Ed-Zeppelin

Bascombe saying we've agreed a £32m fee with Palace for Benteke in the Telegraph. Only posted half an hour ago! Finally, hopefully...

Going back a few pages to Chewie saying perhaps they're, FSG, only looking to stabilise then sell. Wouldn't the current approach to loans also support this. Yes it gets the wages down the way they're doing things, something I'm not entirely against, but it also means any prospective buyer isn't buying into a lot of long term deals and gives them more flexibility. This and the low value signings looking for potential make good sense for us as a club potentially if we can't/won't spend big, but surely it also helps if they're looking to sell in the short / medium term. The same goes for what they're doing with the stadium which so far seems like a lot of ground work without really committing. All good for any prospective buyers, or for FSG if they're looking to sell.

Yep, Old days: Us: £5m Them: £10m Us: £11m Them: Deal Now: Us: £5m Them: £10m Us:£7m Them: £10m Us: £9m Them: £10 Us: £10m Them: Deal! Much better!

And potential sell on. For someone like Coutinho if you extended his contract at some point you could reasonably expect a decent transfer sum back. If he stayed long term it would also make the transfer fee seem better value as it's a longer term investment. I don't agree with how stringent they appear to be with this policy of youth. Balance is needed and there are intangible elements in any deal that won't show up on the bottom line of a deal but any football man would consider just as closely. Yet another reason we need a proper strong football CEO between Rodgers and Ayre and FSG.

Things change quickly if a player comes off the back of a good season. If nothing else it strengthens our hand in demanding something like £20m as opposed to £14m. Even if we only got the later this deal works as it will hopefully free up wages to get someone in.

Fingers crossed! Don't want to curse it but I can't believe we'd sanction the deal without something lined up, hopefully more than Dempsey too. I don't mind Dempsey as a player but I'd like us to get a proper striker!

Or we send him to West Ham for a season where he does well, costs us nothing all season and his stock is higher next year so we get more than £14m.

If Carroll isn't wanted then I'd obviously prefer he was sold but this potential deal with West Ham would be good overall. Stops him going to Newcastle who like it not could be a direct rival for places this season. It frees up wages for another player too which seems to be the big issue with the owner rather than transfer funds. If AC does go I'd not be surprised by Dempsey plus one. Surprised a little that Yesil is so strongly aiming at the youth setup. At 18 if he's good enough he's old enough, as Sterling has proven recently. It'll take time but if he's got the talent a lot of German fans think then I think / hope he'll be around the first team in less than 2 years.

Stevie has just shot him down live on Sky as well. Said he's been in the loop during the manager recruitment process and Rodgers was always first choice.

Ahh. Those quotes just remind me what a bloody moron the man is. His quotes today about not having done anything bad when with us! What planet is he on, this is the man who signed Konchesky! Hope we smash them to pieces, he rubs his face off and then gets appointed England boss for the Euros! He and the FA deserve each other.

“@BeccaJames6: Several media in Holland claimed Drenthe's absence in FA cup semi final was because of having negotiations with #LFC for a possible transfer” No idea who this is but they have been fairly well versed on some of the recent Ajax goings on. It would be fun though. We could do with a crazy wide player. He's got something about him if Kenny could keep him in line and he wouldn't cost the Earth.

Although you'd think a major part of Comolli's job should be finding value and the hidden gems in the market it appears as though we've been trying to play it safe, with the one exception of going for the big name, world class, signings. With the stated requirement of a top four finish it may have been that DC and Kenny felt they couldn't go for the 'value' side and went for safety in the buys we saw last summer. Fine, but hopefully they've learnt that this isn't anymore a guarantee of success than buying players from elsewhere. Im still at a loss as to what the big picture strategy is. Under Rafa, even when hamstrung by H&G, he was buying players which fit a system and style and could generally get them to produce as a result, even if the players themselves weren't top drawer individually. Our current approach of chasing the top 4 seems to have meant we've forgotten how to do that. Perhaps if the approach had been a less frantic chase for the top 4 again, giving scope for some value signings to grow into the side, rather than the perception that they all had to hit the ground running, we may have found more value last season and possibly even uncovered a good player or two from abroad. A massive, and revealing, summer awaitings. The transfer thread on here will be a laugh........

It's a fair point looking at it. There are a few that would be good for the bench but actually I'm surprised at how few really would get near. Van Persie is good, but a injury liability. Ramsey and Walcott, I knew it would rile when I said it last time, I'd have. Wilshere definitely.

Cheeky bid for Walcott if we are after pace and width with the ability to go through the middle. If Bellamy is a no Theo would tick slot of boxes based on our signings so far this summer. I know a lot on here don't rate him highly, but he'd be another threat and a great option to have! Can't see it though, simply as Arsenal simply couldn't sell another big player, could they.... Would be funny though.

Agree with Grabiner. That's a great deal for Bolton considering Cahill has only 1 year left on his contract. Hopefully it's gets sorted soonish if true. I'd also welcome Shelvey going there on loan. He'd get much more game time most probably and Coyle actually employs a system which would benefit him. Also glad it looks like being Cahill over Dann.

Bloody hell! Chin up! Mata is this summers long shot I'll agree but Downing would be sound business. If we got Downjng, based on his previous form in the PL, he could be a valuable asset for us for years to come. Settling does not come in to it. It's about having a good squad of players who can all do a job. Downing definately fits that role.

Agreed. And for every Silva they have we have a Pepe, or even Xabi, to get at him and push him towards us. CL does count for something, but to some our name still stands above all that. Mata is young and has time on his side. Perhaps the lure of a 'project' and being a marquee signing will get him. The job Kenny and DC have is selling that project as required. For many (Downing, Adam) that'll be straight forward I suspect. For those abroad it's more complicated. Kenny's infectious nature and DC's contacts give me confidence. I still thin we'll end up with a couple of players no one has mentioned yet!

I've gone beyond giving a toss what we end up paying for players as long as Kenny gets the players in he wants and thinks will improve in the areas he needs. Whether we pay £5m, £10m or £20m for Downing I will not be bothered anymore. The main reason for this is just how obscene the amounts for players have commonly become and how everyone seems to accept it, and how the media love it. £10m for any transfer is too much IMO, better control of transfer fees in football would make the whole thing fairer. As long a Fenway and Kenny are happy to spend though I've gone beyond caring anymore. For the record, I think Downing would improve us significantly, not ten fold, but would certainly give us good balance and space and that'll help the team as a whole. He and Adam aren't marquee but they would make a big difference, and they know the league. Add a Mata type signing and we'd be starting to look in good shape.

I'd like us to get Clichy. Enrique is probably better all round but there is something about Clichy and his athletism that I like. If Clarke can work the magic on Clichy he has on Johnson then as a pair those two are as good as any in the league for me. Pace, delivery, attacking threat. If we go 4-3-3 they could offer the real width of the team and Clichy will be ideal for that.

I'm still clinging to the idea that to help us secure some good signings we'll make a big statement early on in the window. That way it shows any potential recruits who may have been less than 100%, and any current players that need convincing, that we do mean business. This may open up some opportunities for us as well as getting in early and ensuring we don't miss out on key targets. I'm also hoping we do it as I just can't be arsed waiting for weeks with all the speculation. The morons on Sunday Supplement seemed to think we'd be spending big, which has me worried, as they are nearly always wrong! I hate the transfer window........

That's my only potential issue with it. I'm hoping, based on various rumours about, that our no.1 target is Mata. We are also looking at Perotti, Elia and others and it'll be one of Downing or Mata and one of the others based on how negotiations go. Add the lad from France who we've supposedly signed on a free and that adds good depth and gives a range of experience. Annoyingly this is likely to rumble on a while I fear and then suddenly it'll all fall into place. It does make you wonder doesn't it! Perhaps it's all smokescreen at the moment. I'm still hopeful of at least one big signing, perhaps two. Probably in forward roles.

I'd take Barton and Downing. I think they'd both come in and do solid jobs for us in a season where we are focussed solely on domestic football, which they are both well adapted to. With Barton he's versatile, would always do a job when required and offers the 'bite' in midfield we've lacked on occasions. Next to Lucas with Suarez, Gerrard and Downing in front would work well. Downing offers width and crosses, something we've often lacked and whilst he's not as good as some names mentioned I think he'd fit the bill. More importantly if they are what Kenny wants and they fit into his plans then that'll do for me. That said, I had let myself get a little carried away and so am still hoping that they'll be joined by a Mata/Aguero level signing as the icing on the cake. IMO that be enough to push us into contention for top 4 and beyond as things stand. We can then look forward from there. Let's get back into the CL before we try and build a CL squad. Barring injuries we've got a great chance at having a really settled side so I don't think we need too many in to support the core of what we have.

Anfield as a whole, yes. But at Fenway they used sponsors for the newly developed sections. The Main Stand could be sponsored but Anfield as a whole remains Anfield. As a compromise in the football world we live in today that makes sense. There are probably plenty of other ways they can maximise future revenues with a redevelopment, having previous with Fenway is probably a big help.

I'd like the halfway house idea of staying at Anfield, redeveloping and having sponsors for the redeveloped stands. More opportunities for investors, who don't need to invest quite as much, Anfield stays as Anfield overall and we still get a good flow of cash over an extended period.

That's been notable in the close of the transfer window. I think Kenny's presence has meant the press have got behind the signing of Carroll much more than if Roy or Rafa had been about. There is a shift towards positivity about the club from the media. Also a massive shift in positivity in the club and the fans. Bring on Chelsea. We can have them.