The reported Inter double bid for Masher/Kuyt

[Buddha]

Idle speculation probably, but there's every chance Rafa will look to take a couple of favourites to the San Siro.

How much would you hold out for Masher/Kuyt and who would you spend the cash on?

I'd be looking for a combined £40m and names that spring to mind are Elia (12m), Ozil (15m) and Banega (13m). I'm assuming we have no chance of getting Yaya Toure (my preferred choice) without Champions league football/huge wages.


By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 7:50 AM on 10th June 2010

Inter Milan hope a bid of £33million will be enough to prise Javier Mascherano and Dirk Kuyt from Liverpool.

The Italians have finalised an agreement for Rafa Benitez to be their next manager and will present him at the San Siro as soon as the Spaniard cuts short his holiday.

And the 50-year-old, who knows all about the financial constraints at Anfield, is ready to raid his former club for trusted allies.

While there is an interest in Fernando Torres, Inter acknowlege that competing with Chelsea would make it difficult to sign the Spain striker.

Mascherano and Kuyt, however, are more achievable signings and are thought to be open to teaming up with their former boss.

Kuyt was quick to praise the man who took him from Feyenoord to Anfield earlier this week, saying: 'I don’t know for sure who is going to be in charge at Inter, but Benitez is a fantastic coach and would be a great choice for them.

'Working with him is perfect and I am grateful for all he did for me. I was delighted when he asked me to join him at Liverpool, and while we were together, he gave me a lot of good suggestions about how I could improve my game.

'He was good for my career. I have read a lot about what might happen now, if he goes to Inter, but I am just concentrating on the World Cup.

'That is important, because I want to have a good tournament. I have a contract with Liverpool, and I have to respect that, because they are a big club and have been good to me.'


Yes, I'm leaving Liverpool: Dirk Kuyt is wanted by old boss Rafa Benitez

Mascherano pondered a move to Barcelona last summer but has since insisted he is happy at Liverpool.

However, the commitment has not been reciprocated by an acceptable new contract offer and talks with the Reds have been shelved until after the World Cup.

Barcelona are also interested in the Argentina captain but are also looking at cheaper alternatives for the holding role vacancy about to be created by Yaya Toure leaving for either Arsenal or Manchester City.

Tottenham's Wilson Palacios is among those who Barca are considering as an alternative to targeting Mascherano.

Meanwhile, Inter have put aside £25m to move for Valencia and Spain midfielder David Silva, who is also a target for Manchester City and Real Madrid, but is said to be keen to join up again with the manager who brought him through at the Mestalla.

Meanwhile, Benitez's three-year contract at the San Siro is reported to be worth £65,000 a week - less than half of what Inter paid Jose Mourinho.

The European champions were turned down by England boss Fabio Capello, Barcelona's Pep Guardiola and Turkey's former Chelsea chief Guus Hiddink before turning to the man who led Liverpool to seventh in the Barclays Premier League last season.

 

[LeTallecWiz]

40 million for Kuyt & Masch? Should be ok, as LONG as we can re-invest all of that appropriately.

 

[Whitey85]

£35m would do. If Benayoun is now staying then him and Maxi can battle for a place on the right. The £35m can be spent on signing a good young defensive mid and a strike partner for Torres. Anything else left over can go to strengthening that weak left side of ours. Jovetic and maybe someone like Mavuba?

 

[Squiggles]

I'd be disappointed if Kuyt jumped ship.

 

[vikas]

£30m for Masch + £10m for Kuyt at the very least.

 

[jan]

If we can reinvest the money in the squad then 35-40M would do it I suppose (Mascherano 25-30M, Kuyt 10-15M)

 

[singlerider]

£33M might just be enough for Mascher on his own (although, how long has he got left on his contract?) and I think Dirk has increased his value since he's been here.

We should look for £45M for the pair IMO. If they don't want to pay that it's no hardship keeping them here

 

[Buddha]

[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=40551.msg1117007#msg1117007 date=1276165170]
I'd be disappointed if Kuyt jumped ship.
[/quote]

I wouldn't.

I've not been one of those frantically pushing Rafa out of the door, but Kuyt symbolised everything that frustrated me about Rafa.

Hardworking as he is, he's just too limited a right winger.

 

[Richey]

[quote author=singlerider link=topic=40551.msg1117040#msg1117040 date=1276166093]
£33M might just be enough for Mascher on his own (although, how long has he got left on his contract?) and I think Dirk has increased his value since he's been here.

We should look for £45M for the pair IMO. If they don't want to pay that it's no hardship keeping them here
[/quote]

His contract ends in 2012 I think.

A problem with dealing with any club Benitez goes to though is that he will be fully aware of how much money it will take for the owners to have to consider an offer, even for players that we ideally want to keep. He will also be fully aware about any minimum fee or other contract clauses.

I wouldn't be surprised if we see some bids in the future for odd-looking fees.

 

[keniget]

We'd be getting roughly 5M more than we paid for two first team players. That's pretty shit.

 

[Insignificance]

[quote author=keniget link=topic=40551.msg1117098#msg1117098 date=1276168799]
We'd be getting roughly 5M more than we paid for two first team players. That's pretty shit.

[/quote]

In todays market we would probably be able to invest 33 million with a better return than just a few years ago.

 

[keniget]

[quote author=Insignificance link=topic=40551.msg1117103#msg1117103 date=1276169078]
[quote author=keniget link=topic=40551.msg1117098#msg1117098 date=1276168799]
We'd be getting roughly 5M more than we paid for two first team players. That's pretty shit.

[/quote]

In todays market we would probably be able to invest 33 million with a better return than just a few years ago.
[/quote]

Oh? Do elaborate.

 

[Insignificance]

[quote author=keniget link=topic=40551.msg1117112#msg1117112 date=1276169412]
[quote author=Insignificance link=topic=40551.msg1117103#msg1117103 date=1276169078]
[quote author=keniget link=topic=40551.msg1117098#msg1117098 date=1276168799]
We'd be getting roughly 5M more than we paid for two first team players. That's pretty shit.

[/quote]

In todays market we would probably be able to invest 33 million with a better return than just a few years ago.
[/quote]

Oh? Do elaborate.
[/quote]

There is less money among the clubs now than before. A lot of clubs are actually depending their existence on selling players. Fewer clubs will dare to fiance player purchases by borrowing money, hence the valuation of good talent will go down. And rightly so!

 

[keniget]

A few years ago 20-30M got you a top end world class player. Now 30M is just the starting point.

 

[Jürgen4PM]

I don't think that Kuyt will be going anywhere personally.

Mascher is going so i just hope that a couple of the big European clubs get involved in a bidding war for him (maybe RM will be interested in him as well?)

£30m+ would be a fair fee imo.

 

[Insignificance]

[quote author=keniget link=topic=40551.msg1117120#msg1117120 date=1276169681]
A few years ago 20-30M got you a top end world class player. Now 30M is just the starting point.
[/quote]

Who will afford to spend 30 mills on a top end world class player anyway? How many world class top end players are available?

Take a look behind that 7-8 players-in-the-world market, and start be realistic. What can we offer? A wounded team ready to hit back, but not CL footie. The market we are to invest in has nothing to do with top end world class players, t is more the -11 million a piece player who has got the talent, but still has a long way to go to finished world class player.

 

[KopPoNok]

It will mean nothing if we're not allow to spend the money generated from player sales.

(What happen to our money from January sales?)

 

[keniget]

[quote author=Insignificance link=topic=40551.msg1117124#msg1117124 date=1276169915]
[quote author=keniget link=topic=40551.msg1117120#msg1117120 date=1276169681]
A few years ago 20-30M got you a top end world class player. Now 30M is just the starting point.
[/quote]

Who will afford to spend 30 mills on a top end world class player anyway? How many world class top end players are available?

Take a look behind that 7-8 players-in-the-world market, and start be realistic. What can we offer? A wounded team ready to hit back, but not CL footie. The market we are to invest in has nothing to do with top end world class players, t is more the -11 million a piece player who has got the talent, but still has a long way to go to finished world class player.
[/quote]

You're missing the point.

I'll take a look behind those 7-8 players and show you that someone like Lescott cost in excess of 20M, that Barcelona paid Shaktar 25M for Chiggy who has flopped, that Milner is being talked about in the 20-30M bracket and that we paid 17M for Glen Johnson.

There are reasonable deals to be had, but it's far from easy.

 

[RedStar]

[quote author=Insignificance link=topic=40551.msg1117124#msg1117124 date=1276169915]
[quote author=keniget link=topic=40551.msg1117120#msg1117120 date=1276169681]
A few years ago 20-30M got you a top end world class player. Now 30M is just the starting point.
[/quote]

Who will afford to spend 30 mills on a top end world class player anyway? How many world class top end players are available?

Take a look behind that 7-8 players-in-the-world market, and start be realistic. What can we offer? A wounded team ready to hit back, but not CL footie. The market we are to invest in has nothing to do with top end world class players, t is more the -11 million a piece player who has got the talent, but still has a long way to go to finished world class player.
[/quote]

well considering £25m was the going rate for a player in the Fernando Torres category a few years back, now it cant even get you James Milner I think its pretty clear which way the market has gone. Mascher is worth at least £30m given his age and profile, Kuyt Im not a huge fan of but hes gotta be worth somewhere around £10-12m

 

[Insignificance]

[quote author=keniget link=topic=40551.msg1117131#msg1117131 date=1276170296]
[quote author=Insignificance link=topic=40551.msg1117124#msg1117124 date=1276169915]
[quote author=keniget link=topic=40551.msg1117120#msg1117120 date=1276169681]
A few years ago 20-30M got you a top end world class player. Now 30M is just the starting point.
[/quote]

Who will afford to spend 30 mills on a top end world class player anyway? How many world class top end players are available?

Take a look behind that 7-8 players-in-the-world market, and start be realistic. What can we offer? A wounded team ready to hit back, but not CL footie. The market we are to invest in has nothing to do with top end world class players, t is more the -11 million a piece player who has got the talent, but still has a long way to go to finished world class player.
[/quote]

You're missing the point.

I'll take a look behind those 7-8 players and show you that someone like Lescott cost in excess of 20M, Barcelona paid Shaktar 25M for Chiggy who has flopped, Milner is being talked about in the 20-30M bracket and we paid 17M for Glen Johnson.

There are reasonable deals to be had, but it's far from easy.
[/quote]

Yeah you can of course pick the 6 most stupid deals done and use them as proof for the market. But they are not.

A: We are not Manchester City nor Barcelona (Nor Real Madrid or any of the Milan clubs) Hence we will not be chasing mediocre players for silly money.

B: The Johnson thing was a one of, and we spent money we really didnt have. I am happy to have Glen, but we do not have the money now and will have to look at other players.

Hence we can purchase a strong midfielder partly unknown to replace Mascherano. They do excist. The french teams with no money seem to be finding them all over, since they actually have to look as they dont have money to spend. We can buy a decent right winger to replace Kuyt, as they do exist. It is just important to to know what you need from a right sided winger. I.e. we could have spent the 11 mill BBabel money otherwise if we knew then that we dont want a winger, but a backtracking midfielder?

 

[Insignificance]

[quote author=RedStar link=topic=40551.msg1117132#msg1117132 date=1276170394]
[quote author=Insignificance link=topic=40551.msg1117124#msg1117124 date=1276169915]
[quote author=keniget link=topic=40551.msg1117120#msg1117120 date=1276169681]
A few years ago 20-30M got you a top end world class player. Now 30M is just the starting point.
[/quote]

Who will afford to spend 30 mills on a top end world class player anyway? How many world class top end players are available?

Take a look behind that 7-8 players-in-the-world market, and start be realistic. What can we offer? A wounded team ready to hit back, but not CL footie. The market we are to invest in has nothing to do with top end world class players, t is more the -11 million a piece player who has got the talent, but still has a long way to go to finished world class player.
[/quote]

well considering £25m was the going rate for a player in the Fernando Torres category a few years back, now it cant even get you James Milner I think its pretty clear which way the market has gone. Mascher is worth at least £30m given his age and profile, Kuyt Im not a huge fan of but hes gotta be worth somewhere around £10-12m
[/quote]

25 million pounds was the going rate for Torres. No way. That was a steal taken his commercial value into concideration.

For the Milner price, you are looking at a single player who they dont want to sell. The going rate for a right sided midfielder with barely no international experience is hardly 25 mill pounds is it?

 

[keniget]

Look, 20M gets you less today than it did a few years back. End of story.

 

[Insignificance]

[quote author=keniget link=topic=40551.msg1117143#msg1117143 date=1276170980]
Look, 20M gets you less today than it did a few years back. End of story.
[/quote]

That depends what you are aiming for and how fucking smart you are. You could buy Andersson for 17 mill pounds, but you can also get his equivalent Lucas for 6 million pounds.

I am 99% sure that you will be able to price players away with less money now than a few years ago.

And the UK bonanza has been very very irresponsible as well, given the number of clubs showing red accounts.

 

[keniget]

[quote author=Insignificance link=topic=40551.msg1117150#msg1117150 date=1276171400]
[quote author=keniget link=topic=40551.msg1117143#msg1117143 date=1276170980]
Look, 20M gets you less today than it did a few years back. End of story.
[/quote]

That depends what you are aiming for and how fucking smart you are. You could buy Andersson for 17 mill pounds, but you can also get his equivalent Lucas for 6 million pounds.

I am 99% sure that you will be able to price players away with less money now than a few years ago.

And the UK bonanza has been very very irresponsible as well, given the number of clubs showing red accounts.

[/quote]

Well that's great for you... that you're 99% sure. You've been proven wrong though.

 

[Squiggles]

Top players will go for astronomical fees. The same can be said of very good footballers.

But they'll be bargains about, as always. We need more Xabi Alonso type signings (not especially insightful I know, but true)

 

[Buddha]

Banega (reported 11m clause), Elia (12m), Ozil (approx 15m) and Turan (15m?) are all "good" players right now with room to improve. I'd take any of them.

 

[Insignificance]

[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=40551.msg1117158#msg1117158 date=1276171967]
Top players will go for astronomical fees. The same can be said of very good footballers.

But they'll be bargains about, as always. We need more Xabi Alonso type signings (not especially insightful I know, but true)


[/quote]

It is actually very insightful. Alonso was a man Rafa knew he wanted, and he got him for a good price.

 

[The Slugmonster]

[quote author=vikas link=topic=40551.msg1117029#msg1117029 date=1276165897]
£30m for Masch + £10m for Kuyt at the very least.
[/quote]

£40 Million should be enough to prise Bobby Z and Clint Dempsey away from craven cottage. ???

 

[Spionkop69]

[quote author=Buddha link=topic=40551.msg1117055#msg1117055 date=1276166669]
[quote author=Squiggles link=topic=40551.msg1117007#msg1117007 date=1276165170]
I'd be disappointed if Kuyt jumped ship.
[/quote]

I wouldn't.

I've not been one of those frantically pushing Rafa out of the door, but Kuyt symbolised everything that frustrated me about Rafa.

Hardworking as he is, he's just too limited a right winger.
[/quote]

But surely its not his fault he was played there instead of striker? And if we had used 4-4-2 last year with Torres and Kuyt up top and a midfield of Benayoun, Mascher, Gerrard and anyone on the left we'd have done better?

 

[Fox]

£35 million for them both, yes please

£5 million on Steven Ireland, Petrov for nothing put Yossi or Maxi on the right.

£30 million to spend on another striker get in !!!