Official Summer Signings / Rumours / Information Thread

Now that would be dreaming Signing Papadopoulos would be a real mark of intent, and he's certainly the calibre of signing we need if we're going to push up near the top. Not to sure about Toure, he's obviously not at his best but that's probably mainly due to not playing much for one reason or another, he's got the experience we need. As the signings of Coutinho and Sturridge have proved, experience at clubs competing for top honors go a long way. Draxler would be a great signing too but I imagine a few clubs in better positions around Europe will be in for him, Doubt Farfan would move to us from CL considering he's reaching his peak and we can't offer him CL football.

I've been saying this for the last few years, but how about Cardozo? He's 29 now (I think), he's at his peak and there doesn't seem to be much interest in him. Suarez, Sturridge, Carodozo and Borini doesn't sound like a bad attack force, all different players in their own right.

 

I like Cardozo, but think the age thing will get him. They will l.ook at a Gameiro as a younger, better, probably around the same price option. I have said the same about Lopez but don't think it would ever happen.

 

I don't see anything wrong with Toure assuming that he isn't on ridiculous wages. As a 3rd choice CB he'd provide experience and would allow us to spend a bit more on someone younger with potential.

Looks like Caroll is off to West Ham for £15mil if he agrees terms with them. Shame we couldn't get closer to the £20mil mark but need to hope we can use that £15mil in a similar way to the way we used it when buying Sturridge & Coutinho.

 

Really? Toure?

I'd much rather keep Skrtel for another season as third pick whilst blooding in either Papa (hope we sign him) or Kelly. At least Skrtel can still pull out a top performance and has the legs to do it - plus he's experienced and can play the ball on the floor. He just lost some consistency, but Agger was playing poor too. Loan out Coates unless a bid of 8mill or so comes in. He still has alot of positives and a loan to a bottom half PL team might bring him on.

Agger, Skrtel, Papadopolous and Kelly. Also got Wisdom who can play there if we get injuries.

Free transfer means we need to give him a signing on fee like Cole and whilst it might not be as high as 5mill, it'll be substantial. You'd be looking at 60k a week minimum for wages, plus playing bonuses plus a signing on fee of 2mill or so over a 2 year contract (alot of conservative guesswork here). Maybe 110k a week in total for a 32 year old defender who has barely played all season, hasn't got the legs anymore and would just prevent Kelly getting a shot. No thanks.

 

I understand your concern but I don't think we're that stupid to make that mistake again. I hope ...

 

As long as the Kolo deal is good financially then it'll be good for the club.

With the rumoured 15m we are expecting for Andy Carroll added to the rumoured 20m transfer budget, thats potentially 35m for Brendan Rodgers to play with in the summer, if we get the right players in then it could be a very good bit of business. Thats not including potentially a good fee for Reina if he moves on (only if, wouldn't mimd keeping him though), don't see a replacement costing near how much we get for Reina so some more cash to spend.

The potential is there for our summer, with January's business being early and successful, the owners backed the manager and looks like they will again in the summer, Kolo would be a good reinforcement and the rumours of Papa are definitely positive signs, we can prove that you don't need massive amounts of money invested by oil rich owners in order to push for Champions League football.

 

Hopefully Downing for £5m aswell.

 

Neymar...

 

He's not good enough ...

 

Overrated

 

Or Begovic for Downing.

Fair chance of Coates out to.


Remember we now have a different wage structure for new signings with a lower basic waged a bonus system for when certain targets are achieved.

 

Or Begovic for Downing.

Fair chance of Coates out to.


Remember we now have a different wage structure for new signings with a lower basic waged a bonus system for when certain targets are achieved.

 

Signing Toure doesn't mean Skrtel has to go. Toure surely is being brought in to cover the loss of Carra. Yes Skrtel is experienced...so is Toure.

If we signed Papa (for example) and pay the sort of figures touted then I'd like to think he will be straight in and not be another player who needs a bloody settling in period.

Yes we will need to pay a signing on fee and wages (obviously) but if he wants mad money we just tell him to **** off back to City. If he wants a playing fee, offer him a decent clean sheet bonus etc. At the end of the day we will have to pay these things to any player we sign. As long as we are sensible we have a decent, experienced player who knows how to win things.

I also don't understand how so many people seem to know "his legs have gone". I heard the same thing being said about Carra 5 years ago. His "shot" legs held up pretty well in the end eh.

As for Kelly...we'd all love him to come good and be a top class centre half for years to come but are we seriously expecting Rodgers to gamble on him staying fit? What would you think if BR put all his eggs into that basket and Kelly got injured again? At the moment Kelly is one gamble he can't afford to take yet.

 

What if its a straight choice between Skrtel and Toure on similar wages? Bare in mind that Toure would be free and we could get £10m for MS.

 

Kelly has always been played as a right full back and asked to bomb up and down the line all game. That's not his role. He's a centreback. He needs a chance to play in his correct position to see if that helps with his injuries and develops him as a player. He won't get that chance if he's back to 5th pick, 6th if Coates stays!

Agger, Skrtel, Papadopolous, Toure, Coates, Kelly, Wisdom...far too many. Skrtel's better than Toure so why bother signing an older, more expensive cover who doesn't know the team/club and needs time to gel with new teammates? Just give the youth a chance. They've not disappointed so far. One young CB next to Reina, Agger, Enrique and Johnson isn't going to screw our defense up - plus he'd be 4th pick.

I can see why we'd go for Toure if we loose Skrtel as well. But I don't see why if he stays. Just go all out for Papa or Dede, someone of that talent and persuade Skrtel to stay and fight for his spot. Loan out Coates, give Kelly a fighting chance to prove himself.

 

Because Skrtel can actually put in a top performance on his day (we need a proper defensive coach to come in like Clarke did to bring about consistency) and is generally solid even on a bad day, whereas Toure is a gamble.

For me it's one or the other, so the choice is as you claim, but I'd stick with Skrtel. We know what we're getting and he knows the team.

 

As people will know, I don't rate Skrtel and I think it is a gamble every time you put him on the pitch since we don't know which version will turn up. Given the choice i presented, I'd go for Toure (who I don't rate and have reservations about signing) because it gives us another £10m in the kitty to spend on a first choice partner for Agger.

 

I agree about Kelly but I can't recall him ever having a chance in the first team at CB, even when we tried three at the back under Kenny. Rodgers has played Wisdom at CB although I think it has only been in a back three. Maybe Rodgers would have given Kelly a chance there but for his injury woes?

I also agree that that is too many. But then, that was kind of my point above. If we took Toure and sold Skrtel, it gives us the funds to go for someone like Papadopolous.

 

With a half decent coach, we'd get a much better Skrtel - and Agger who has been pretty ****e or average all season too. Maybe even Johnson would learn to play again.

I was under the impression our main priority this summer was the defense. Lets assume 20mill to spend from the owners, that goes towards a top quality defender (Dede/Papa) with some left over. The Carroll sale plus left overs go towards another wide forward or two if we find more bargains like Ford, never mind what else we get from sales (hopefully Downing).

I also see BR going crazy if he suddenly has 50mill available from sales and going on a shopping spree at Swansburys
Keep his purse strings tight and make him find gems.

 

Personally, I think Skrtel did so well last year because of the protection he was getting from midfield. As poor as they were, the likes of Spearing, Adam, Henderson and Lucas were never too far away from the CB's. Now we play with just Lucas holding and with both fullbacks being encouraged to get forward even more than under Rafa!