Summer Transfer Window 2017/18 - Rumours & Signings

We took the same stance last summer and we moved forwards. We have to accept this is how Klopp works. He won't just sign a player for the sake of signing one and to be fair, we only have to look back to Rodgers time at Liverpool to see how pointless doing so can be. How many players did we sign that Rodgers didn't really want and how successful were they?

You have to take what Klopp says with a pinch of salt too. He was adamant 18 months ago that we didn't need a keeper and he was fully confident in Mignolet and Bogdan - a few months later we signed Karius. Most managers and Klopp in particular will always talk up their players even if they don't believe what they're saying. Until they're replaced Klopp's always going to say the players we have are amazing.
 
Absolutely got to take what he said with a piece of salt surely, because he cant possibly truly believe that Matip, Lovren, Klavan is a title challenging first 3 CB choices for the league. If he does then he has no place at a top premier league club.

Personally, its my opinion that no matter how much its silver lined, this (so far) has been another poor transfer window. Our problem for the last several transfer windows isnt that we havent spent 200m , its that each window we havent addressed our biggest needs, so far, I feel that yet again we havent addressed our biggest needs.
 
To be honest , the person I feel most sorry for would be VVD, Liverpool come knocking, he gets all up for moving there, says thats the only team he wants to join, goes into solitary training, effectively burns his bridges and chances of starting the season with Southampton, only for Liverpool to end up deciding they are happy with the defenders they have. Frankly, I wouldnt be surprised to see VVD sign for Chelsea or someone now as I dont see Southampton being viable for him after all this.
 
I think we need to put Klopp's comments into context here. Klopp hasn't just decided to come out with this comment. He was almost certainly asked by a reporter after the Bilbao game about our defensive options and hinting at signing a CB - what is Klopp going to say? "Have you seen Klavan? Of course we need a CB"? 99% of managers will publicly be supportive of their players to the death. As I said, look at Klopp's comments about Mignolet and Bogdan 18 months ago - he was full of praise for them and ruled out signing a keeper only to sign Karius a few months later. Same story with Moreno - after the opening day of last season Moreno took a battering from supporters and the press but Klopp was incredibly defensive of him, Moreno barely featured afterwards though.

Klopp didn't say we're not going to sign a CB, just that he won't sign somebody for the sake of it but that to wait until the end of the window before we complain about the strength of the squad.
 
If I was asked that question by a reporter , as a manager, my answer would be a simple one.

"Currently I have a defence, we are doing well in preseason with that defence and I'm happy with that. Am I looking at options in the transfer market? Of course, a top team must always have an eye on the transfer market, to not do so is to remain static and not believe that there may be ways of improving the team and the arrogance of believing that you are the best you can be is a path to failure"

Thats what I would say. Covers all eventualities without pigeoning myself into 1 quoted path.
 
Tombstone said:
If I was asked that question by a reporter , as a manager, my answer would be a simple one.

"Currently I have a defence, we are doing well in preseason with that defence and I'm happy with that. Am I looking at options in the transfer market? Of course, a top team must always have an eye on the transfer market, to not do so is to remain static and not believe that there may be ways of improving the team and the arrogance of believing that you are the best you can be is a path to failure"

Thats what I would say. Covers all eventualities without pigeoning myself into 1 quoted path.
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Doesn't matter what you say, the media will twist it to fit whatever narrative gets clicks. :)
 
Tombstone said:
...Thats what I would say. Covers all eventualities without pigeoning myself into 1 quoted path.
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Doesn't Klopp do that in what he said? He says we have the need (to sign a CB) but that we won't just sign anybody and they'll keep trying until the end of the window.

As chroniclard says, the press focus their articles on one tiny part of what Klopp said.
 
BaZ87 said:
Doesn't Klopp do that in what he said? He says we have the need (to sign a CB) but that we won't just sign anybody and they'll keep trying until the end of the window.
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Could be, I only skimmed his quote, did he say we would keep trying to sign people until the end of the window? If so, no problem. I'd only have an issue if he said , or implied, that we are fine and no need to look further for players.
 
Tombstone said:
Could be, I only skimmed his quote, did he say we would keep trying to sign people until the end of the window? If so, no problem. I'd only have an issue if he said , or implied, that we are fine and no need to look further for players.
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Yes. Some selected quotes from the article:

"We have the need, we have some but you don’t take any. It doesn’t work."

"You can imagine we still work on different things and we will see if it works."

"Let’s wait until August 31. Then we will talk about it (the strength of the squad). Why should we talk about this today?"
 
BaZ87 said:
Yes. Some selected quotes from the article:

"We have the need, we have some but you don’t take any. It doesn’t work."

"You can imagine we still work on different things and we will see if it works."

"Let’s wait until August 31. Then we will talk about it (the strength of the squad). Why should we talk about this today?"
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So, whats our (as fans) consensus, if August 31 comes and we havent signed anyone else, would we say thats a poor window, or would we say thats its been a good window as Solanke and Salah have looked red hot?

Its good that he says we have the "need" as that suggests that he knows that we dont "want" other players, we NEED other players, though that does suggest that failing to get something you need would be considered bad (should that happen)

To clarify my own view, I say we NEED a new CB and a new DM. The rest of the positions , I think are fine. (even the much maligned GK position)
 
If we don't get a CB, it's an OK window, and if our defence continues to struggle the buck stops with Klopp and he's on the line if that leads to a poor season. Equally, if the defence does well he should be congratulated for picking it well and not spending unnecessarily. If we do get a good CB, I don't think we could have asked for anything more this window. I'm still not sure that we need another midfielder, although if someone top level becomes available we should be in for them.
 
Tombstone said:
So, whats our (as fans) consensus, if August 31 comes and we havent signed anyone else, would we say thats a poor window, or would we say thats its been a good window as Solanke and Salah have looked red hot?

Its good that he says we have the "need" as that suggests that he knows that we dont "want" other players, we NEED other players, though that does suggest that failing to get something you need would be considered bad (should that happen)

To clarify my own view, I say we NEED a new CB and a new DM. The rest of the positions , I think are fine. (even the much maligned GK position)
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If we ended up not signing anybody else I'd concerned and it would certainly be an underwhelming transfer window. I accept what Klopp says regarding the emergence of a few youngsters improving the depth of our squad but in key areas we'd have left ourself short. At CB Gomez may have replaced Lucas as our 4th CB but that doesn't address the lack of quality in the 2nd and 3rd spots and taking into account the extra games we'll have, we're effectively lighter than last season. And holding midfield, we might have Milner & Coutinho (+ Woodburn & Ejaria) providing us great attacking midfield options this season but with Lucas and Stewart leaving we're now left with just 2 proper central midfielders that are semi comfortable playing the holding role.

That said, I accept that this is the manager Klopp is. Generally speaking we were all extremely happy when he got the job and we have to accept that his views on transfers are part of the package and if we want him as our manager we have to accept that too.

I should also add, 12 months ago I probably had the same concerns over our midfield and LB spots as I do our central defence and midfield this season and I think it's fair to say that Klopp proved he knew a little more than we all did. The way he converted Milner into a LB (he was no Roberto Carlos but he proved a solid option there) and Lallana & Wijnaldum (particularly the latter) into more orthodox midfielders showed that we weren't as desperate as we thought. Who knows, maybe Klopp's seen enough from Wijnaldum to believe he can drop a little deeper and be equally as effective in the holding role as he has been in the box to box role and I'm worried about nothing.
manic111 said:
If we don't get a CB, it's an OK window, and if our defence continues to struggle the buck stops with Klopp and he's on the line if that leads to a poor season. Equally, if the defence does well he should be congratulated for picking it well and not spending unnecessarily. If we do get a good CB, I don't think we could have asked for anything more this window. I'm still not sure that we need another midfielder, although if someone top level becomes available we should be in for them.
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I think you have to look at our midfield in 2 parts, the holding role and the 2 more advanced roles. We've got lots of different options in the more advanced roles but the holding role we have just Henderson, who's missed a lot of football in the last 2 years, Can and if we're really desperate, Wijnaldum. When everybody is fit it looks like we're fine but semi serious injury to Can or Henderson and we're really short in that role. At least last season we had Lucas & Stewart in emergencies or on the bench.
 
BaZ87 said:
taking into account the extra games we'll have, we're effectively lighter than last season.
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That...is probably my biggest concern right now. There is no two ways about it, we ran (literally) out of steam last season toward the end of the season. Perhaps only to be expected given the work rate desired by Klopp. If we have decent cup runs, plus a good blast at the league, plus the european football, I'm quite concerned about our capability to handle it all, especially should a few key injuries occur.
 
Tombstone said:
Supposedly according to french media, PSG now want to sign either Mbappe or Coutinho. Where the devil are they getting all this money !
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Oil money ;).

Although I read Barca are preparing a £120mill bid for Coutinho. Mind you that's from the daily express so take it as you will ie a huge, no make that a massive pinch of salt :p

Transfer market has gone officially nuts no thanks to Neymar and his ridiculous transfer fee.
 
Breaking on Sky Sports News that Coutinho has said he'd like to leave if a deal can be done amicably. Although that's hardly news, of course he'd want to go if Liverpool let him
 
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