If Lucho goes…

[rurikbird]

Let’s imagine the Saudis offer us big money and Luis decides to go - what would be your course of action in terms of a replacement?

A) Throw big money at a ready-made LW replacement like a Nico Williams or Rodrygo.

B) Look for a younger and cheaper version of Lucho somewhere in Europe.

C) Invest in a young gem from the Championship or similar level who will be Gakpo’s back-up for now while he develops.

D) Buy a top-class centre-forward as an indirect replacement for Diaz and use players we have (Wirtz, Jones, maybe Ngumoha) to fill in at LW as needed.

Thoughts?

 

[Squiggles]

B)

I might be way off, but I see Wirtz more as a replacement for Nunez and Elliott than someone brought in to play on the left. I just can’t see us making such a big investment in him when our left side is already one of the strongest in the league and there was no guarantee big offers would arrive. You also don't move a record singing to fill a gap. All that makes me think we’ll still need a proper winger.

We’ve already got enough goals and assists in the team, so we don’t need to go out and buy a ready-made superstar. Someone like Fofana, or a player at a similar stage in their career, would be more than good enough for me.

Of course, it all depends on the price. If we can get Rodrigo for just £20 million more than whatever Option B costs, then we might as well go for it. Even with Wirtz in, I still feel we should be acting like we need someone to replace Salahs numbers long term, so they have to have a high ceiling no matter who we bring in. Being able to cover 9 and RW would also be welcome. Big ask but hey.

 

[Modo]

Here's an outlandish thought...how about finding someone who can play on the right?

So for me it's either D or C. We can't buy another left winger to compete with Gakpo.

 

[Fabio]

Versatile young winger who could fill in at LW and RW pls

 

[bluebell]

A

 

[Modo]

Versatile young winger who could fill in at LW and RW pls

Exactly this. Would be the perfect player.
Like Chiesa before the injuries.

 

[Hansern]

Which is why Fofana makes sense I reckon

 

[MomoWASright]

Here's an outlandish thought...how about finding someone who can play on the right?

So for me it's either D or C. We can't buy another left winger to compete with Gakpo.

We have Salah and Frimpong.

 

[dee]

That Simons bloke

 

[Modo]

Which is why Fofana makes sense I reckon

True

 

[YNWA]

My feeling is that we have the budget for one major signing (approaching 100m) with Isak being the preference. If Diaz leaves than the direction we go for for his replacement will depend on our chances to sign Isak. The choices being either Rodrygo or Fofana.

 

[dee]

Given today’s horrendous news, he ain’t going nowhere

 

[FreshRed]

Given today’s horrendous news, he ain’t going nowhere

I suspect the same for Nunez.

 

[Modo]

Nope.

 

[Dreambeliever]

Can’t see him leaving now.

 

[keniget]

I suspect the same for Nunez.

Diaz, perhaps, but there is no reason to keep Nunez.

 

[Squiggles]

I have to agree regarding Diaz. We are going to need his ability to cover the nine. Nunez probably still needs to move on, but signing two strikers in one window, along with Wirtz coming in and changing the dynamics of the attack, feels like too much upheaval at once.

To give FSG their due, they have generally prioritised on-pitch performance over selling at what might be seen as the right time. Klopp may have taken that approach a bit too far at times, but we have seen that with a more balanced power structure, the club has been willing to take a firmer stance. They rejected bids for Trent in January, for example.

Unless a wild bid comes in, I think they will take a similar approach with Díaz and re-evaluate when he is down to the final year of his contract.

 

[rurikbird]

We joked about Jota being “dead” too many times, now he’s literally dead 🙁 What a way to lose a player…

Yeah, this will change some things as far as transfer plans – for one thing it’s hard to see Diaz going now.

 

[737Max]

I agree, i think we need to give Diaz a renewal and bump his wages, no way can we sell Nunez and Diaz this summer. I'd also keep Chiesa, no way we can change the whole front ine, there's just too much change for the forward line

 

[jan]

There is no difference whatsoever if we sell Chiesa or not, a complete non entity as far as game time's concerned

 

[rurikbird]

Nah, Nunez still should be sold. With Diaz, it will take something enormous to make us even think about it.

 

[darkstarexodus]

It's hard to think about transfers at a time like this but I agree that we'd be best to keep Diaz for this season.

 

[Hyena]

I want a new winger but I also need Diaz to score and hold up the No. 20 shirt

 

[mark1975]

I did think yesterday about how this effects transfers. I mean there's two sides to it, you've got the loss of Jota having an impact (in a business sense, I'm not trying to be disrespectful) on either a transfer fee coming in, or him being another attacking option in the squad. So it's the knock on effect of that I guess. I don't know the implications of insurance etc.

Jota talked about getting fit to play for us this season and being in the best possible shape, so that to me says that nothing was decided about him going anywhere. I think he was probably in the same boat as Diaz, if the right offer came along it would be discussed.

I think personally now with Nunez likely to go and yesterdays tragic news, we will be more likely to keep Diaz, to keep some status quo. I also wonder how this effects things ultimately in terms of transfers. There is going to be a lot of grief and togetherness, how do real conversations about "players no longer being needed" come into play with the Jota tragedy in the background? Does it really have an impact? On someone like Nunez I'm guessing not, because everyone including him seems resigned to him finding a new club this Summer. With the rest though? I'm not so sure.

Squiggles said earlier in this post about Wirtz being more of a direct replacement for Nunez, I said similar a few weeks back, that he would/could play in some variation of either the left sided role or as a false 9. I know where he has played, but I wouldn't bet against Slot having something else in mind for him. Especially as we have Szobo, and potentially still Elliott (I think he'll go, but I wonder now with everything else going on).

I kinda agree with the general consensus that we need a versatile attacker, but I think we're more likely to buy an actual striker if you have this:

LW - Wirtz, Diaz, Gapko
AM - Wirtz, Szobo, Elliott
ST - Diaz, (Wirtz F9)
RW - Salah, Frimpong, Elliott

The only place we are "really" bare is in the striker department, none of the current crop are specialist strikers (assuming Nunez goes).

 

[Modo]

The only striker we have at the club is Jayden Danns and I'm not sure what the situation currently is with his injuries.
So, the club will be looking to sign one or two strikers.
Not sure what the strategy will be now that we actually need two strikers. I'd like us to go for someone that no one really thought we'd go for. Preferably a young up and coming striker. I also hope we get someone who's is more of a sure bet.
If we buy two, Diaz will surely leave. If we buy one, we'll ask him to stay for another season.

 

[Squiggles]

From a selfish, club only perspective, at least this tragedy has happened once the football has finished, given us time to react practically in the market, but also the players chance to grieve. This would have been all but impossible if this had happened mid-season playing every three days. You may get one game suspended, but it's never enough. They call them team-mates/colleagues, etc, but our squad are largely very close friends who see each day, spending huge time together. The training ground, dressing room, his seat on the plane, are all going to be highly triggering. It's going to hit them all hard, and probably more so when all the tributes stop and the newspaper articles are getting used as chip paper. It's going to take months for many of the team to process and get their head straight for the season and as shit as everything is, I'm grateful they have this window. There's also the slightly awkward factor of the new signings joining a grieving club and dressing room. As for transfers, we can probably expect things to be on hold for this month. I can't imagine any club will think now is the time to start negotiating and bidding for our players and we are probably at the sell to buy stage.

 

[keniget]

There is definitely a need to give space to grieve and show respect but I don't think the club can afford to just put a pin in things for a month.

 

[Modo]

From a selfish, club only perspective, at least this tragedy has happened once the football has finished, given us time to react practically in the market, but also the players chance to grieve. This would have been all but impossible if this had happened mid-season playing every three days. You may get one game suspended, but it's never enough. They call them team-mates/colleagues, etc, but our squad are largely very close friends who see each day, spending huge time together. The training ground, dressing room, his seat on the plane, are all going to be highly triggering. It's going to hit them all hard, and probably more so when all the tributes stop and the newspaper articles are getting used as chip paper. It's going to take months for many of the team to process and get their head straight for the season and as shit as everything is, I'm grateful they have this window. There's also the slightly awkward factor of the new signings joining a grieving club and dressing room. As for transfers, we can probably expect things to be on hold for this month. I can't imagine any club will think now is the time to start negotiating and bidding for our players and we are probably at the sell to buy stage.

It's a tragedy that will affect the players for months. Just seeing the empty spot with no.20 in the dressing room every day will be a constant reminder.

That being said, it might not be business as usual next week, or the week after but certain players in the squad will have to consider their futures. Bids will come and the players who were on the verge of leaving before yesterday's tragic event will still leave.