Potential Summer Transfers in and out

[Ageing Stick Insect]

A deal has been agreed with Blackpool for Charlie Adam. 

He's at Melwood now having a medical and agreeing personal terms. Deal to be completed tomorrow.

Fee less than £10M with some players sent on loan.

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/latest-news/reds-agree-adam-deal

[barticus]

Excellent news! 8 mil is about right...and glen johnson has signed up til 2015...maybe he'll do for the left back...then we need a centre back and a left winger.....

[Ageing Stick Insect]

Villa are playing hard ball with Downing. Almost a repeat performance of Barry 2 years ago. Randy Learner needs a slap!

Yes, they don't want to let him go but they didn't complain too much when they sold Young to Manure. Ultimately, the press see this sale going through as no club can afford to keep a player who wants away. Expect this to drag on for another week or so.

Barticus, don't you think Robinson could be developed as a LB? He certainly did a good job last season especially at Arsenal. Johnson could be used for the harder opposition but Robbo should be okay for the games against lesser sides.

[barticus]

Barticus, don't you think Robinson could be developed as a LB? He certainly did a good job last season especially at Arsenal. Johnson could be used for the harder opposition but Robbo should be okay for the games against lesser sides.

Absolutely...will be a great learning curve for the lad...
Ngog is now being touted as part of a possible transfer for Downing now..if i was villa i wouldn't want downing to go...with mcleish in charge and young already gone...the last thing i'd want is the other star player legging it...
he might be the difference between survival and relegation...and thus worth far more than 19 mil...

[Tes]

Villa are playing hard ball with Downing. Almost a repeat performance of Barry 2 years ago. Randy Learner needs a slap!

Yes, they don't want to let him go but they didn't complain too much when they sold Young to Manure. Ultimately, the press see this sale going through as no club can afford to keep a player who wants away. Expect this to drag on for another week or so.

Barticus, don't you think Robinson could be developed as a LB? He certainly did a good job last season especially at Arsenal. Johnson could be used for the harder opposition but Robbo should be okay for the games against lesser sides.

Villa had to cash in on Young. Downing's different. In theory, at least, they can keep him for another year and then cash in. Though like you say ASI, keeping an unhappy player is not always a good thing. Conversely, Downing signed a contract so Villa don't have to sell him. Lerner's only doing what we'd all expect our club to do in the same circumstances. It's just a shame we're on the receiving end. It worked for him with Barry and he still got a decent fee for a player with just a year on his contract, as he did with Young also.

[Tes]

Absolutely...will be a great learning curve for the lad...
Ngog is now being touted as part of a possible transfer for Downing now..if i was villa i wouldn't want downing to go...with mcleish in charge and young already gone...the last thing i'd want is the other star player legging it...
he might be the difference between survival and relegation...and thus worth far more than 19 mil...

Eggszackerly.

[Tes]

We have Adam, so when is Eve(r Banega) arriving?

[Tes]

According to the Graudian it's £7M rising to £8.5M with add-ons:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/jul/06/liverpool-charlie-adam-blackpool-doni

£7M is a decent deal and if we achieve the things that normally make up some of the add ons then no-one will mind handing over a further £1.5M.

[Ageing Stick Insect]

if i was villa i wouldn't want downing to go...with mcleish in charge and young already gone...the last thing i'd want is the other star player legging it...
he might be the difference between survival and relegation...and thus worth far more than 19 mil...

But Blackpool wouldn't sell Adam last season as they thought he would keep them from being relegated. It didn't work.

We tried to keep Masch last season but once a player becomes a disruptive force you have to let him go. I'm not suggesting Downing is Masch but it's clear he doesn't want to stay. And with the £15M you get a decent player can still be bought. Look at Sunderland for that.

[Ageing Stick Insect]

Villa had to cash in on Young. Downing's different. In theory, at least, they can keep him for another year and then cash in. Though like you say ASI, keeping an unhappy player is not always a good thing.

Yes, they could keep him another year but his value would drop dramatically. And as I said to barticus they can reinvest the money for Downing.

Conversely, Downing signed a contract so Villa don't have to sell him. Lerner's only doing what we'd all expect our club to do in the same circumstances. It's just a shame we're on the receiving end. It worked for him with Barry and he still got a decent fee for a player with just a year on his contract, as he did with Young also.

Agreed that Lerner seems to get good prices for his players with little contract time remaining. But I see a similar situation as we had with Masch and also Alonso and we sold both of them. He may not like it but ultimately money talks and I do believe having played hardball over Adam and won we will be bouyed and determined to get Downing.

[Ed]

Happy enough with the signing of Adam, gives us some depth, solidity and options.....on the basis of what I've heard of him last season, he appears to be a Premiership specialist....no harm in that. Always like signing internationals and we have a fine tradition of Scottish midfielders (Gary Mac was the last one, I think!). Also pleased enough with the fee.....although everything considered i think our original offer of £6 million was fair, imo, but hey Blackpool are obviously entitled to see things differently.

Anyway, hopefully Adam has the intelligence to be able to maximise the opportunity that he's been given & take his game to another level with us....cos (just like with Hodgson) he still a bit unproven, imo, and one good season doesn't guarantee anything.

All in all my gut tells me he should do ok....and may even surprise!

[Tes]

Yes, they could keep him another year but his value would drop dramatically. And as I said to barticus they can reinvest the money for Downing.

And Lerner's trying to get as much for Downing to reinvest, hence the 'high' fee. He could possibly pick up N'Zogbia for £10M and leave himself with the same again to / towards replacing Young. £10M could be hard for Wolves to resist for Matt Jarvis, for example, who wouldn't have to move house either.

After seeing Barry's 'value' drop by only a third, from two years to one year remaining and having seen Young's valuation level out at a not insignificant £16M, I don't think Lerner's worried about value's plummeting.
£20M for Nasri, £7M for Clichy, Enrique being mentioned at anything up to £15M seems to indicate that values aren't dropping as much as previously with a year remaining. Clubs seem to be focusing on what the value within the team of the player would be and less on monetary value based on a single remaining year.

[Tes]

Happy enough with the signing of Adam, gives us some depth, solidity and options.....on the basis of what I've heard of him last season, he appears to be a Premiership specialist....no harm in that. Always like signing internationals and we have a fine tradition of Scottish midfielders (Gary Mac was the last one, I think!). Also pleased enough with the fee.....although everything considered i think our original offer of £6 million was fair, imo, but hey Blackpool are obviously entitled to see things differently.

Anyway, hopefully Adam has the intelligence to be able to maximise the opportunity that he's been given & take his game to another level with us....cos (just like with Hodgson) he still a bit unproven, imo, and one good season doesn't guarantee anything.

All in all my gut tells me he should do ok....and may even surprise!

Hopefully with the improved quality around him we will see him justify his inclusion. It's not just the set pieces which will hopefully aid Carroll's goal tally or Dirk's from popping in the rebounds, but his passing ability should create openings for Suarez and release our 'new wide players' and he popped up with a goal or two himself (excluding penalties) last season.
The interesting thing with our two signings and prime target is that they weigh in with a 'decent' amount of goals, moreso in Adam's and Downing's cases and also create a lot of chances (particularly Henderson). Even their assist records aren't bad considering the standard of players they've been creating chances for.
Combined, they should increase the number of chances and hopefully goals, especially against the 'bus parkers'.

[barticus]

Talk of Joe Cole going on loan to West Ham..
http://www.myfootballnews.co.uk/news_jump.html?team_id=3&story=131044

which personally sounds like bs to me...
the major reason being that it involves Fat Sham, he who followed fergie's mindgames when slagging benitez off in the 'gesturing that the game was over was a mark of disrespect' furore...wouldn't give Fat Sham the drippings of my nose let alone Joe Cole...
Anyways i thought West Ham hated Cole?

[barticus]

Looking at the sqaud now it seems we're shaping up to have a very strong squad..

Suarez and Carroll, Kuyt....Sosa, sterling...upfront...

Cole,Maxi    Meireles, Adam, Lucas, spearing      Gerrard, Henderson,Aquilani,

Aurelio, Johnson,      Agger, Carra, Skrtel,Kyrgiakos       Kelly..

With a left winger...left back needed (BASTOS!) and a central defender we'll be pretty strong for the next campaign...