Liverpool banter 3

18 Aug 2026 23:55:09
One for VG, The Fields and any other guys who have said Barcola is done.

I was willing to accept that it’s done and PSG don’t want it finalised until they get their targets, but now they have their targets it’s not sitting quite right.

So, I’ve wracked my tiny brain to try to think of a reason why it would all be agreed but not finalised yet.



A very plausible reason could be that the player himself is not 100% sold on the move and so wants to wait to see if one of his preferred clubs will come to the table (my guess would be Barca or Real Madrid).

Maybe I’m putting 2 and 2 together and coming up with 5, but do any of you guys have any indication of his desire to move to the Northwest of England?

19 Aug 2026 00:26:53
Barcola 100% isn't going to Barca or Madrid.
1. In most cases, and in all cases of high-value transfers, the player is well aware beforehand of which teams want them. A club doesn't suddenly decide one day to spend 100m on a player they didn't want until 5 minutes ago, though I'm convinced this has happened before.


2. Barca and Real Madrid have spent huge amounts this summer, and both teams have bought wingers.
3. Barca simply won't have the budget remaining for such a big transfer.
4. Both teams are well equipped with wide players.
5. Barcola wants to come to Liverpool, and both us and PSG are well aware of this.

19 Aug 2026 01:26:37
I think that given PSG have not confirmed their new players, it is reasonable to assume that the deal is not done and is just waiting for the perfect timing that PSG want to announce the sale(s).



If you buy that, PSG just don't want to announce it yet, then I couldn't fault you, but I also can't see at this point why they would want to delay?

19 Aug 2026 01:40:02
Just a quick note on Barcola:

He's arriving soon, his song has been based on The Kinks Lola:

Ba Bacola, Ba Bacola, Ba Bacoooola.

19 Aug 2026 02:31:13
Personal terms have long since been agreed. The delays are down to finer details like payment structure and so on; PSG may want more up front than we're willing to part with, for example, or fewer instalments at higher rates.

Also, it seems we may have tagged Mbaye onto the deal 'at the last minute', which obviously further complicates things, not to mention the fact that dealing with his 'team' is apparently quite difficult.

19 Aug 2026 00:48:04
I'm really just thinking out loud Lowe and it came into my mind.

The more I think about it I can't see us hanging around for him if he's not sold on the transfer. It's just strange that by all accounts it's done but for some reason, not finalised.

Just a random thought that popped into my head and was wondering if anyone had any solid info that he wants to come.

19 Aug 2026 07:07:09
Gazza:
I would more prefer Tom Jones Delilah.

Ba ba ba Barcola na na nananana.

19 Aug 2026 07:37:01
You need to agree a transfer fee with PSG. PSG are not budging from their initial valuation. Don't know why we are pretending. Wish ED02 was around.

19 Aug 2026 08:04:04
Are we there yet?

19 Aug 2026 08:35:43
Still stuck in the roadworks on Speke Boulevard, Rigs.

19 Aug 2026 08:54:22
Chewy, genuine question here: Do you have a job? Just that, you seem to reply to literally every post! Don't know how you have the time mate!

19 Aug 2026 09:29:59
Surely Lola is gonna be reserved for Iraola. I thought that we all agreed that ages ago?

A for the Barcola transfer. I suspect by 'done' it means that we have agreed a fee and what has not necessarily been agreed yet is the finer details such as the payment schedule (how much up front, how many instalments etc).

Could it still collapse? Yes. It happens, but my suspicion is that there is an outlined agreement in place and I fully expect us to iron out those details and welcome him to Anfield.

19 Aug 2026 09:40:13
Flange, genuine question, do you still think football's "just a game"?

And do you still think that "most people on her haven't seen Sadiki play and are just jumping on Ed01's back"?

Wind your neck in kid

18 Aug 2026 23:10:45
Dario Osorio.

Seen links to him, looks a real talent and doesn't seem to have too high a cost for a winger of his ability.

Any of the eds or itk have any info if interest is genuinely there?

Defo looks like a player we could mold into a star if links are true.

18 Aug 2026 23:31:12
Probably the only decent Chilean international since the end of our golden generation (Sanchez, Vidal, Bravo, etc), but the step up from Denmark to the EPL would be massive so not sure.

He's still young at 22, but I'd see him as a squad option only. There would need to be a higher quality or more ready starting RW in front of him.

Decent player though, and I'd say has room to get better.

Would be interesting if he comes. He's the type of player you'd see someone like Brighton or Bournemouth sign, and after 2-3 years get signed by a bigger club (if he performs).

18 Aug 2026 23:34:57
We've been scouting him last two seasons. No point in bringing Ng in all these non homegrown players mind unless we want a smaller squad.

19 Aug 2026 02:35:14
Has yet to set the Danish Superliga alight, doesn't look anything too special, he's been there for a couple of years now, let's see what he does this season, if he kicks on, well and good, but until then, nothing more than an unnecessary squad option for us.

19 Aug 2026 08:10:09
He reminds me of former WSL player Karen Carney.
You could say he's the Chile Karen Carney.

{Ed025's Note - quality Rigsby..

18 Aug 2026 22:11:48
The silence is killing me. Is AI going to get one cheap signing like Slot dud with Chieasa?

18 Aug 2026 23:25:57
We have already signed a couple players, so no.

19 Aug 2026 00:03:15
TjRed, Jaquet deal was done in January, Araujo is only on loan atm, so technically Munoz is the only proper purchase so far this summer.

I believe we will purchase at least 1, probably 2 more.

19 Aug 2026 03:58:36
In the sense that none of Jacquet, Muniz, and Araujo weren't registered players for us last season, because they belonged to other clubs, and they can all now play for us, I'd say it is reasonable to assume that they arrived here in the summer transfer window.

19 Aug 2026 08:39:35
Signing 1 more player or even 2 along with Munoz is still not enough though. We were a very light squad last season. We need another 3, maybe 4, when hopefully Jones goes too. We need a dm, a rw, a midfielder, because Macca is a waste of space, at least.

If Chiesa goes, we need someone to cover Isak until Ekitike is fit again. Gakpo is not the answer, and personally I would sell him to Spurs.

18 Aug 2026 19:41:08
Just days before the season starts, looks like we are still short in numbers. I can’t believe how long we’ve been chasing Barcola. Still nothing close. Talk of Gakpo and Jones leaving also. Surely AI would want his squad together going into the first game of the season.

If BB is proving to hard, why haven’t we moved onto another target? Not replaced Salah either. Bit worried about the season ahead, although looking forward to what the new manager can introduce into team training and on match days as it can’t be any worse than last season.

18 Aug 2026 20:29:50
The fact we haven't moved on from Barcola tells you that the guys on here are probably right. The deal is done.

If there was any chance of it not going through, we would've moved on by now just like we did with Diomande.

We are not replacing Salah either. He was a goal scoring wide forward. We are now playing with wingers, which Salah has never been.



We won't let Gakpo leave if we haven't got enough forwards. Jones is surplus to requirements.

Don't panic, we are in good shape. All of the players will improve from last season when we finished 5th. This season we'll be right up there, like we were the season before when we won the league. It's inevitable.

18 Aug 2026 20:49:20
The original post reminds me of that daft tweet that fatso James Pearce tweeted before the 22/23 season "No sagas to resolve, no glaring gaps to fill, no scattergun recruitment drive, no expensive deadwood to shift. Klopp's Liverpool are in decent shape."

Worked out well right?

18 Aug 2026 21:01:34
Don't worry, deals have been done for weeks, we're just delaying announcing them. ?

18 Aug 2026 21:02:32
'We haven't replaced Salah'
-No Salah replacement.
"LFC are looking to swoop for X Player to replace outgoing M. Salah."

A direct 1-1 replacement of Salah is impossible.
It was never going to be possible, even if signing a lottery win wishlist of players.

Let's say Olise..
Somehow we got Olise signed, sealed, delivered weeks ago.
Olise is a beast. Every LFC fan happy and satisfied, and feeling much more optimistic.

Olise is not Salah, each player is their own flavour/approach. Adds different things to the team.

Even if Olise went on to become the highest goal scorer for LFC of all time.


He is still not Salah.
Goals, goals, goals, and everything is rainbows and Premier League trophies.
Olise's contributions and how he operates, even just his general understanding of football itself, won't be a direct replacement of Salah.


The wingers market for talented football players is being scouted by every football fan alive.

It's been that way for years.
Everybody with a smartphone wants to know who's the latest hottest prodigy, with bags of potential.

That's how a 19 y/o winger with 13 appearances and 4 caps for his country can be bought and sold for fees of £120 mil.

{Ed025's Note - after his showing last season mate you should be dancing naked in a fountain celebrating that Salah has gone..

18 Aug 2026 21:31:54
Yeh, but you can sign a right winger when the only one at the club is Chiesa.

We can't replace Salah, but we don't have to ruin Szobo or Rio by playing them out of position.



If Rio flops this season coz he's been played on the right (where he looks pretty useless if we're being honest), then it's because of the club, not the kid himself.

18 Aug 2026 21:35:09
Namco26, would you have walked away from Van Dijk when we couldn't get him that summer? Maybe we could have moved on to Harry Maguire from Leicester?

18 Aug 2026 21:37:33
What happened to Diamande? Did he go to Real?

18 Aug 2026 21:51:22
It is what it is.
We haven't got a perfect squad - no club ever really has.
Two summers back, we hadn't signed anyone, Jurgen had just gone, and we were hoping for the best, with the goal being a CL qualification spot.
Last summer we bought Kerkez, Frimpong, Wirtz, Ekitike and Usak, and the general opinion was we were a very good shout to win the race for the PL.
This summer hasn't gone the way most of us thought it would, even though the window isn't shut yet.
It's fun to speculate, and the general feeling is we will be competitive but are not good enough to win the PL or CL.


Given our collective prediction for the past 2 seasons, I'm going to go against this summer's prediction and put my money on us winning both the PL and CL.
Being a bit more serious, I think we have a good young manager who seems to know what he wants and how to get the best from his players, and his teams are entertaining to watch. From my perspective, after last season, I'd just be happy to see us look like a team with a plan, putting in a shift and trying (at least) to play entertaining, attacking football.

18 Aug 2026 22:27:28
Just bloody sign savid Bentley before Spurs, and let's flash the new David Becks off, forget Barcola and his new Formby home, we need David Bentley going by this constant Salah bull.

18 Aug 2026 21:02:29
You really do live in a far distant fantasy world Rio! God bless you.

19 Aug 2026 06:37:01
Squad wise, we are far from good shape. We have too many players that either can't be relied on or just aren't good enough. Gomez, Jones, Endo, Tsimikas, Elliott, and McConnell come to mind.

18 Aug 2026 17:53:57
Crook on Talksport, who does have a few Bournemouth links, possibly our coaching staff, reckons Gakpo won’t be leaving. The gist of it was he’s had a good preseason, Iraola likes him, and thinks he can develop him. Maybe some credence to it.

18 Aug 2026 18:43:05
We're not in a position to lose any more first team players imo.

18 Aug 2026 18:52:09
Possibly BB replaces Salah/RW.

BB would have to come into the club first, surely, as you could sell Gakpo and BB does not arrive, you're then two short for squad numbers?

BB RW arrives first and Gakpo goes?

Gakpo LW stays and BB RW arrives, this would seem the logical choice for the team/squad.

Gakpo can multi-task as a number 9 also. Just ask Man Utd 7-0 (2G). He hit the beans on toast three times against them last year. In a 2-1 defeat he scored our goal. Any other team and day he goes home with two match balls!

18 Aug 2026 18:57:18
I think we need to keep Gakpo, there is a player in him. If we let him go, then he will go to Spurs and show his worth.
For me, Slot really forced the team to play crap football, and most of the team down tools, including Gakpo.

For some reason, he took more of a grilling from our fans for that, maybe the Dutch connection with him and Slot. I'd say he is a 15/20 goals a season player.

18 Aug 2026 19:57:21
I agree, too many gone at present with Jones also leaving. We now need numbers in. Gakpo was fine apart from last season, but everyone was so bad, so it's a clean slate. Confident he will get 15 to 20 this season.



Barcola.
Mbaye
Munoz
Nghouma
Gakpo

Will be solid options at various points of the season. Gakpo and Barcola first choice, but without Gakpo we would be light.

18 Aug 2026 20:14:36
Couldn't agree more, although Gakpo is upgradeable, maybe while Ekitike is out, keeping him makes sense. If anyone goes, it's Chiesa.

18 Aug 2026 20:26:04
I was Gakpo out at the end of the season.

Good luck to you, sir.
Thank you for your service.
Let's generate some immediate useable funds for transfer window.

But, at this current state right now.
If C. Gakpo is willing to stay and give us his best efforts this season.



I can think of much, much worse players to be stuck with.

Gakpo is a regular-rotating much valued member of the squad in Any other Premier League team right now.

18 Aug 2026 20:28:04
From what I can see, we cannot sell any of the deadwood, and we will be looking at loan deals once the incoming players sign in the dotted line.

It's definitely getting tense as the transfer deadline approaches. Whose nerve will hold? And who will fold?

18 Aug 2026 20:36:11
Please don't use the phrase deadwood - disrespectful.

18 Aug 2026 21:57:53
Can you explain what's so disrespectful about using the term deadwood please, Zeddicus? I must admit I've used far harsher adjectives to describe Gakpo & Maccalister.

18 Aug 2026 22:24:07
Gakpo has a long contract, and his stock will only go up or at a minimum maintain his value by staying this season. We will undoubtedly play more attacking and fluid football next year, which will suit Gakpo more after suffering under Slot.

Keep him for another year while Ekitike recovers, and sell the following year when he has 3 years left. Figures banded about are crazy low by comparison: £70m versus what Gordon went for is insane for a player who averages 15 goals a season.

18 Aug 2026 23:42:46
I was Gakpo out too end of last season, but we 100% need to keep him imo.

He's our best rotation option to Isak and he's looking sharp in preseason. Keep 100%, can look at a sell next season.

18 Aug 2026 16:25:09
According to the BBC, FSG sold 38% of the club to the consortium and there is an option for them to take a controlling stake in the next 12 months.

18 Aug 2026 17:19:08
Worrying.

18 Aug 2026 17:50:33
At a valuation of nearly £2bn north of what the club is currently worth, so I doubt they're going to rip themselves off.

18 Aug 2026 18:58:11
Why the worrying, Ron? Not being arsey, just asking for your genuine concerns.

18 Aug 2026 19:28:31
One consortium of billionaires sold shares to another consortium of billionaires, only the buyers are richer. Literally nothing to worry about, the soul's been seeping from Premier League clubs for years, people just pearl clutching.



Only way it improves is a rich Scouser buys us (not many Scouse billionaires knocking about these days, sadly) or we get a system similar to the German one (the leagues too far gone for that).

18 Aug 2026 21:31:10
With how dominant Bayern are in Germany, I don't think ud want the German system. I'm no great expert on it, but u want a league that's as competitive as possible and different teams capable of winning the league.

18 Aug 2026 22:35:52
Some self research into and around bazos and wefs agendas that's documented about super league and such is very worrying along with other stuff they back and push, same for Gary neville sadly he's a memeber pushing everything we are against. Let's hope for being proved wrong but amazon alone should have people's eyes widening.

19 Aug 2026 00:32:36
Amazon will be on LFC shirts soon enough, Leon, and people will still buy them. That's the truth of it.

19 Aug 2026 02:43:36
Leonshunt10, do share what you found mate. Not sure myself how the World Economic Forum, the defunct Super League proposal and Gary Neville are connected, but would really like to know?

19 Aug 2026 08:20:30
I can't think of a more vociferous opponent to the proposed European Super League than Gary Neville.

18 Aug 2026 15:20:03
Apparently we have submitted an improved offer for Barcola, believed to be around £120m.
I wonder if that will seal it, I'd love to have him in the match day squad against Newcastle if possible.

18 Aug 2026 15:36:49
Can't see him making the match squad at this rate either way to be honest.

120mil pounds is crazy dosh but hey I guess that's the market at the moment. ?

18 Aug 2026 16:24:05
Anderson cost £116m and looked totally out of his depth on Sunday. It's just the market for Premier League clubs, unfortunately.

18 Aug 2026 16:45:23
Anderson will be fine when he doesn't have to play next to a bloke who's pretty much been injured since last May... The market is the market. ?

18 Aug 2026 17:17:14
If he's even signed Friday morning he'll be in that squad.

18 Aug 2026 17:48:19
I'd walk away if they don't accept that.

18 Aug 2026 17:52:19
Even if he signs tonight, there's no chance he's in the squad, he's had zero pre-season minutes.

18 Aug 2026 18:25:43
Jaquet had 45 mins, Chewy. Does he not start on Sunday?

18 Aug 2026 19:09:07
Why does it feel that we've submitted a new and improved 120 m bid every day for the last 4 weeks?
And yet................

18 Aug 2026 19:46:01
Getting very boring, this Barcola and Mbaye deal now. Get on with the rest.

18 Aug 2026 20:16:03
Different scenario though, Florian, Jacquet has been in and around the squad and training with the lads, and we've also very limited options at centre half. Few more options on the wing, and Barcola won't have even trained with the team.

Definitely won't start, be lucky to get minutes. Although I'd be happy to be debating that once he's signed. :-) Have a feeling it'll be another Isak and get done right at the end of the window, unfortunately.

18 Aug 2026 21:38:27
He'll be in the squad if he's signed in time. Didn't say start, I said squad. Imagine we need a goal in the last 15 and we've to turn to Chiesa because we didn't think our £100m plus man could handle a few mins.

18 Aug 2026 21:40:23
Anderson seems like a perfectly capable Premier League midfielder, but fairly limited. His fee was absolutely obscene.

19 Aug 2026 02:57:29
Firstly, Florian, whether the Jaquet starts on Saturday or not is definitely something that's been deliberated by the coaching/medical staff. No doubt about it. He's off the back of a 6-month injury, and despite being at the club all summer, he was only cleared for 45 minutes of pre-season game time.

I wouldn't be surprised at all if he didn't start.

It's not about that, Florian, it's not that simple. If Barcola comes in last minute, do you really think the club's going to risk their £120m investment with no time to assess?

19 Aug 2026 07:54:31
Chewy, he played his last game only a month ago, against England. Had his break, and has been back training now since last Monday. It'll be two full weeks of training under his belt by the time we play Newcastle. He can handle 20 mins.

19 Aug 2026 11:00:43
Fair Florian, still can't see him signing before Friday, mind. But yeh would give them a boost coming on for 15/20mins and try get the fans going.

Fingers crossed it gets done soon, but as I say, I'm fully expecting it to get done but closer to the end of the month, unfortunately.

Hopefully I'm wrong though, wouldn't be the first time and won't be the last ha.

18 Aug 2026 14:48:19
Could the edd's set up a poll for league position?
Say 1st
Top 4
Top 5
Top half
Then review again when the transfer window shuts.

{Ed033's Note -


PL finish poll

18 Aug 2026 15:13:27
We will win. Everything. ?

18 Aug 2026 15:33:34
I think it's just very easy to say Arsenal will win the league based on the Charity Shield performance, but I'm not so sure.

We all know Arsenal struggle to score goals in open play, and one game against a wide open City side hasn't changed that. If refs clamp down on their set piece antics, I can see them struggling.

They are on a high right now, but they'll go through a bad spell, and it's whether they have the motivation to knuckle down and keep going when that happens.



We looked like running away with the league after the first 5 games last season, and you'd have been hard pressed to find anyone who didn't think we would. We lost to Palace and it all fell apart. I can see a similar thing happening at Arsenal.

It's a long, long season and they haven't addressed their glaring weaknesses in forward areas. I really don't expect them to walk away with the league like people think they will.

{Ed025's Note - i beg to differ RSO..

18 Aug 2026 15:39:48
I have to disagree, BP. I think Arsenal have a good chance to win the league again, more than last season. The upcoming season is unique in that almost all the top clubs have a new manager, so all would be adjusting to a new style of play.

Arsenal have the benefit of knowing stability, and they can't be underestimated. I think they'd win not only because they have the best squad in the league atm, but they are also the most stable.

18 Aug 2026 16:14:58
The difference with Arsenal is if they have a bad patch upfront, their defensive side is so strong that they often only need one goal to win.

Their overall squad and stability is way ahead of everyone else, so should walk league, however, that doesn't mean they will.

There's always hope...

18 Aug 2026 16:27:00
Sadly, the Gooners are clear favourites given the amount of change occurring at all other clubs and the fact they have a massive and stable squad.

We should be disappointed that our directors voluntarily chose to put us into a multi-year £billion transition after winning the league.



A title challenge would be a long shot as it stands - even if we were to bring in the signings we need.

Too much change, chosen rather than forced.

18 Aug 2026 16:35:48
They have a chance, Drac, of course, and logic would tell you that they are the most likely league champions.

Football isn't based on logic, though. There are too many variables at play.

Arsenal do draw a lot of games they should win, because of their inability to score goals. Even in the run-in last season, they allowed City to catch up, and were fortunate not to draw against West Ham, which would've allowed City to overtake them. Generally, you are always in the game against Arsenal because they don't have the quality in forward areas to blow you away.

I agree about the other teams having new managers, but I also think that at least one of those teams will hit the ground running with a new manager having the desired bounce (hopefully us).

The law of averages tells you they won't all struggle. At least one of them will get it right.

It's such a long season, with so many things that can happen. I just think it's a bit naive to pin your hat on Arsenal, who only won the league last season because us and City dropped the ball. Arsenal have their own weaknesses that they haven't yet addressed. It's definitely not a foregone conclusion.

18 Aug 2026 16:41:40
Be interesting to see what Alonso can do at Chelsea.
No European football this season either so he could get a tune out of them in the league.

18 Aug 2026 16:42:15
Not a chance we're winning the league for me. The off field incompetency is the main factor for me, not Iraola.

18 Aug 2026 16:45:05
I can't see past VARsenal myself unfortunately.

{Ed025's Note - me neither Barry..

18 Aug 2026 16:52:33
Just wait, Barry, all is not lost. I see why people think that way, but football always has a way of surprising us.

18 Aug 2026 17:18:49
Arsenal for me. Top players all through the squad.

{Ed025's Note - their squad is miles above the rest FM..

18 Aug 2026 17:39:23
Arteta wants to be the first Arsenal manager ever to win the European Cup. He was only one kick of a football away last year from the UCL.

They're the exact carbon copy of Atletico Madrid style, tactics, dirty tricks of the trade. When Slot won it, they lost it with too many drawn games. Does he have the ammo for low block teams, as more teams than ever in the PL are going low block? I don't think he has enough ammo for low block, despite having a very big "Arsenal".

One hopes he focuses solely on the UCL, and draws a similar amount of PL games, and gets injuries like we seem to do!

Slot won it and surprised everyone. No reason why Andoni can't repeat the feat. Slot had prime Salah though, Andoni has ..........?

18 Aug 2026 17:51:33
Can only see Arsenal really really struggling defensively with the new rules employed. I can't see them winning the league at all.

18 Aug 2026 17:56:57
007, maybe Bezos can give Andoni Prime everything. ? See what I did there lads. ?

18 Aug 2026 18:11:25
I said weeks ago, if we finish above Arsenal, we win the league.

18 Aug 2026 18:40:08
I do think they'll win it, but don't forget how hard it is to retain a title. Not many teams can do that, and everyone will sit back and counter them.
However, I'd love it if we beat them, love it.

18 Aug 2026 20:13:14
RSO.. My guy, we looked like running away with the league last season, first 5 games?

Not even close, sir.
We got a good run of results.
But the defensive issues, general errors and the whole squad looking like a shadow of itself just 3 months prior...




Many many people were calling out that they were worried by what they saw regardless of the good luck results.

The narrative of LFC walking the league was based on the record transfer money spent.
And the previous season's performances.

18 Aug 2026 21:13:05
Arsenal are the ones to beat.

18 Aug 2026 13:45:20
Hi
Can the Ed's and posters give me an idea if Mbaye is any good. I've never really seen him play and I'd love to know everyone's thoughts on him. Thanks.

18 Aug 2026 14:01:01
Mbaye? Maybe.

18 Aug 2026 14:04:36
This is the place to come.

No doubts someone has followed him closely since his first ever steps.

18 Aug 2026 14:06:46
Looks to have great potential imo, a very promising player.

18 Aug 2026 14:11:47
Come on, Vv, let him have it!!!

18 Aug 2026 14:23:19
JK, he's improved considerably in the last 16 years, when I started following his career.

At the start, his balance wasn't what you would hope for, nor was there much power in his shots.

If the next 16 years of improvement is as stratospheric as the last 16 years, we may have ourselves a player!

18 Aug 2026 14:36:33
I think Josh Williams did a good piece on his YouTube channel on rw options. His opinion was: Mbaye is quick and direct, can play rw or lw, has a very high ceiling but is raw. He also said he has very impressive pressing and defensive stats.

In terms of style, he sounded similar to Mane, let's hope if he signs he can reach that level. As right now, he is young, raw and unproven potential.

18 Aug 2026 14:52:44
Did you watch the same Pythagoras in Boots video, Longthing? I watched this afternoon and was going to post the same question. His analysis doesn't excite me.

Maybe someone can give an analysis of the analyst? Haha. Is he any good, and can he be trusted?

18 Aug 2026 14:54:56
Man. of. Todd,
You say he is raw. Wonder what Fornax would have to say on that.

18 Aug 2026 15:11:57
I've only seen him play once for PSG and then for Senegal at the World Cup, so I'm not well placed to assess whether he is good enough or not. However, I can tell you about his playing style from what I've seen. He is a very quick and very direct rw with a cannon of a right foot. When I saw him against France, he scored by powering past the defender and hitting a shot so hard it went straight through Maignan (who is not a bad keeper at all, but just couldn't deal with the ferocity Mbaye hit the ball with).



It's a lazy comparison, but he did remind me of a young Mane. It's never good to make a judgement call off the back of a World Cup campaign though, so I wouldn't like to predict if he'd be a good or a bad signing.

18 Aug 2026 17:27:23
Sometimes Mbaye is good, sometimes Mbaye s***.

18 Aug 2026 18:05:35
Definitely, Mbaye.

18 Aug 2026 20:36:09
Maybe Mbaye am bye, bay me...my abe, beamy!? Maybe ok, maybe s****. Sign him.

19 Aug 2026 00:02:38
Solid attributes for a quick, powerful winger who can score goals, but very, very raw and lots to learn and improve still.

Hot take coming, but I'd personally be more comfortable with the club spending £40m on Mbaye than £120m on Diomande as I see both as very raw, exciting young prospects.

Diomande probably ahead because of more game time last season, hence why he could score/assist more etc., but I'd argue Mbaye could've seen similar numbers to Diomande if he was playing every game for a top 6 German team, hence why I'd be more comfortable with Mbaye at a third of the cost, which allows us to also get someone like Barcola in.



Anyway, this assessment is based only on a few games similar to what MK said.