Kalidou Koulibaly

birchwoodgingerste said:
Or the lack of a ball winner in midfield
Like fern used to be.
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For me this is the crux of our problems this season - losing Fern from midfield where he is awesome, in fact world class, and putting him in an unfamiliar position because we haven't sorted CB for several seasons now. Why put a square peg in a round hole weakening your midfield and taking away some defensive protection, and at the same time not properly strengthening the real issue, the centre of defence. I thought we needed another CB when we had Vinny - so to not replace him was in my opinion a very big mistake and one which is exacerbated by picking other square pegs at LB for the last few years. I don't believe we will win the Champions league whilst we have several positions constantly filled with players who are unfamiliar to their roles. We create double figure chances almost every match, but if we fail to convert them we then get hurt by the one or two chances the opposition get, and seem to take, because of our defending.
 
Just sign the lad, fuck the price. We fucked up baulking at £75m for van dijk (looks a bargain now) then again with Maguire who would at least have meant Fern could have stayed in midfield.

Now we're in the same boat but even more obviously desperate and with fewer top class centre backs on the market. We need Koulibaly whatever he costs or next season we'll be just as shit and vulnerable at the back.
 
The one position next season we need some continuity in is 100% at CB. We haven't been able to build any kind of CB partnership this season for various reasons and its really hurt us. Laporte and Koulibaly, supported by Garcia would be ideal for me. Allow Laporte and Koul to develop a strong partnership, perfect for Garcia to learn from and end the Fern experiment that just hasnt worked.
 
Delphinho said:
Age, price
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Same age as van Dijk and the same age Fernandinho was when we signed him. The price is what it is but it's less than what it was.

I'd rather us spend a fortune on a player everyone knows is top quality than a supposed investment like Stones or a player who has just come off the back of one top quality season like Otamendi.
 
Tugay One Cup said:
Same age as van Dijk and the same age Fernandinho was when we signed him. The price is what it is but it's less than what it was.

I'd rather us spend a fortune on a player everyone knows is top quality than a supposed investment like Stones or a player who has just come off the back of one top quality season like Otamendi.
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Van Dijk was 26 when Liverpool signed him, Koulibaly is 29.
 
We need two centre backs, if we bring in Koulibaly, Malang Sarr for free to go alongside Laporte and Garcia we are sorted for years.Harwood Bellis will be ready to go in the next couple of years to.
Sell Stones and Otamendi and I don’t think we will have to pay out that much money.
 
Our transfer policy has, in the main, been good. We have pursued younger players to fit a very distinct system and style of football. Sometimes, however, you just need ready-made quality to fill leadership and experience gaps. You also need to show your rivals and your fans that you mean business. Koulibaly would be a signing of tremendous intent, a message to all at the club that this season has been less than satisfactory defensively. In addition, the young lads like Garcia, Harwood-Bellis and Adarabioyo will develop much quicker with the likes of a Kompany/Koulibaly in the squad. It's not just what he brings to the team but what he brings to other individuals for them to be able to follow. Matip, Lovren and Gomez all look better players alongside Van Dijk. The last thing I should say is that if it is Pep's last year, he should be allowed to sign a player of this ilk to give him the chance of regaining the PL trophy. Ferguson was allowed an act of short-term indulgence when he signed Van Persie. There are so many reasons why this signing is right for us. There are times when you can be too clever trying to sign lesser-known players from more obscure leagues. Our needs are here and now and if it takes £72.5m to largely cure our defensive rot then it is a price worth paying.
 

All rumours of course till hes holding the shirt but presumably last night sealed the deal if not already for Pep that he simply cannot go into next season with our current centre backs. Its a big fee but if we win another two prem titles and whatever else then its worth it.
 
decmancity said:

All rumours of course till hes holding the shirt but presumably last night sealed the deal if not already for Pep that he simply cannot go into next season with our current centre backs. Its a big fee but if we win another two prem titles and whatever else then its worth it.
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I would be a bit sceptical with these rumours until we find out our fate with CAS. If the ban remains I cannot see us going for Koulibaly or him agreeing to come here (unless we offer him an excess amount of money). Hopefully it gets cleared and we can fix the holes in the team and get some fresh energy into it.
 
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