It's Quiet 32 - enter at own risk

[FogBlueInSanFran]

Barcelona have an offer for Coutinho from an English club. Initial loan with purchase option next summer.

Chelsea - Banned
Arsenal - Already have Ozil and Pepe
Liverpool - Would he really go back there to sit on the bench?
Spurs - Maybe if Eriksen goes
Rags - Would be funny to see dippers reactions. But he isn't needed
City - Sane possibly leaving? But he isn't an out and out winger.

I wonder who it is?

It's Liverpool. His agent told Liverpool ownership during a meeting the same day as the Barca first leg that he wanted to come back (this is the only thing football-related I have ever been, or will ever be, ITK about). Liverpool told him they didn't know how the math would work on a purchase, so the loan with an option would seem be the next logical step.

 

[oldius]

For a period last year, Stones looked like he could become the world's best, not just one of them. He is a tremendous player who has had an injury and personal issues. With our support, he can ve really special IMO.

 

[cjn]

It's Liverpool. His agent told Liverpool ownership during a meeting the same day as the Barca first leg that he wanted to come back. Liverpool told him they didn't know how the math would work on a purchase, so the loan with an option would seem be the next logical step.

Yeah but then they can't cite "the Coutinho money" when talking about any transfer for the next five years

 

[schfc6]

Arsenal and Utd aren’t top 4 sides. England and Argentina aren’t elite international sides anymore mate look at recent records, especially England we are shit. Henderson and Alli start as does Young are they world class? Christensen at Chelsea is arguably better than both. I like stones and Otta but they ain’t world class. VK, VVD, Varane, Alderweireld, DeLigt, Laporte, Ramos that’s world class bracket Otta and Stones just below that imho

Each to their own. But England just made the semi of a World Cup, Argentina a Copa America. Otamendi & Stones are every bit as good as Alderweireld, better than DeLigt currently. Certainly on a par with Kompany.

Anyway, that’s not really my point, Laporte, Stones and Kompany are as good an option as any other team has and there’s zero reason to just buy a centre back. What Kompany offered can’t be replaced in the transfer market.
So my money is on an imaginative solution to the issue.

 

[schfc6]

So the dippers win European Cup and that makes Henderson, Lovren and Milner world class?

It’s a cup competition. Lovern barely played.

What is your definition of World Class? I think two players at the very top of the game are rightly in the conversation.

 

[Sleeping_Easy]

It’s a cup competition. Lovern barely played.

What is your definition of World Class? I think two players at the very top of the game are rightly in the conversation.

For me it's players you would realistically put in a world 11

 

[Dribble]

It’s a cup competition. Lovern barely played.

What is your definition of World Class? I think two players at the very top of the game are rightly in the conversation.

World Class is a player who could walk into any team in the world & do himself justice.

That doesn't include Lovren, Henderson or Milner.

 

[nmc]

Yeah but then they can't cite "the Coutinho money" when talking about any transfer for the next five years

It’s lovely to see Liverpool hype Coutinho to the heavens get £142m for him and then have to admit he’s clearly not worth that amount. I reckon they value him at £70m tops and he’s probably not worth that in reality. Barca got their pants pulled down big time.

 

[schfc6]

For me it's players you would realistically put in a world 11

I’m not arguing that. But Bernardo Silva & David Silva, even Aguero would almost certainly miss out in that case. As would Ederson, likely all of our players.

My point was we have three top class centre backs and a few very exciting alternatives so no need to waste money on a centre half if we haven’t identified the right player.

 

[schfc6]

World Class is a player who could walk into any team in the world & do himself justice.

That doesn't include Lovren, Henderson or Milner.

Otamendi & Stones would considered by every team in the World. Both play for us, both are better than Matip. Both are better than Lenglet, both are better than Maguire who’s just become the most expensive defender ever.

Fact remains, you’ve been banging the drum that Stones, Otamendi & LaPorte are not enough. They are more than enough and more than most our rivals have.