16 Aug 2024 17:44:38
So we’ve not met the valuation off that keeper so the deals off! According to reports!

1.) 16 Aug 2024
16 Aug 2024 18:05:19
Chelsea should get Richard Hughes in to deal with their future transfers - they'll save a fortune by not buying anyone.

2.) 16 Aug 2024
16 Aug 2024 18:13:00
Either way Hughes is having a stinker.

3.) 16 Aug 2024
16 Aug 2024 18:13:09
Sweet baby Jesus, at this rate we're going to be blacklisted from entering into negotiations with half of Europe's clubs.

4.) 16 Aug 2024
16 Aug 2024 18:28:17
Where have you got this info from Jay? I can't find anything that confirms this, the closest was the Valencia manager getting a bit annoyed at questions about Giorgi Mamardashvili's move - much like every other manager where one of their star players is linked to a move away.

5.) 16 Aug 2024
16 Aug 2024 18:34:10
Had to share this hilarious Nostradamus-like post from MeanMrMustard on the Liverpoolfc. com forum.

- 8.11 pm - Breaking news. Liverpool have just bid for X

- 8.27 pm - Breaking news. Liverpool have just had their bid for X knocked back, the player's club said categorically he's not for sale

- 8.32 pm - Breaking news. Liverpool have just bid for Y

- 8.34 pm - Breaking news. Liverpool have just launched an audacious bid for player Z and are confident this gets done

- 8.47 pm- Breaking news. Liverpool have just had their audacious bid for player Z REJECTED

- 9.07 pm Breaking news. I'm hearing Liverpool have just launched an incredible £150m bid for player H. this is really incredible news as Richard Hughes is really upping the ante

- 9.11pm - Breaking news. Liverpool have FAILED in their attempt to secure player Y - the selling club has said its too late to get a replacement but would have sold him no problem 2 weeks ago

- 9.19pm - Breaking news. The noises coming out of Anfield is that player H IS CLOSE TO BEING DONE and Liverpool have also in recent minutes lodged a £75mbid for player M to Slovenian club C

- 9.22pm - Breaking news - Latest reports are that Liverpool are trying to negotiate weekly payments of £22.50 for player J but time is running out

- 9.33pm - Breaking news - Incredibly Liverpool have had their incredible £150m bid for player H KNOCKED BACK with reports emerging the player he wanted to stay with his club near a local golf club

- 9.39pm - Breaking news - I'm hearing Liverpool have not given up on player Y and gone back with an increased offer of only £20m below the selling club's asking price

- 9.44pm - Breaking news - Incredible scenes here at Anfield, we're hearing player C is BACK ON as Richard Hughes pulls out all the stops

- 9.48pm - Breaking news - Incredible scenes here at Anfield, we're hearing player C is NOW OFF as Richard Hughes pulls out all his hair

- 9.52pm - Breaking news - After missing out on players X, Y, Z, C, J, and H in the last few hours Liverpool have launched an incredible last minute hijack attempt to prise player O away from club U

- 9.56pm - Breaking news - incredible scenes here as we're hearing Liverpool have FAILED in their incredible last minute hijack attempt to prise player O away from club U

-9.58 pm - Breaking news - Liverpool have announced they have completed the resigning of Naby Keita on a season long loan from wherever he is.

- 10.00pm - DING DONG - WINDOW SLAMS SHUT.

6.) 16 Aug 2024
16 Aug 2024 18:47:17
Richard Hughes features on deal or no deal next month.
Apparently he came home empty handed.

7.) 16 Aug 2024
16 Aug 2024 18:56:26
Does Hughes set the parameters on what he is allowed to spend or someone above him.

If it’s Hughes there would be nothing stopping him bidding 200 mill for a player and then leaving himself.

8.) 16 Aug 2024
16 Aug 2024 19:02:33
Can't find anything which says deal is off.

9.) 16 Aug 2024
16 Aug 2024 19:42:26
Just get Hughes out the club he can take Edwards with him.

10.) 16 Aug 2024
16 Aug 2024 19:55:57
JK, I imagine it’s the accountants that will give Hughes an outline of what he can spend but by and large it’ll be down to him.

11.) 16 Aug 2024
16 Aug 2024 20:34:42
If Richard Hughes went on Deal or No Deal he’d end up owing the banker money. Doesn’t appear the most competent person in the world.

12.) 16 Aug 2024
16 Aug 2024 20:38:29
As far as I can tell the only thing to change today is Valencia manager Ruben Baraja saying a deal hasn't been done yet.

Nothing to say the deal is off, but hey I guess FSG aren't giving us enough ammo by not making any signings by the 16th of August and being rebuffed by Zubimendi, so we can always make stuff up.

{Ed002's Note - Giorgi Mamardashvili is complicated.}

13.) 16 Aug 2024
16 Aug 2024 21:36:39
JK the club will have set a budget. He acts within that. I would imagine the CEO of football (Edwards) would have some say.

14.) 17 Aug 2024
16 Aug 2024 22:35:19
Cheers Fuser / redwook.

15.) 17 Aug 2024
17 Aug 2024 00:49:06
Remarkable the way Richard Hughes has been appointed public enemy number 1, without anybody having any idea about what’s actually going on.

1. We tried to sign a player who initially indicated he wanted to come to Liverpool and the changed his mind.

2. Social Media, in the absence of any concrete comment by Liverpool, Valencia or the GK whose name I can’t spell are making up a variety of conflicting stories on a daily basis.

3. We have not renewed contracts for Adrian, Matip or Thiago - all in their mid-30s and all nominated as too old and candidates for the 3 it door on this very board for about the past 12-18 months.

4. We have sold Carvalho and Clark, the firmer again someone who has been touted as someone to be sold for 12-24 months as a player who wasn’t going to break into the team and had a poor attitude and the latter who seemed to be a potential candidate for a squad player but not necessarily someone who was going to be a natural starter.

5. We haven’t (yet) renewed the contracts for VVD, TAA or Mo. given we are moving into the last 12 months of their contracts you could argue that the previous management set up should have done something 12-24 months ago.

6. Apart from Zubimendi and the GK we haven’t tried to sign anybody. I’m assuming that is because there has been no media coverage of us chasing players in public, although evidence of recent years would suggest that the club has been doing business out of the spotlight. Equally what the club (as an example Slot yesterday) are saying that there are no real candidates to come in and improve the squad might actually be true. There’s no point in spending / wasting money just so fans can say we bought someone / anyone.

Anyway, I’m confused (though not surprise) that We have found a scapegoat but I’d love to hear a rational explanation of how all of (or any of) the above can be pinned on one person.

{Ed001's Note - 1. The issue is that time was wasted on a player we didn't need and who offered no new skillset from the players already at the club, while he did nothing to address actual needs.

2. Again a player we have no need of, that is taking focus and attention from him, when he should be working to bring in what we need.

3. Not sure how that is relevant, none were needed.

4. That is an aspect he has got right. Neither were likely to get a place in the team.

5. This is the big issue, which should have priority number one to sort out. Not sure of the relevance of the previous administration's failing here. That doesn't stop them from dealing with it for months.

6. Yet we know there are gaps that need addressing and it is their job to find the players that can improve the squad. If they are not finding them, then they are failing badly. We already have the best goalkeeper in the world and a number of excellent young keepers coming through but they have still managed to find, and attempt to sign, another young keeper to address a gap in the squad that doesn't exist.}

16.) 17 Aug 2024
17 Aug 2024 01:21:53
Ed001 from your reply to West Derby wanderer I take it your not too impressed with what positions we've decided to improve. can I ask whose made these obvious mistake as even I know we should decide on contracts an then strengthen different positions. is slot not seeing the weakness in the squad that needs improvement.

{Ed001's Note - Slot is not in charge of recruitment or contract renewals. He will make his recommendations but that is all. Hughes is in charge of recruitment. I am not 100% sure who is handling contract renewals now, but if it is him, then his first focus should have been to deal with the big 3. If it is not him, then his first focus should have been on buying players to fill gaps in the team, not unnecessary signings of players we already have a squad full of. Either way, he is not doing it.}

17.) 17 Aug 2024
16 Aug 2024 21:28:04
Ed002, could you explain the complication?

Cheers
Drogie.

{Ed002's Note - Liverpool cannot sign the player and loan him to Bournemouth. The simple solution would be to have agreed with Valencia to sign him and loan him back to them for a year or two. Valencia say they are unclear what is going on. There will need to be oversight if he ends up at Bournemouth as it could be seen as third party interference with Hughes helping out his old club - rather than his new club. IF Alisson were departing this summer it makes sense. But LIverpool should be addressing their priorities.}

18.) 17 Aug 2024
17 Aug 2024 10:19:05
@Ed01 - I take the point about time wasting and un-necessary effort of players we don’t need but that wasn’t what Inwas getting at. Surely the selection of targets is a process that involves more than one individual (at least I sincerely hope it is’. I thought Hughes was more the designated negotiator than a one man band for transfers.

I’m not saying Hughes is perfect, and I’m hopeful that he will take the lessons he should have learned in the past few months but I really don’t believe he is responsible for everything that does (or doesn’t happen at the club.

{Ed001's Note - but he is responsible for making signings, which means he is failing.}

19.) 17 Aug 2024
17 Aug 2024 10:58:53
In your eyes, ed, what are the gaps?

From my perspective (rightly or wrongly) we have a brand new regime and the only thing constant in this is the squad from last season. Everybody who has come in has had to assess a disparate squad with various tournaments occurring and had to work out where the gaps are with fresh eyes, not entirely knowing the style slot would be implementing. I'd rather we'd sign no one and save funds for definite needs than purchasing for the sake of it. Anyone who EXPECTS us to be challenging for the title this season is just being unreasonable reasonable.

Not to say I think we shouldn't sign anyone, but I'd rather we sign no one, utilise a squad that's capable of gaining top four and then spend bigger when it's truly necessary and everyone is aligned, than to spend for the sake of it.

{Ed001's Note - I have said so many times, we need long term replacements for Virgil and Mo.}

20.) 17 Aug 2024
17 Aug 2024 11:58:38
Exactly that Ed. It’s no good saying this squad is great it’s hard to find improvements. It’s his job to find improvements. I wish I got a job on his wages where I could just say we can’t do anything and everyone fall for it.

21.) 17 Aug 2024
17 Aug 2024 11:19:05
I thought the only two we’d actually made a concrete offer for were Zubimendi, who changed his mind, and for thr goalkeeper we are trying to sign?

22.) 17 Aug 2024
17 Aug 2024 11:42:51
Ed, who is as good as Zubi, aside from Alexis?

The GK is an issue if its known that CK wants to move on now and Ali in a year or two, future planning makes sense on many levels.

No one knows the true desires of Trent, VVD and Mo. Maybe the latter want to see out their contracts and move on a free, for one last big pay day. That would put the onus on them, rather than the club. Isn't it always a bit cagey in such situation?
Maybe Trent wants to see how things develop under Slot, and where / how he plays, or if he becomes captain once Virgil leaves.

{Ed002's Note - There are numerous very good DM players - Guimaraes, Kimmich, Palhinha, Hjulmond, Vitinha, Fofana, Ugarte, Rodri ....

The club need to understand the intentions of the players, certainly.}