest factor.
Portugal and Spain have a historical link with that part of the world as they were former colonies and therefore give visas easier.
Also due to the close relationship, a lot of the most promising players probably get creamed off before we would get a shot at them.
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I think it’s the work-permit thing. I think UK/PL rules dictates a player is selected for 60% of the NT games in the previous one year prior to his signing. That’s not feasible playing in the domestic leagues.
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It does include under 21s etc too though.
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My Squad 22/23 Season:
Keepers:
Ali
Kelleher
Adrian
RB:
Trent
Bradley
CB:
Virg
Joel
Konate
SVB
LB:
Robbo
Kostas
CM:
Hendo
Fab
Thiago
Curtis
Elliott
New Signing
RW:
Mo
Gordon
ST:
Jota
New Signing
LW:
New Signing
Origi*
Outs:
Neco (Think he wants out to forge a Wales career and his own club career)
Gomez (Doubt he will stay if game time doesn’t increase, could stay if Matip drops off)
Millie (No new deal)
Keita (Cash in final year)
Oxlade (Same as Naby)
*Note could replace Ox with Origi as one will be kept on imo.
Taki (Cash in)
Bobby (Same as Naby)
Phillips (Cash in)
Mane (Same as Naby)
Karius (Contract Ends)
Incomings:
Luis Diaz for Mane
Adeyemi for Bobby
Aurelien Tchouameni for Keita/Millie
Bradley/SVB/Gordon for Neco/Joe and Nat/ Taki
It’s an extremely minor point, but Adrián’s contract is also expiring at the end of this season (as well as Ben Woodburn).
If Transfermarkt is to be believed, Ojo (currently on loan at Millwall) is another who will be sold as he enters the final year of his contract.
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I thought Adrian had another year after this.
No, his deal expired last summer, but we opted to give him one more year.
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Grand thank fuck. Sick of the sight of him in training pics.
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?? Call yourself a Liverpool fan? Fuck me, hall of shame #1 contender.
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I’m not a huge Adrian fan but he’s not awful as a third choice Keeper. We’ve certainly had worse. I think the issue is more with Alison and Kelleher. First comparison. Alisson is a contender for one of the best in the world in both traditional Keeper types and “modern” Keeper types if you like to split it that way. And he’s the only one who is high up in both categories. He’s a truly great keeper for us even if not always perfect. If we had any other starting Keeper or he was at most other clubs Kelleher would be in a battle to take over as new number 1 and likely be winning. He’s really developing into a real top class Keeper at still a young age. Compared to them two Adrian is highlighted as to how limited he is. But that wouldn’t usually be an issue. Unfortunately Alisson misses a lot of football too and Kelleher has had occasional issues too which always seem Unfortunately timed for when we are having difficulties with Alisson. Most 3rd keepers hardly ever see the pitch except maybe in the early rounds of cup competition. We have really great 1st and 2nd choice keepers but ironically we also need a really strong 3rd choice. None of which is Adrian’s fault.
His deal has an option for another year after this one I think.
I think that might have been the case with his previous deal, not this one.
Not of great importance, we’ll see what happens.
Funny but I always look forward to our summer transfer windows these days in the hope that we finally trimm our squad.
Klopp’s been on a mission with that since… well, 2016.
Catching a tiny bit of Bundesliga at the moment, mostly highlights etc. but watched most if the Monchengladbach vs Bayern Munich game from the other day. One young promising player I thought might be worth keeping an eye on is Kouadio Koné. He’s only 20, will turn 21 by the summer but not thinking an immediate transfer option. But he seems strong, robust, athletic, good ball winner, good at moving up the pitch on the ball/hard to shake off and competent passer. Full of pressing. Quite liked him on that limited viewing would be interesting to see how his career goes over the next year or two.