So you can be convinced he's going to Chelsea but I can't be hopeful that all the signs are pointing here? Got it.
what signs? i gave you a sign and you chose to ignore it. if your signs are press hacks spinning wild stories left and right then you'll be disappointed. If the signs are like the PSG lad being directly quoted as saying of course they'd love to but everyone wants him then fair enough but thats doesn't point to us like....
Did you not see the video I posted of the Dortmund coach saying their preferred club was Liverpool? Numerous reliable sources saying Liverpool are in pole position? Real Madrid saying their chances of landing him don't look good? His agent saying his preferred destination? Almost a picture a day of him with the Liverpool lads? Him saying he doesn't care about the money, he wants to make memories? Those 'signs'. Granted it could all be the biggest tease ever and I've already said that, personally, I've never seen him play so have no opinion on his style etc. But, going off what I've read it does look to me like there's more than a vague possibility. Will I be disappointed if it doesn't happen? No, for the reason stated above. I do however, really like the connection to us given that lots of others have a very high opinion of him and he appears to be top of Klopp's list in the same way that Tchouameni was (without the player/clubs/agents/family chipping in). What was your sign, I must have missed it?
I won't believe it until we see him leaning in a Liverpool shirt... Mbappe is definitely on his way though
well that wasn't a rather bulbous headed man saying they preferred us, that was a bulbous headed man saying politely to a cheeky reporter that they had a good relationship with us and klopp but wouldn't be giving us gifts the same way as very polite people smile when asked and don't insult anyone and why its safe for henderson to joke that madrid aint getting him but you'll note bellingham says nothing of the sort. Its all just games mate. When you've the 100-150mil to lend FSG to make an offer let me know, oh and if you could also make up the difference between 200k and 500k a week in wages cos until the actual business gets done this is all just media talk and fun and games.
I think the Mbappe affair was a classic case of unrequited love. We loved him but he didn't feel it back.
I say it in the same way I did with Neymadge; a bit of fun. Neither were / are going to happen because of the figures involved and truthful be told, I don't / didn't want them either, wrong attitude imo
He wouldn't join because of that alone, but it might be an influence. Just as being friends with Hendo is an influence, but not why he'd join. Klopp's relationship with Dortmund might help influence a sale but wouldn't be the reason they sell. Lots of things go into a decision of that size that push someone into deciding one way or another a little.
This past weekend him and the Liverpool captain were leaning into each other wearing the same shirt... Well, not the same shirt, that would be ridiculous, but the same design of shirt.
Neymar and Mbappe were never going to come, but I do feel there is a chance with Bellingham. How big a chance? Couldn't say, the costs would be much higher than our normal costs, but nothing we couldn't swing for someone who could very easily be a leading player for the club for 10+ years. Put it this way, I won't be completely surprised if we sign him, but I wouldn't be heartbroken thinking we were close if we didn't sign him. His wages wouldn't be more than Salah's and we've been holding spending on transfers for several seasons so we probably have money to spend now. We broke records signing Virgil and Alison. We don't spend a lot often, but we don occasionally. £115mill and £250k salary is lower than what some are suggesting, but this is a 19 year old... He won't be on £500k even at Real Madrid. I think he's a stretch for our spending, but not out of reach. (Unlike Neymar and Mbappe). I think he might go for that. I will say, if we don't sign him now (or in summer), I don't think we ever will. After that the next buyer would want a profit if they sold and we would be out of the market. At 19, there is still a slight risk involved and prices will be slightly lower than a 23 year old who has proven they can do seasons without major injuries. Bellingham would be an investment because unless he becomes injury prone, his value would remain high for a long time.
a question: why would being alright with a 32 year old henderson have any influence on a 19 year olds choice. by the time he arrives (not happening ) henderson will be 33 and headed for the door. If you said he's besties with trent now i might give it a small bit of credence.
question: why would his wage not be higher than Salahs? Salah got reputedly 350k a week so how does that tot up with 250k a week you say? thats barely man utd goal keeper money BTW Haaland is the benchmark of hot properties in 2022. Release clause means he had more power but he has been reported on 900k a week. theres apparently some serious fudge of how that gets paid going on but thats was reported. There are footballers clearing 2mil a week all in with image rights and such so this lad is the next hottest property in europe and is a dynamic midfielder not a defensive player. ronaldo was on 500k a week at utd reportedly as well. 250k a week is frankly a pipe dream for us. Thats never even close to the starting figure IMO. That would be (maddingly as it is) laughed at IMO. But again, if you can show me where LFC pull 115mil out of to pay dortmund for this kid then fair enough. our net spend in the good year is 40mil. there were two times to sign this kid. before he went to dortmund and a year after playing for dortmund. The summer was impossible and he was already fully established and now after the world cup he is stratospheric. So If LFC owners pull 500k a week out and 150mil from somewhere all of a sudden I will be asking (like jimmy) where was the cash last summer to put is in the title race. this kind of talk would require us to be bought out now by arabs or lunatic yanks running up debt. If you do the maths over a 5 year investment(lets ignore NPV) 150 mil year 1 50mil per year between wage, image rights and so forth and so on. so 50 year 2 50 year 3 50 year 4 50 year 5 Thats 400million in a commercial deal. think on that.... how do we as a business exploit that to get that money back either in amortisation or our cut on image rights by making him the next messi etc. Do you think FSG who won't give us 70mil for a stand will pull 400mil out to try make back... well 400mil in additional revenue to break even? Sadly or not depending on your point of view we are not idiots like cheslea nor wasters like man utd nor spending blood money like newcaslte psg or city. We are not spending tax payers money like real madrid. We are in fact only spending LFC own club money not even FSGs at this point.
There are some players who you definitely know - as far as it's possible to definitely know - won't /wouldn't be signing for us based on their current status in the game, like Messi, Mbappe and Neymar. We don't sign the current big names. Like you I enjoy the fun of the rumour journey. A large part of that is because I tend not to even know the names involved or if I do know the name, I've not seen them play.