Transfer rumours

[Dreambeliever]

You know I love you Kris but many of you posts about potential transfer targets border on Dreamy's suggestion that we sign Shane Long

Eh? That was Leo buddy!

 

[hmmmmm1]

Never been impressed with rabiot; seems to be the hipsters favourite player

 

[Modo]

Never been impressed with rabiot; seems to be the hipsters favourite player

I resent that...probably as much as mama Rabiot resents the boys' new agent.

 

[The Nomad]

I resent that...probably as much as mama Rabiot resents the boys' new agent.

To be fair.. I know a couple of French people, who watch Ligue1. They say the same as hmmmm. He has the ability to go missing.. often. Was their assessment.

 

[Modo]

To be fair.. I know a couple of French people, who watch Ligue1. They say the same as hmmmm. He has the ability to go missing.. often. Was their assessment.

I've honestly not followed him as closely as someone who regularly watches the French league, but to me he looks like a player with a lot of potential.

 

[rurikbird]

Rabiot is 23, right? Not too many midfielders are 100% mature and consistent at this age. I agree with Modo – he has great potential if coached right and freed from his mom's overbearing influence.

 

[Mersey86]

Why does Jesus always sign his posts? None of the rest of us do that.

Otherwise we'd think it was just Judge posting.
Like those Twitter accounts where numerous people have access and they sign it off with their name or initials

I think that, having identified this issue, JJ should sign all his posts - that way we avoid any confusion.

 

[LeTallecWiz]

Rabiot is 23, right? Not too many midfielders are 100% mature and consistent at this age. I agree with Modo – he has great potential if coached right and freed from his mom's overbearing influence.

If his wage demands are realistic (say, not 100k/week), we should be signing this kid

 

[KopRed]

If his wage demands are realistic (say, not 100k/week), we should be signing this kid

On a free? Easily an opening bid of 150k/week and 5m sign on. Let's not forget the money to his entourage.

Sanchez on a free or a swap or whatever easily costed them 20-30m before his wages I reckon.

 

[Modo]

Werner to Bayern...

 

[tomasjj]

I wasn't keen, so fine.
Lacked the x-factor. A bit of a grafter.

 

[gene hughes]

Didn't like loud noises. That put me right off.

 

[The Nomad]

Werner to Bayern...

I am not shocked. Unless we sign a player right away from Germany 99% use us as a pawn to get to Bayern.

I expect the same for Haivertz.

 

[Dave G]

You mean The Firm lied to us ???

 

[manwithnoname]

I am not shocked. Unless we sign a player right away from Germany 99% use us as a pawn to get to Bayern.

I expect the same for Haivertz.

Players we have signed from the Bundesliga, before Bayern managed to step in and nick them from us:

Klavan
Keita
Karius
Matip

Fuck.

 

[The Nomad]

Players we have signed from the Bundesliga, before Bayern managed to step in and nick them from us:

Klavan
Keita
Karius
Matip

Fuck.

Firmino

 

[manwithnoname]

Firmino

Ah, how did I forget him.

Probably because Klopp didn't buy him. Silly me

 

[JurgenKlopp]

Go get dybala ;-)

 

[bluebell]

Go get dybala ;-)

Like we got a spare £150m?

 

[JurgenKlopp]

Like we got a spare £150m?

Who knows, we might have

 

[The Nomad]

Ah, how did I forget him.

Probably because Klopp didn't buy him. Silly me

Ha ha. You said we. Not Klopp.

 

[manwithnoname]

Ha ha. You said we. Not Klopp.

I know.

 

[hmmmmm1]

Werner to Bayern...

Disappointed to see klopp having no pulling power with young German talent. It was goretzka last year

 

[Oncy]

Disappointed to see klopp having no pulling power with young German talent. It was goretzka last year

Or maybe he didnt want him.

 

[hmmmmm1]

If reports were to be believed

 

[rurikbird]

Reports are only that he agreed personal terms with Bayern, this doesn't necessarily mean Leipzig agreed to sell him to Bayern.

 

[Modo]

Reports are only that he agreed personal terms with Bayern, this doesn't necessarily mean Leipzig agreed to sell him to Bayern.

Let it go...he's a goner and Manc

 

[rurikbird]

Let it go...he's a goner and Manc

I'm fine with him not joining us, just pointing out that personal terms means fuck all.

 

[Glen C]

If he came he would only be on our bench. No way is he better than any of our front 3. Decent player but nothing special. German Ings.

 

[rurikbird]

Two summers ago, Jürgen Klopp sought to strengthen his attack by bringing in Bayer Leverkusen forward Julian Brandt. When it became clear a deal couldn’t be done, the Reds quickly turned their attentions towards Mohamed Salah. Hardly a bad move, in retrospect. But two years down the road and Klopp and Liverpool could still end up with Brandt. At least according to a smattering of German reports from the likes of Bild and Kicker and as re-told for English audiences by The Mirror.

They’re the ones peddling the story today that Liverpool could be going back for the now 22-year-old German international as a versatile forward option who would replace Adam Lallana—who is expected to depart this summer—in the squad. One reason for the story, obviously, is that Klopp is a known admirer of the player—who’s in the age range and at a position likely to be targeted this summer. Another is that it is now being suggested he could be had for €25M this summer.

For a player of Brandt’s age and talent—he has a goal or assist every 138 minutes for Leverkusen this season—that would represent an absolute steal, and it would be thanks to a release clause that kicks in at the end of the 2018-19 season. Brandt fits the profile of potential target, such a release clause would make him an undervalued asset, and we know Klopp likes him. Plus there’s the part where Timo Werner—long presumed to be the top target—appears set for Bayern Munich.

As always in the land of rumour mongering it’s hard to say just how much truth there is to it all, but add it up and at the very least it makes a whole lot of sense, with 2017’s Plan A attacking target potentially becoming 2019’s Plan B.

I still like Brandt very much. Him and Havertz playing in the same team are like fire and water: both big talents, but such contrasting styles! Brandt is this passionate type of a player like Ox, very positive and creative, but tends to get frustrated and down on himself when things are not going right. Havertz has more of an Ozil vibe, he is gliding across the pitch and making the most difficult of skills look effortless, with incredible calmness on the ball as well as in his general demeanor. He is a more complete player than Ozil though, far exceeding his countryman's defensive contribution.

This season has not been going well for Brandt (and for Bayer as a team, with their manager getting a sack in December), but the new gaffer Peter Bosz changed Brandt's position from the wing to midfield – in a very similar way to what Klopp did with Ox – and got immediate rewards with Brandt more than doubling his attacking output for the season in just his first 6 games under the new manager.

It is a move Bosz envisioned some time before he had taken his seat in the Leverkusen dugout. “I’ve seen a lot of games involving Julian," said the 55-year-old after watching his side dismantle Mainz 5-1. "During my time with Dortmund when we played against Bayer... back then he was playing on the wing, but I saw him as a midfielder. He’s such a good player and you’ve got to give good players the ball as much as possible.”

This video illustrates everything very well in 3 minutes:



And here's a view from a Bayer fan:

I'd say Brandt and Havertz are quite on par talentwise. Havertz is generally considered the greater talent among the fans though, primarily because Brandt is perceived as somewhat "lazy", kind of like Özil, and Havertz has the bonus of being homegrown. I don't agree with that and think Brandt's really underrated and suffers from the extremely high expectations and our currently rather dysfunctional offense. Bailey is a little bit overrated if you ask me. He had a run of form that caused quite a hype but his technique is not on the level of Brandt and Havertz and his decision making is miles behind both. He's got the best shot and sharp crossing though.