I'm Lovren it.

[Rosco]

The club paid more for Reina to out on loan and on the bench for the best part of 5 years too.

We can afford, but just like extending Reina when he was 28 (when everyone but me said his best years were ahead of him), it didn't make us better.

Go back through the list o players who we gave big money to at age 27-28 - did it work out for us ?

Lovren's best was his season at Southampton. He hasn't played as well for three years. The next four years of him is unlikely to see much inprovement from him unless we change the way we defend and essentially hide him in the defence

 

[Mystic]

Lovren isn't Reina, just because they were the same age doesn't mean there's any other similarities. As for our signings, some were good, some were average, some were bad, same as most transfers. We don't need to see much improvement from him anyway, he's already good enough to be our third choice centre back, he's good on his day, we just need someone more consistent as first choice.

I don't know what you want us to do anyway, take a punt on an unknown recommended by our scouts? For the kind of price range were there would be a significant saving on money, you're going to be very hard pressed to find someone at the same level at Lovren, and what you're more likely to find is someone who's not good enough to step up when needed, at which point we'd all be wondering why on earth we got rid of Lovren, and bemoaning Klopps bad management. It's been happening this season with Klavan and Sakho for god sake.

 

[keniget]

How about Varane?

 

[Mystic]

How about Varane?

He won't be cheaper than Lovren.

 

[Red Bird]

He won't be cheaper than Lovren.

Is he better, though?

 

[Mystic]

Is he better, though?

Almost certainly. If we signed him I'd imagine he'd be taking Lovrens starting place, not being a third choice as me and Rosco were discussing.

 

[Glen C]

I was hoping we were going to sell lovren in summer, instead we give him a contract extension. Its the mignolet situation all over again. What is it with liverpool and wanting to keep average players? How are we meant to improve if dross like lovren and mignolet are regulars?

 

[LarryHagman]

I was hoping we'd sign better. He's not great is he?

 

[StevieM]

The way I look at it is like this.

We will need a bigger squad next season as we will play more games.

We already know that we need to add to the current squad both in terms of quality & depth.

Therefore - every player that has regularly participated in the first team that gets moved on will have to be replaced just to maintain current depth.

We know that Lucas, Sturridge & Moreno are likely to depart in the summer - so there's a DM, a striker & a LB we need.

We also know that we need a CB & an attacking player - so that's 5 quality players we're looking for to improve the squad & add depth.

We have finite transfer funds available and I'd strongly argue that trying to "bed in" upwards of 5 first team players in one season would be very challenging.

Lovren isn't the greatest defender in the world - but, generally, we have been more secure at the back when he and Matip have played together - so it makes sense to keep him & spend big on a new CB to provide depth & competition - rather than spend big on 2 new CB's - taking resources from other targets, etc.

Depending on the extent of his injury, I'd be all for having Sakho back as well and having Matip, Lovren, Sakho & whatever new guy we sign competing for the CB positions

 

[FoxForceFive]

I think Klopp's comments in the pre-match presser were telling, he wasn't exactly raving about signing him up, rather saying that some fans would never want to play him again, yet Palace fans would want to play him every week, & saying if he were playing for someone else "We'd consider signing him".

That last bit is key for me, cos I read it the way Stevie seems to, that to buy another CB of the same quality (warts & all) we'd pay a lot in today's market so why not keep him & save that cash, especially if you're planning to get a better CB anyway.

 

[Mystic]

Exactly.

 

[choperman.v01]

If the info on transfermarkt is reliable, the new deal adds 2 years to the old one, extending his stay from 2019 to 2021. What's unclear to me is whether these wage adjustments kick in only for the extended term, or if they start immediately. I think we assume the new contract automatically means the adjusted wages kick in right now but in actual fact, that might not be the case?

 

[Mystic]

If the info on transfermarkt is reliable, the new deal adds 2 years to the old one, extending his stay from 2019 to 2021. What's unclear to me is whether these wage adjustments kick in only for the extended term, or if they start immediately. I think we assume the new contract automatically means the adjusted wages kick in right now but in actual fact, that might not be the case?

Of course it kicks in right now, or at the first worst, at the beginning of next season.

 

[choperman.v01]

Of course it kicks in right now, or at the first worst, at the beginning of next season.

Erm... is that a guess, your common sense logic, or you know that for a fact?

The reason I asked is because a delayed kick in seems to me to be the right win-win contract for both parties as it offers the player the protection of extended years at a guaranteed higher wage for the years added, while also allowing the club flexibility in how they handle the player - avoid losing the player for free too early, keep the player for the full duration if he does well, or sell him before the new wages kick in.

But hey.

 

[Mystic]

Erm... is that a guess, your common sense logic, or you know that for a fact?

The reason I asked is because a delayed kick in seems to me to be the right win-win contract for both parties as it offers the player the protection of extended years at a guaranteed higher wage for the years added, while also allowing the club flexibility in how they handle the player - avoid losing the player for free too early, keep the player for the full duration if he does well, or sell him before the new wages kick in.

But hey.

Why would you agree a pay raise for two years time? It's bonkers. You want the money now if you think you're good enough for it.

 

[Insignificance]

Hope there is a fat CL qualification bonus kicking in straight away!!