Football: of great teams having an exceptional season and exceptional teams having a great season.

[Jordan La Cabra]

Would they get such a large amount for him, though? Didn't they trigger the one year extension in his contract, meaning he is signed to Man United until the end of next season?

Real Madrid paid only £35m to Chelsea for Thibaut Courtois with only one year left on his contract. Obviously, Courtois had made it very clear that he wanted to go to Real Madrid, which lowered cost, but he had just come off the back of being voted the best performing goalkeeper in the World Cup. 

Man United would likely be able to get more for DdG than Chelsea did for Courtois, but it still won't be a fee relative to how valuable he actually is as a player, because of his contract expiring next season.

[Consigliere]

25 minutes ago, BigFatCoward said:

It's not a question of replacing him with someone better, just someone nearly as good who is better value. I assume you get close to 100 million from real, and save another 21 million a year in wages. 

 

It's unlikely that we will get a fee nearly as big as that because De Gea is out of contract in 2020. I doubt Real Madrid would sign him even if they offload Courtois - Zidane likes Navas and has made him 1st choice again. They also have Andriy Lunin on the books who looks very promising and has had a good season on loan at Leganes. If DDG leaves, my guess is that PSG would be the most likely destination.

[Iskaral Pust]

Agreed that the DDG fee would be dampened by his short remaining contract, his pay demands and the lack of top suitors.  Perhaps PSG is a destination but none of the other big spending clubs have a particular need, and his lack of ability with the ball at his feet has become a bigger drawback.  He’s like a very good Shay Given.

[Corvinus85]

3 hours ago, Jordan La Cabra said:

If Man United perform how they did in the first half against City, they should beat Chelsea. Not that Man United were good in the first half, they just pressed and ran about a lot. Chelsea don't like teams showing any form of intensity against them.

umm, I don't know about that. They really seem to struggle in finding the net, no matter their opponent. Even when a player gets behind the defense, he either receives a bad pass, or fails to do something of worth with the ball. And Hazard will likely have the opportunity to shred the United defense a couple of times, at least.

[Rorshach]

It is a problem for DdG that no top club - perhaps apart from PSG (Buffon is clearly in decline, sad as that is) - really need a new keeper. And given his form this year, and for Spain, he is less of a safe bet than he was only a year ago.

Of course, a buying club could conclude that his dip in form is down to a poisonous enviroment at United, and expect him to hit his old heights once he has moved on. And agewise, there is no reason he should decline as obvious as he has. Then again, that is true for Courtois as well. Hard to say.

I don't think Navas is the answer in Madrid anymore. He seemed to be less of a keeper last season, even as they won the CL. So Madrid may still be an alternative - but then they would need to do something about either Courtois or Navas - or both.

[MercenaryChef]

I see de gea gone and man united replacing him with dubravka. toon get a tidy 40 million for him.

[BigFatCoward]

Now that Newcastle are safe I have no problem with us rolling over for Brighton. Chris Hughton is a top bloke, Warnock is a wanker, and the non payment of the transfer fee stinks of a lack of class. Fuck Cardiff. 

[Disturber of Peace]

The main question remaining in this season is 

Can Brendan Rodgers get his team to show tremendous character and win the title for Liverpool? 

[Mark Antony]

Firmino is hurt. Hope to the gods he will be okay for Barca. 

Sturridge starts. Ox in the match squad for the first time in over a year 

[Mark Antony]

Yeah really need Fabinho and Firmino for Barca so hopefully they are okay. 

Man I hope Ox gets to come on. The reception he will get will be massive 

[ljkeane]

Hmm, a good first 30 seconds but it’s been pretty rubbish since then. Liverpool need to get hold of the ball.

[Iskaral Pust]

Liverpool looked a bit sloppy playing this at a friendly/pre-season pace, but it turns out that was actually a good call.

[Iskaral Pust]

Just now, Soylent Brown said:

God, but Lovren is terrible. He panics in so many situations and fucks up. My preference for the Barcelona games would be: Gomez > Matip > Mignolet > Lovren.

I don't expect to see Lovren play too many more games for Liverpool.  I'd be surprised if we don't sell him on this summer.  Matip looks like a viable back-up for Gomez, so we really need another back-up who isn't injured when called upon, doesn't create panic around him and is comfortable with the ball.

[Iskaral Pust]

Mane and Salah are having their own private competition for the golden boot.  And neither take penalties, unlike Kane or Aguero.

(Robertson and TAA are having a similar competition on assists, but they probably won't overtake Hazard for the overall lead)

[Mark Antony]

Seeing Ox on the pitch makes me so happy 

[ljkeane]

13 minutes ago, Iskaral Pust said:

(Robertson and TAA are having a similar competition on assists, but they probably won't overtake Hazard for the overall lead)

Don’t speak too soon. Robertson’s only 2 behind Hazard now.

 

[Iskaral Pust]

Yes, it's great to see Ox back.  I was hoping he would play sooner but I understand the preference to protect him and let him get a full pre-season to be ready for next year.

Not to sound negative after a big win but Sturridge still really underwhelms in the team.  We definitely need at least one back-up forward for next season, probably two.  Shaqiri has been pretty good, and surprisingly under-used since December, but he seems like more of an attacking midfielder than a forward.  

[Iskaral Pust]

2 minutes ago, Soylent Brown said:

(I have to say though, I'd like to see a fully fit Ox starting, so I'm not sure what'll happen next season.)

I think we'll see a lot of rotation to keep legs fresh.  Fabinho will be the main #6 but Gini or Hendo can fill in.  Ox is probably a regular as a #8, with Keita and Henderson getting slightly fewer starts but pretty regular as #8.  Gini and Milner can fill in as #8 too, with Milner probably coming off the bench a lot to help see out a game with a lead.  Shaqiri also available as a #8 off the bench if we're chasing a game.  I don't know what Shaq needs to work on to fit into the team but he offers a lot more than Origi or Sturridge, so hopefully another pre-season will help him with the tactical fit.  I think MF will just be the most fluid part of the team, with no fixed starters like we have for defense and attack.

I'd expect that Lallana departs this summer along with Sturridge and Origi.  Moreno is set to depart.  Probably Woodburn, Ejaria and Ojo and Kent get sold too.  Wilson may have earned himself a spot on the bench after a very good loan.  Grujic has done really well on loan too and perhaps replaces Lallana in the squad, or he may be sold while interest is high.  We mostly need a couple of good forwards who can step into the team without a big drop off -- look at what Son and even Moura did for Spurs -- back-ups at FB and replace Lovren with another back-up CB.

Unfortunately Camacho refused a new contract.  He had good potential as a back-up RB/RWB, as well as the ability to shift Gomez over.  Adam Lewis has done well at LB for the U-23s, but I don't if he's ready to back-up Robertson.  So we're probably in the market for FBs and forwards.  

[A Horse Named Stranger]

I mentioned it before, but I still think Frankfurt's Haller would be a good addition to the Liverpool forward lines. He has a high work rate like Firmino, can hit the back of the net, can also be used as RW to cover for Salah.

Also Liverpool are rumoredly one of the suitors for Timo Werner. The other big one being Bayern (obviously). Werner won't sign a new contract (at least that's what it looks like), so he will leave Leipzig at the end of the season, while they can still collect a fee for him. Real is rumoredly also interested, but they are more closely linked to Jovic, and more recently Sancho. Also, I think they need to offload some players first before they can go on a big spending spree - which really isn't an issue for Liverpool (or Bayern).

 

[Mark Antony]

The battle for those 3 and 4 spots is hilarious at this point.