Liverpool FC Forum

[puroresu]

Why do people keep saying La Liga isnt finished yet.  Who do u think we want to sign from Liga?  It isnt going to be any of the superstars.

[RUSHIE#9]

Why do people keep saying La Liga isnt finished yet.  Who do u think we want to sign from Liga?  It isnt going to be any of the superstars.

That is a very presumptuous statement to make. The fact remains that we the fans don't know who we're trying to sign, we've only got the rumours that are flying around the press to go on. Yes, it is unlikely that we're gonna sign Eto'o and possibly Villa but they certainly aren't the only 'superstars' of la liga and it depends on who you'd consider a superstar.

The reason that people keep bringing up the fact that la liga hasn't finished yet because they are at a very importnat stage in their season and a lot of teams are vying for a few things. I can understand that any team wouldn't want to be involved in negotiations for selling any of their influential/star players at the current stage of the season.

It's a fair point to say that la liga hasn't finished yet and considering that Rafa has bought the lions share of his transfers from Spain in the past he'll probably return there again this summer for more.

[BOODIDDY]

its the notw and star ffs. In the star they have teves to man poo then 10 pages in say that inter are in for him and only barca and liverpool are watching the situation.

Cheap journalism. They'll put everyone with all the top clubs and when one comes off show you the headline saying i told you so.

Get a grip people. Only mancs have spent just yet. Imo well over the top for potential.

Do you really think rafa would buy forlan? Think people, think.

Just enjot the summer and be paitient.    

[Kopboyau]

Be Patient. Be Patient, starting again to sound a lot like last year

[LFC2007]

We're doomed we've signed no-one, armageddon is near so I've started a kitty at work to rent a nuclear shelter until September.





 

[Scottbot]

Rafa just needs to know what his budget is       

Written by Jim Boardman     

Sunday, 10 June 2007 
When Tom Hicks and George Gillett took over at Anfield in the wake of the January transfer window, Liverpool fans expected an exciting summer. Tom and George told us as much. Didn't they?

Whatever it was they told us, that's what we assumed. And it was also what Rafa assumed. Money to be provided so that he could go out and buy players to take us forwards those steps we need if we're going to fight for the premiership next season.

Rafa's done quite well already with the relatively limited funds he's had since his arrival. He's helped realise the potential in Jamie Carragher that his predecessor Gerard Houllier seemed unable to spot, and found a partner for him who is the envy of most other clubs in Daniel Agger. He found us one of the best goalkeepers in Europe. He's improved Steve Finnan to a point where he became many people's player of the season last time round. In central midfield he has managed to get the best out of Steven Gerrard - even if that means playing him somewhere other than central midfield at times - and has added perhaps £40m worth of talent to join him in Mascherano, Alonso and Sissoko. This summer was meant to see at the very least the arrival of a clinical finisher and a left-winger to provide the chances for that clinical finisher.

But it seems now that this isn't going to happen after all. Samuel Eto'o and Carlos Tevez seem to be way out of Rafa's real price range. Or at least he has to assume they are, because he's not getting any indication from the new owners exactly how much he has to spend. After believing he'd not have to sell before he could buy, it now seems he's going to have to after all.

His hands are tied; he can't make bids with money he's not got.

The Liverpool Echo's Chris Bascombe reported yesterday on how Rafa felt he was going to have to handle transfers this summer. Tevez and Eto'o would probably cost in the region of £30m to buy if figures bandied about in the press are to be believed. According to Bascombe, Rafa has now had to get his scouts to look at alternative targets, admittedly still costing fees that would break the club's record, but not the choices Rafa was lead to believe he could buy.

Alarmingly for many Liverpool fans one of those second-choice names is the former Manchester United striker Diego Forlan. Also mentioned was Real Zaragoza's 27-year-old Argentinean forward Diego Milito.

The report claims Forlan has an exit clause of €24m from his Villareal contract and also that Rafa was hoping to make £15m by selling Craig Bellamy and Harry Kewell.

Bascombe has no reason to lie, and what he's reporting is what he's been told by Rafa. Or what he's agreed with Rafa that he'll report, off-the-record conversation excluded. As well as raising £15m from selling those players, Rafa knows the club have got more money this summer from TV money, as well as doing well financially out of their Champions League run. But the owners just will not tell him exactly what his budget is. They say he'll be supported, but Rafa wants to see figures, not words.

Perhaps Rafa was hoping Bascombe's report would shock the owners into finally letting him know the figure he's working with, and if so it's certainly got a lot of attention from the national media, who will add more spin to it. Rafa's not yet been given permission to make a bid for Roma's winger Allessandro Mancini, although his work to sign Lyon's Florent Malouda is said to be still ongoing.

What he won't do - according to Bascombe - is waste any time chasing players he feels he is not going to be given the funds to buy, namely Eto'o. Of course that means other clubs will move ahead of the Reds in the queue and if the money does eventually come, it may be too late.

What seems to be most frustrating for Rafa is that the new owners are unwilling to just come clean, to just admit to the manager they rate so highly exactly what he can spend, exactly which of his lists of targets he should be pursuing. One of those lists almost certainly includes Michael Owen's name, available for a reported £9m due to his contract's minimum fee release clause.

A few weeks back Rafa also confided in Bascombe his fears that the contract talks for existing players were taking too long. That seemed to work, with Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, Pepe Reina, and Xabi Alonso all signing their new deals last week and Momo Sissoko and Steve Finnan set to follow suit this week.

As well as ensuring he doesn't lose those key players, Rafa has already signed Brazilian midfielder Lucas Leiva and Argentine youngster Sebastian Leto, along with Hungarian teenagers Krisztian Nemeth and Andras Simon. In addition Ukrainian striker Andriy Voronin will arrive on a free transfer.

But what Liverpool fans want to see is proof - and soon - that the new owners really do intend to put their money where their mouth is. We want to win number nineteen, and we want Rafa to be able to buy the players he feels can bring us that most important target.

[LFC2007]

Makes a good story, I'm sure plenty more people will now read his articles. How interesting would "Hicks and Gillett working hard to secure deals" sound as a headline?

[66-1112520797]

Good read there, and there surely has got to be some truth behind it. As the article said Bascombe speaks to Rafa about things at the club. The lingering of buying players, seems to be true as there isnt any movenment at the minute, and Rafa would like to see that as much as the fans.
For all of Hicks and Gilletts impressive talking earlier on as it stands they havent put there money were their mouth is.

I'm a fan a Carlos Tevez and he is the type of player I think we need at the club amongst a couple of others, and towards the end of the season we were linked with him because we could seemingly afford it. Now a time goes on I'm not as confident, the longer we leave it, other teams will snap players like him up. As for Michael Owen coming back, well I dont think Rafa wants him personally thats my opinion, Gerrard, Carragher and Rick Parry would all like him to return, but I dont think its the wish of our manager, hense the reason he's looking at Forlan.

[LFC2007]

There is probably some truth behind it, and also some vast exaggeration to make it a good read and an attractive article.

We have not signed any big names as yet, but anybody could say "these are the reasons why business hasn't been done" and it appears to fit in with the current situation.

There has been no substantial movement in the transfer market, especially in the rest of Europe, and in England only the mancs have made significant moves.

If Rafa was looking at any player I wouldn't expect him to tip off a journalist, he is far more savvy than that, we don't know who he's looking at end of story.

[Reg]

Its not right for journalists to be putting words into the owners mouths or for us as supportrers to side with journalists when we dont know the facts. Its interesting but come on, give the club a chance, it could also be misinformation/ a smokescreen to lower the asking price of players.

[66-1112520797]

If Rafa was looking at any player I wouldn't expect him to tip off a journalist, he is far more savvy than that, we don't know who he's looking at end of story.

Thats not totally true now, Mick has told you twice that if Ciggy calls it she usually gets it right, so people do find out, I cant remember players shes named, but I'm sure Kuyt was defiantely one, so its not end of story, and never is as far as I'm concerned.

[LFC2007]

Ok, I'll predict we'll sign one of:

Malouda
Alves
Simao
Amauri
Tevez
Milito
Mancini
Torres
Eto'o
Silva
Vicente
Forlan
Bent
Owen
A. Alves
Trezeguet


According to my sources one of these players will be coming to Anfield this summer.

[LFC2007]

woops..... I missed out Pedersen

[66-1112520797]

Being silly now.

You obviously dont believe what you've been told by Mick, you havent been here long enough but Ciggy and possibly a couple of others dont draft up silly lists like that and usually there spot on.

[LFC2007]

Ok I challenge these oracles to predict exactly which players and exactly which positions we will strengthen because I haven't been fortunate enough to be party to our transfer negotiations.

Obviously you have because Rafa is looking at Forlan.