Polarboy

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.

Their dad is Lilian Thuram, one of the best defenders France has ever produced, so there's something going right in their DNA.

That's his brother Marcus who's a forward, as opposed to a box to box mid.

Romano is saying that Liverpool are in for Lavia and he's on the list along with Thuram. Surely it would one of the other. Having said that Lavia and Thuram are very different players. Thuram is much more box to box and Lavia is a more traditional six. But I say one or the other because you'd assume Liverpool won't be spunking that much money on their midfield. If they do and Klopp ever complains about being poor again he should be shot. If they add either Lavia or Thuram to their midfield along with Mac Allister and Szoboszlai that would be roughly 160m, and they are reportedly after at least one defender as well.

If he could be converted into that Vardy role with his pace he could be very useful. Of course say what you will about Vardy but his instincts as a striker are of a high level. Whether Gordon has those instincts within or he can be taught in another matter entirely.

We are profligate at times, but I still think we need someone who can play wide, but is generally an attacking mid who can unlock a low block with creative through balls, one-two's etc. That's why missing out on Szoboszlai was such a kick in the bollocks. We keep hearing that Bruno will move higher up the pitch should we sign a six, but I'm not sure that's the plan. I think Tonali coming will allow one of him or Bruno to go while the other hangs back, and they'll share defensive responsibilities, but I still think we need an out and out creator. Buying a more clinical and consistent version of either Murphy or Almiron would be great, but as Howe has mentioned he wants players who can play multiple positions, and I think we need that attacking mid 10/winger.

The only stipulation that I seen was that PL teams weren't allowed to sign players from the Russian league on short term deals when the war first broke out. Some other European countries did I think. So as far as I'm aware as long as you are signing them permanently there's no issue. In fairness it would be crazy to not allow players who aren't even Russian leave a Russian team. Not that I think there should be any sanctions against Russian footballers either.

I don't know for sure, but let's say yes 😂 The Russian league is ranked sixth on the UEFA coefficient. Of course a lot of that is probably down to teams like Spartak Moscow doing well in Europe, so likely doesn't speak to how competitive the league is. It's quite a tenuous link even with the quote from the ex Spuds striker, but he sounds interesting and ideal for us in that he's a creative attacking mid but can also play wide. A pretty similar profile to Szoboszlai actually.

Roman Pavlyuchenko the ex Spuds striker is quoted as saying that us and Citeh are believed to be interested in Eduard Spertsyan a 23 year old Armenian attacking mid, who plays for Krasnodar. Pavlyuchenko advised him to choose us given he'd probably get game time right away. He has very impressive numbers, 16 goals and 14 assists last season, but obviously it is only the Russian league.

Who the fuck is Burnsie? The guy who runs Mouth of the Tyne? If that's who you mean my point was that he was quoting other journalists, who may or may not be reputable, as opposed to just making shit up himself in those tweets on the previous page..

You possibly know the kind of stuff that AH posts better than I would. It's difficult to tell who's being serious and not out here on the internet these days.

😂I hadn't realised that you were being held down Clockwork Orange style being forced to read it, so I apologise. The facts are that yes a lot of it is shite, but there are local football journalists in various countries who get wind of a move a day or two in advance of people like Ornstein, Romano, Sky Sports etc. Mouth of the Tyne is an ITK, but it's when they say they have an exclusive with no source that you can dismiss it out of hand. The two above stories could easily be incorrect, but they do have at least vaguely reputable sources that are being quoted. When people unironically post people like Sean Casey you might have a point, at least without the authoritarian ban hammer nonsense.