again. its only the going rate. 200k is the rate for a top player... 100k is small time now. we have to get real on what to pay. and don't say across euope they don't pay it cos the moment a player comes to england his expectations rise.
Klopp would be seen as a hypocrite if he goes to Real. He's said he doesn't want to join a money club, he wants to build teams. Real Madrid couldn't be any further from that!
please log in to view this image Despite the desperate attempts of both player and club to keep it quiet, news of Steven Gerrard’s imminent departure from Anfield has filtered into the public domain. The faithful club servant’s low-key valedictory address to fans and subsequent exit through the Shankly Gates on Saturday moved many present to salty tears, much like the Liverpool performance that preceded it against a Crystal Palace side that didn’t so much rain on their hosts’ parade as torrentially sheet down on it with the force of 10,000 monsoons. While Liverpool’s collective performance was always likely to take second place on an evening that had long been pencilled in as a farewell celebration of their captain’s outstanding contribution to the cause over the past 17 years, the manner in which the home team were schooled on their own turf by a mid-table side from Sarf London will have been a source of great concern to Brendan Rodgers, who is looking increasingly hapless and insecure in his role as manager. Reinforcements are urgently required if this club are to ascend, rather than descend, the table next season. The Paris Saint-Germain playmaker Javier Pastore is one man being linked with a move to Merseyside and the 25-year-old from Córdoba is understood to be available for a cut-price £14.5m now that he’s entering the final year of his contract. Pastore had a mixed weekend, guaranteeing himself another Ligue 1 winner’s medal courtesy of PSG’s win at Montpelier but picking up a thoroughly undeserved booking that will rule him out of his side’s Coupe de France final against Auxerre on 30 May. Having failed to make much of an impression at Manchester City since arriving from Fiorentina in July 2013, the Montenegro striker Stevan Jovetic may also be given the chance to resurrect his career at Anfield, where there are likely to be several vacancies for strikers due to Daniel Sturridge’s continuing residency in the treatment room and the imminent departure of Rickie Lambert and Mario Balotelli to Bournemouth and Sampdoria respectively. The Sun reports that Manchester City are prepared to go toe-to-toe with their city rivals United in their attempts to liberate Gareth Bale from his Bernabéu misery, in a saga that looks set to run and run throughout the summer. Having been made a scapegoat for his club’s shortcomings on the domestic and European front this season, Bale departure from the Spanish capital this summer looks a certainty and a bidding war between the two Manchester clubs would almost certainly help to put the spring back in the step of Real’s president, Florentino Pérez. Along with Bayern Munich and PSG, City are also rumoured to be one of several clubs sniffing around Wolfsburg midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, although the Bundesliga side’s chief executive, Klaus Allofs, has stated that “at the moment, I’d call him unsellable”. Metro reports that Manchester United want to sign Roma’s Bosnian midfielderMiralem Pjanic and his industrious mohawk-sporting Belgian team-mate Radja Nainggolan, but would have to shell out £50m for the pair of them. In yet another tedious rumour linking anyone with even the remotest smidgeon of talent with a move to Old Trafford, the West Brom striker Saido Berahino could find himself on the move, with the United whelp James Wilson going the other way on loan as part of any prospective deal. The Bayern Munich utility man Thomas Müller and the Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech could also find themselves jostling for space in a congested Manchester United dressing room, although Chelsea’s in-demand reserve goalkeeper is also wanted by Arsenal and PSG. “We have been permitted by Chelsea to negotiate with interested parties,” said Cech’s agent, Viktor Kolar, whose client has just one year left on his contract at Stamford Bridge. Should Cech leave Chelsea, his training ground peg and parking space could go to the 22-year-old Argentinian striker Mauro Icardi, who is believed to be unsettled at Inter and agitating for a move after contract talks between his “people” and the Italian club’s suits reached an impasse. Meanwhile in Barcelona, the 19-year-old wunderkind Sandro Ramírez is being monitored by Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle, who both fancy taking him on loan.
£100k is the going rate for England. The continent pay far lower wages. You have most of the Atletico Madrid squad on less than £70k. Same with Dortmund, Ajax etc.
Pastore is a funny one, lots of talent doesn't seem to have been brilliant at Psg though. Could be the creative player we need. i like jovetic as well, as part of a 2 he'd be a good player for us, wouldn't be able to play there on his own thoigh, or alternatively as a wise forward like he did for fiorebtina I believe.
Pastore is class - he seemed to have regained form this season. Would still take him. Jovetic is another quality player but too injury prone for my liking...
Can forget kovacic INTER STAR TO REPLACE XAVI? Inter Milan midfielder Mateo Kovacicadmits it’s an “honour” to be linked withBarcelona. The Catalans need a long-term successor for Xavi, and Kovacic has been tipped to replace the veteran. The Croatia international, who is also a reported target for Liverpool, is flattered that Barca are believed to be keen on him, but admits he is happy at San Siro. “Barcelona want me? It’s an honour, but I am very comfortable here,” he toldInterChannel. Meanwhile, Tuttosport claim Barcelona's international sporting director Ariedo Braida recently dined with Inter’s sporting director Piero Ausilio and used the opportunity to enquire about Kovacic’s availability. Ausilio also took advantage of the situation to ask about Barca's Pedro and was informed that the Spain winger could leave the Nou Camp for €18m. I saw this on sky sports app
Let Soton pay £100k for Milner. There are younger, cheaper players with more ability and potential than Milner. And I stand by 'cheaper' because Milner will command a signing on fee and stupid wages. He's already on £90k a week at City - he's looking for one big pay day ala Joe Cole.
Rodgers big mistake has been not building a solid spine to the team. Reina, Carragher, Agger, Mascherano, Alonso, Gerrard, Torres. Courtious, Cahill, Terry, Fabrigas, Matic, Hazard, Costa. You need a spine to build a team off. Rodgers built around an attack. It was a great attack but our defense was crap. The attack broke and we broke. If we'd ad a spine we'd have been ok. We need a solid and balance pairing in CB,a solid and balanced pairing or trio in midfield and a reliable striker. I'm happy to carry on with Mignolet in goal, Sakho as LCB (so we need to find the right RCB), Henderson as b2b CM (A DM and creative midfielder need looking at) and Coutinho as AM. I'm happy with Sturridge but his fitness is to risky to only have him so we need another top striker. I'd be happy to keep one of Can or Lucas in our starting midfield trio as long as the third midfield spot is filled by a player of the higher standard.
Agree - we need a spine . Looking at one of Rafa's starting line ups in the Champions League and it consisted of likes of: Reina - £6m Agger, - £6m Carragher - Free Aurelio - Free Arbeloa £2.6m Mascherano £18m Alonso £12m Gerrard Free Torres £20m Look at the quality on show and look at how much these players cost. Of course inflation means these fees will now be higher but the point remains.
The problem our clubs have is tax. In Spain for instance I think there is a special tax rate for footballers (20% rings a bell) on everything they earn. To match this with our tax regime means ridiculous levels of wages. Often players abroad will sign for say £60k a week but this is net and the club pick up tax, national insurance, etc. It makes a big difference if you are paying 50% tax on anything over £150k a year when you are earning millions. Not that I am feeling sorry for them because the wages are obscene.
No doubt we will offer more but it won't be extortionate like giving Milner or Henderson over £100k a week.
If we sign Jovetic we will end up starting the season with a Jovetic and Ings pairing because Jovetic is not suited to being a loan striker. Unless Jovetic can play as a false 9.
