Liverpool FC Forum

by **Thingy** » Fri May 09, 2008 12:47 am

8 mil and barry would be ideal, we wont get it though. Maybe 4m and barry, or 10m from another club. And on Crouch never having a bad game cos he works hard, Kuyt must of got man of the match every game for some

by **bigmick** » Fri May 09, 2008 1:00 am

Guys FWIW I think Rafa is dreaming when he talks of fifteen million for a player who has one year left on his contract. Added to that is the probability that Crouch would think he hasn't been treated entirely fairly, and there is therefore the distinct chance that if the player doesn't think the transfer is being conducted properly he'sll simply stick around and leave for nothing this time next year.

Even ten million for Crouch given he only has a year left would be unbelieveable (we only got 8 for Owen as his contract was running out) and any ideas that we might pick up Barry PLUS cash are way off in my opinion. Unless Barry absolutely downs tools and refuses to play for Villa (which form the way his character appears to shape up is unlikely IMHO) then we are going to have to go a fair bit bigger than 10 to get him. Given Crouch's huge wage demands, Crouch PLUS around five or six million would appear to me to be about right for Barry at this stage of their contractual cycle.

One day we will learn that allowing players to go into their final year isn't the way to go when you are trying to preserve their transfer value.

by **LFC2007** » Fri May 09, 2008 1:20 am

Rafa would probably accept £10m or so realistically speaking. The £15m (€19.0414m, US$29.3349m, C$29.8145m) quoted is simply Rafa's ideal price, by capping it off at £15m I think he's accepting that he'll receive bids of around the £10m mark. He's trying to encourage bids by setting his target price slightly higher than what can be considered realistic, £20m would categorically price him out of the market, whereas £10m would encourage bids of £6m-£8m, which is too low, and he'd rather keep him for the next year than accept that type of offer. So I think his target price of £15m is in the right ball park, as he's not pricing him out of the market, but setting a fairly reasonable marker which will tempt clubs to bid a fair price for him. Declaring it publically reflects his intent to sell, so again, I think he's accepting he'll receive bids up to a third below that price. If I was managing a club of the Portsmouth, Newcastle, Man City level, I'd be very reluctant to part with much more than £10m, so he's tempting bids in that region. If Bellamy can be sold for £7m-£8m, I think it's fair to say Crouch is worth a little more.

by **account deleted by request** » Fri May 09, 2008 1:20 am

Benitez puts a £15m price tag on Alonso and Crouch
By COLIN WOOD - More by this author »

Last updated at 21:08pm on 8th May 2008

Juventus are ready to make a £15million bid for Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso — and Rafa Benitez places the same lofty valuation on striker Peter Crouch.

The two players are tipped for summer moves from Anfield and, with the Liverpool manager continuing his pursuit of Aston Villa's Gareth Barry, 26-year-old Alonso is almost certain to leave after nearly four years at the club.

Crouch has become a fringe player because of the striking success of Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard, but scored on his last three Barclays Premier League appearances. However, Benitez made it clear he would dismiss Portsmouth's attempt to get Crouch for £8m.

'If we receive a very good offer, and by that I mean £15m, we will consider it,' said Benitez. 'I'm reading about £8m but if we only receive that then I'd rather keep the player.

'He wants to play every week, which isn't easy here because Torres is on fire and Gerrard is playing as a second striker. We've offered him a new contract. We like the player and we want him to stay. But we cannot offer him a guarantee he will start every game every week.

'Peter said in December he wanted to talk about a new contract but time passed and they weren't really interested in signing at that moment. His representatives said they wanted to wait, so now we will see.

'If we receive offers for Crouch we will analyse each one. I know he has only one year left on his contract but I am happy to keep the player for another year if I have to.

'You always want good players in your squad and Peter is a good player. And, don't forget, he is an English player, which is really important when you consider the market.'

Sammy Lee is set to return to the Liverpool coaching staff following Alex Miller's departure to take charge of Japanese side JEF United Chiba.

Lee, 49, is a former Liverpool and England midfielder. He worked for 11 years as a coach with the club but left for a role with England soon after Benitez took over in the summer of 2004.

He joined Bolton a year later as assistant to Sam Allardyce, succeeded him as manager in April last year but was sacked in October.

Benitez also confirmed that Harry Kewell will be leaving on a free transfer.

------------------------------------------

I think its more about calling Crouch and Portsmouths bluff than Rafa thinking he will get £15million for him. £10/12 million for Crouch and £15million for Alonso sounds about right to me. Don't forget Owen was on top wages when he went for £8million, I don't think Crouch has that problem, so we may get a bit more for him.

by **Thingy** » Fri May 09, 2008 1:24 am

LFC2007 wrote:Rafa would probably accept £10m or so realistically speaking. The £15m (€19.0414m, US$29.3349m, C$29.8145m) quoted is simply Rafa's ideal price, by capping it off at £15m I think he's accepting that he'll receive bids of around the £10m mark. He's trying to encourage bids by setting his target price slightly higher than what can be considered realistic, £20m would categorically price him out of the market, whereas £10m would encourage bids of £6m-£8m, which is too low, and he'd rather keep him for the next year than accept that type of offer. So I think his target price of £15m is in the right ball park, as he's not pricing him out of the market, but setting a fairly reasonable marker which will tempt clubs to bid a fair price for him. Declaring it publically reflects his intent to sell, so I think he's accepting he'll receive bids around the £10m mark. If I was managing a club of the Portsmouth, Newcastle, Man City level, I'd be very reluctant to part with much more than £10m, so he's tempting bids in that region. If Bellamy can be sold for £7m-£8m, I think it's fair to say Crouch is worth a little more.

Spot on mate.

by **greenbyname_redbynature** » Fri May 09, 2008 2:02 am

i honestly can't see why people think 15 million is to high. you've got an english international, with champions league experince, at the prime of his career, proven 10-15 goals a season and he's a forward (which puts your valuation up higher anyway...never understood it meself being a defensive midfielder but there you go)

Last year of contract which mick touched on in bollox to be fair mate. So what he's in his last year next year, he'll still be contracted to Liverpool. If we don't want to see him leave for nothing than we play him and pay him what he wants. It's a win-win situation for Liverpool. We either get a hefty 15 million which I still think is a steal, or we get to keep a bloody good forward.

A regular proven goalscoring international for what's considered to be a top national side. Liverpool's top goalscorer in the champions league 06-07. Liverpool's top goalscorer in all comps 06-07. A man at the prime of his career. 15 million is nothing depending on who we offer him to. There's no point going to Bolton and saying do you want Crouch for 15 million because they don't even get 15 thousand at most home games. There's no point offering him to Everton for 15 million because they don't have the kind of money yet. There's no point offering him to Blackburn for 15 million because they can't even afford the bus fair to collect him. It's all about offering him to the right clubs (pompey/newcastle/spurs/city/villa) then hoping two or more of them want him to create a tug of war. I've already said who are the likely targets (newcastle and portsmouth) to want Peter Crouch.

15 million nowhere near an over the top price.

by **maguskwt** » Fri May 09, 2008 6:37 am

hopefully with the sales of Alonso & Crouch for about 25 milion and if we can get Barry for cash + another player, we will be able to go for another 20 mil target

by **bunglemark2** » Fri May 09, 2008 8:28 am

Tell you what...Jermaine Defoe is on a loan deal out to Pompey. I'd take a punt on him. He'll always get you goals. And a wee man to play off Torres, who's fast, knows where the goal is and invariably puts it in the back of the onion sack....

by **lakes10** » Fri May 09, 2008 8:37 am

£15M for Crouch.......thats cheap.
He is a great player and its a big shame that he did not get used that much bt Rafa.
I hope he dont go to a prem team as i would hate us to meet him on the Filed again. He is a big danger.
play him all the time and you will get 20 goals from him a year.

by **Number 9** » Fri May 09, 2008 9:59 am

Its because hes English it seems that hes valued more,and fair play to Rafa for putting that sort of money on his head.We might as well get the most for him!

And remember folks Spurs paid £16.5 million for Darren Bent last year.A player that spends 90% of his time warming the bench.If Crouch starts regularly in any team,they will be sure of goals.
Given a start every game if fit,i reckon Crouch would hit 20 a season.
£15m may seem a bit steep to some but thats the way the market is,it seems the player has a value then you add a third because they are English!

by **puroresu** » Fri May 09, 2008 10:27 am

bunglemark2 wrote:Tell you what...Jermaine Defoe is on a loan deal out to Pompey. I'd take a punt on him. He'll always get you goals. And a wee man to play off Torres, who's fast, knows where the goal is and invariably puts it in the back of the onion sack....

initial loan to get the deal done. His signed for Pompey now.

by **SouthCoastShankly** » Fri May 09, 2008 10:36 am

bunglemark2 wrote:Tell you what...Jermaine Defoe is on a loan deal out to Pompey. I'd take a punt on him. He'll always get you goals. And a wee man to play off Torres, who's fast, knows where the goal is and invariably puts it in the back of the onion sack....

Small and tall partnerships only work when the styles of play are dis-similar. Thats why it is beyond some of us why Rafa didn't persist with the Crouch-Torres choice.

As for summer singing opportunities I can see no better player that Berbatov to partner Torres. His style would fit perfectly - where Torres would run at players and play off the defenders shoulder, Berbatov would drop and provide some creativity in and around the box.

The only concern being his ego.

by **stmichael** » Fri May 09, 2008 10:47 am

the latest i heard was that portsmouth were going to offer nico kranjcar + cash for crouch and riise.

by **GRAHAM01** » Fri May 09, 2008 10:51 am

don't shoot me down but i had a little think about this and i've come up with this

villa have said you can have barry but only if you give us crouch and some money??

rafa has then come out and said what he has ( crouch can go for 15 mill ) so that they know it would only be a player for player swap or barry plus a very small amount of cash for crouch

don't know just a thought??

by **Bad Bob** » Fri May 09, 2008 12:22 pm

SouthCoastShankly wrote:
bunglemark2 wrote:Tell you what...Jermaine Defoe is on a loan deal out to Pompey. I'd take a punt on him. He'll always get you goals. And a wee man to play off Torres, who's fast, knows where the goal is and invariably puts it in the back of the onion sack....

Small and tall partnerships only work when the styles of play are dis-similar. Thats why it is beyond some of us why Rafa didn't persist with the Crouch-Torres choice.

As for summer singing opportunities I can see no better player that Berbatov to partner Torres. His style would fit perfectly - where Torres would run at players and play off the defenders shoulder, Berbatov would drop and provide some creativity in and around the box.

The only concern being his ego.

And his price tag, I fear. Not to mention competition from the Mancs. I'd love to have him at Liverpool, though.

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