Polarboy

I seen some analyst for transfermarkt say that he's not a replacement for him, but who knows.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-12263965/Livramento-prefers-join-Newcastle-Chelsea-Southampton-loan-holding-little-appeal.html?ito=social-twitter_dailymailsport

A lot it is shite put out by agents etc, but there was an Italian journalist, or at least he wasn't British, who mooted the Tonali move a day or two before it happened I think. I can't recall his name off the top of my head. He was pretty much the only one iirc, and everyone else assumed that Tonali would never leave, so that's why it wasn't widely circulated. I generally agree with your point though. Whether it's agents, news of who teams have been seen scouting, which is then used as guess work etc.

😂 I was well within my rights to call your opinion absurd when you're saying Lascelles is better cover than Chalobah potentially would be. What is Lascelles if not a total liability at this stage of his career. He's probably just about good enough to start for a promoted team, if even that. Lascelles' biggest contribution last season was to get a yellow card as sub on the side of the pitch, for stopping the opposition taking a quick throw in. And I've seen more than enough of Chalobah to form an opinion on him. And if you can't remember a match where he didn't have a howler maybe watch his debut against Palace where he got man of the match, or his man of the match performance against Juve in the Champions League. His stats if you want to compare them to Lascelles over their career's so far, has Chalobah on an average rating of 6.75 and Lascelles on 6.85. Chalobah still has the prime of his career as a centre back ahead of him, mistakes tend to be cut out when they reach around 27, so if he keeps developing he will easily put up numbers that overtake the peak of Lascelles' career. And lets not forget the abomination that was Chelsea's last season. His numbers will have taken a major hit in a year where Chelsea barely played as a team.

You're entitled to your opinion, but you're talking nonsense. Lascelles may as well be running in treacle as compared to Chalobah for a start, he can actually pass the ball, and is even comfortable enough on the ball to play in midfield, whereas Lascelles' first instinct is to hoof it as far as possible. And if you're basing your opinion on games from last season it was basically a write off for the entire Chelsea squad. I mean even if you just took it as Chalobah having just turned 24, with plenty of room to develop and learn, it's absurd to say that Lascelles is a better option as back up.

Chalobah off Chelsea is an interesting link for competition for Schar, if there's anything in it. 23, 6'4, quick, athletic, good on the ball, and can play right back as well so would be the cover we need for Trippier, given the Livramento bid has gone quiet. The big snag is that Chelsea aren't likely to do us any favours, and his contract isn't up until 2028, so there'll be no discounts on the price. But supposedly he's been told he can leave, and is aware that he won't get many minutes in the upcoming season. Guler, the Turkish 18 year old wonderkid attacking mid, is off to Madrid. Not sure how serious our interest ever was, or indeed if we had any, but he'd surely have gotten more minutes at a team like us.

Can't see us paying 40m for him if that's what Palace will insist on. He is quite similar to Schar in that he's very comfortable on the ball with accurate long passing, and he's four years younger of course, so he makes sense as a younger alternative/competition for Schar. Ed Aarons writes for the Guardian for those who don't know. It seems twitter has changed something whereby you can't embed tweets anymore.

I see we've been linked with that attacking mid/winger Jesper Lindstrom lad who plays for Eintracht Frankfurt. There's German reports that he wants to leave the club to play champions league football. The only other teams seriously linked with him are Liverpool and Chelsea. Liverpool are very unlikely to go after him now they have Szoboszlai obviously. From what little I've seen of him he looks like a bit of an improvement on the likes of Almiron and Murphy, but that's not all that inspiring. It could easily just be his agent trying to drum up interest. I also read, can't remember where, that Chiesa is very unlikely given what his wage demands will be, and that all the stories in the Italian press have been driven by his agent. I'm pretty sure it was in one of the mainstream publications and not an ITK.

OK, fair enough you were talking about bottom half of the PL and Leeds obviously got relegated, but I still think he's better than bottom half of the PL. In terms of value for money for good defensive mids I don't see that many better options, unless you could unearth a gem outside the PL. And I also want us to spend big on RW, LB etc, but again I think Adams would be the value for money option. As for not needing him I saw a quite convincing tactical analysis of the team last season, he had graphs, clips and everything 😉👍 , and he was basically saying that not having a specialist six who can just sit, and having hybrid players like Bruno back there makes us more flexible going forward but leaves us vulnerable on the counter. I think it was pretty obvious to everyone on here that we got found out a little bit in the second half of the season, and found it tough to keep those clean sheets we were getting for fun previously. All the top teams have at least one player who can play that role in front of the defence, and it's not as simple as being a runner and an athlete. We don't have that type so getting one will definitely improve the squad.

He was their best player before he got injured toward the end of the season. When your defensive mid is your best player, that says something about the level he's at compared to the team he's playing for. Palhinha at Fulham is probably the only other player at his level or a bit higher playing as a six outside of the "top six". Although I suppose Onana at Everton deserves a shout as well. So no, I don't subscribe to the notion that just because he plays for Leeds he's found his level. He's still quite young at 24 for a start, and was playing champions league football with Leipzig before he joined Leeds.

I'd take him all day long for 25m, but I can't see it. I'd be shocked if he didn't go for north of 30m. There are other more reputable sources such as the Mail who say we're back in for him, but again that price seems low.

I see Leeds are one of the teams who are interested in Darlow along with Bournemouth. Seen an article saying it might be worth sweetening a deal for Adams off Leeds with Darlow as part of the bid. Adams isn't the most exciting signing, but he's a very competent defensive mid who's far too good for the championship.

I presume it's Tchouameni? And sure if they could get him they'd likely drop out of the Lavia race as well, but I think basically every top team would like Tchouaméeni.

According to Ben Jacobs Liverpool have dropped out of the race for K Thuram and will focus their attention on Lavia next. Unfortunately it's a player like Lavia that we could do with. Having read a bit more about Thuram he's not really suited to playing as a six, and is more of a box to box destroyer in the mold of Joelinton. I'd be surprised if we go for him, unless the transfer fee is too good to not make a bid. If we bought him he might even start in that three man midfield alongside Bruno and Tonali, with Big Joe playing left wing, but I think we're in greater need of elite players at LB and RW/AM.

I read a quote, that was supposedly from an unnamed club source, stating that it was as late as May before we thought we had any chance of getting Tonali. So it's possible that we've changed the profile of players we're after to add to him in response to that. The rumours about Maddison and Szoboszlai this window could have been a result of us heavily scouting, and in Maddison's case also bidding for him, previously.

Veiga is away to PSG according to a report in Spain. With Enrique now their manager the move makes sense, if the report turns out to hold water. Given it said that he'll soon be doing his medical you'd assume there must be something in it for them to be that definitive.

I know transfermarkt has Ferguson down as roughly 20m pounds, but given his age and potential you'd be lucky to get him for 50m, given the current market for good young players with PL experience. Chiesa on the other hand is supposedly valued at 50m by Juve, but it's been hinted there's room for negotiation. Anyway, I'm sure the paupers in Liverpool will stretch that shoestring even more, and end up signing him. There has been vague rumours that they are also interested.

A winger who can play either flank isn't really comparable to an out an out centre forward like Ferguson. Ferguson can play a bit as well of course. But the point being Ferguson won't solve the quality issues out wide, and why would he move to sit on our bench when he's likely to break into the Brighton first 11 on a consistent basis in the coming season.

I'm not worried about his injuries. That seems like a lot but apart from the cruciate he's spent quite little time out. Plus the injuries after the cruciate, muscle fatigue etc look like the type of injuries most players get their first season back after being out so long after that type of injury. If his knee is in good shape, and the medical would assess that, then this season is when he should be getting back to his pre cruciate injury fitness levels. As long as we get a little consideration on the price, because of said injury, we could potentially be getting a bargain should we bid and it's accepted.

I've moved on to being marginally obsessed with Chiesa joining us, after the club didn't bid for Szobobszlai. No doubt there'll be rumour after rumour about us being close to bidding, and then Villa or somebody equally stupid will sign him just to make it worse. Not that I blame the club as I'm sure we'll have a good window regardless. At least Szoboszlai went to a team who've in the recent past won big competitions and have a pedigree. If Chiesa can get back to his best he'd potentially be an elite player in the PL and be under consideration for player of the year wherever he goes. Well I say wherever but he obviously needs to go to a decent team to perform to his best levels.

I see Bournemouth are supposedly going to buy Darlow for 5m off us. That's a decent amount for him, and any little bit of extra cash is welcome I'm sure to add to the transfer pot.

Yeah maybe it was taken out of context. I hadn't realized that it had come from an Italian source.

Albert and any progeny he might have can fuck off. He was quoted recently saying that Tonali coming to us was a step backwards from Milan. I'm mean obviously Milan's history and success makes them a legendary club well above us in that respect, but the shine is definitely starting to dull. And you don't say that kind of thing about your ex club regardless of how true it may or may not be, at least historically.

K Thuram and Chiesa would be a very nice start to next week. We can only hope. Thuram looks an absolute beast. Him and Big Joe on that left side of the pitch would dominate teams. So hopefully Klopp doesn't actually have a seemingly unlimited budget this window, and he has to choose between Lavia and Thuram.