Transfer: 2020 Summer (we think) Transfer Window Rumors, News & Discussion part 2

[YNWA14]

We can agree to disagree I guess. Maybe it's my anti-Liverpool or anti-Brazilian bias speaking but I just don't think he's been that good for Liverpool. He's certainly shown a level to his game where he could be though.

 

[Savant]

He is easily. The way he transforms the way Pool can play is striking.

When Fabinho is on he changes the team in a very positive way.
Henderson and Wijnaldum have both been better than Fabinho this season though.
Fabinho did not look good when he came back from injury though, but that happens. This is what makes Liverpool what they are though. They can win games a number of different ways with a number of different line ups. When Fabinho is at his best, he is the best DM in the world, but at the same time, Liverpool, this season, has played their best without him. That however was not the case in 18-19 though.

 

[les Habs]

Earlier in the COVID pandemic, we saw articles about the Air B&B bubble because so many "regular" people bought a ton of properties and would pay 20k a month in mortgages, but would make a ton in revenue off of it. They never accounted for a bad time where the revenues would dry up and they'd be left with a mountain of debt.

It's hitting just about everyone and everything. People with "passive" income from rents could be getting nothing as rents aren't being paid in some cases. Dividend investors are in some cases seeing companies suspend dividend payments. Mortgages are being missed in huge numbers. Healthcare workers are being laid off because patients aren't coming in. Yet the stock market is on fire. Anyway, this isn't across the board but it's happening in large numbers so it shouldn't be a surprise that the vast majority of football clubs are being hit. The whole virus situation is pretty unprecedented. The key is how you handle it and the lessons you learn going forward.

Yeah, it was tough finding an article that explained Liverpool's financial situation that is truly genuine.

Because, Liverpool has done the exact same, as they have a very high amount of transfers still to pay to other clubs.

When I said "you" I meant generally speaking, not you specifically. Anyway, I don't think an article should be needed.

I think pretty much every club operates this way. It's not just Barcelona and Liverpool who amortize transfer payments. I'd be more concerned about clubs that aren't amortizing their transfer payments.

What Liverpool have to be careful with are contract renewals. You don't want to find yourself with two years left on big contracts to Salah or whoever. Van Dijk may be worthy of a pay rise, but his current deal will expire when he's 31. Ditto for Salah, Firmino and Mane. So it might be best to just let their contracts run down. Of course they'll probably have some unhappy players with that approach, but they should be wary of giving those guys deals until 2025 with big pay hikes attached. Barça are experiencing this to a degree right now with some of their players, but in the worst examples the contracts will at least be up next Summer. Still they have to be careful going forward. Messi can't just be given pay rises or kept at his current pay forever.

Or Saliba would be the best player in football.

Now that he's on my team that might well happen.

 

[YNWA14]

Was just reading that Luiz wants a 2 year extension with Arsenal and that they're fighting over it.

Lol.

 

[bleedblue1223]

It's hitting just about everyone and everything. People with "passive" income from rents could be getting nothing as rents aren't being paid in some cases. Dividend investors are in some cases seeing companies suspend dividend payments. Mortgages are being missed in huge numbers. Healthcare workers are being laid off because patients aren't coming in. Yet the stock market is on fire. Anyway, this isn't across the board but it's happening in large numbers so it shouldn't be a surprise that the vast majority of football clubs are being hit. The whole virus situation is pretty unprecedented. The key is how you handle it and the lessons you learn going forward.



When I said "you" I meant generally speaking, not you specifically. Anyway, I don't think an article should be needed.

I think pretty much every club operates this way. It's not just Barcelona and Liverpool who amortize transfer payments. I'd be more concerned about clubs that aren't amortizing their transfer payments.

What Liverpool have to be careful with are contract renewals. You don't want to find yourself with two years left on big contracts to Salah or whoever. Van Dijk may be worthy of a pay rise, but his current deal will expire when he's 31. Ditto for Salah, Firmino and Mane. So it might be best to just let their contracts run down. Of course they'll probably have some unhappy players with that approach, but they should be wary of giving those guys deals until 2025 with big pay hikes attached. Barça are experiencing this to a degree right now with some of their players, but in the worst examples the contracts will at least be up next Summer. Still they have to be careful going forward. Messi can't just be given pay rises or kept at his current pay forever.

I figured you didn't mean me specifically, I do the same thing all the time, just speak in general terms. Yeah, the misleading part is suggesting that Liverpool is never going to see that money. They have received it because the sold the A/R at an unknown discount, so they've already received it.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Was just reading that Luiz wants a 2 year extension with Arsenal and that they're fighting over it.

Lol.

Still amazed they bought him from us.

 

[bleedblue1223]

I suppose another aspect of this market that we haven't really gone into is on the clubs with players that the big teams want, how motivated would they be to sell now if they are in bad financial shape because of COVID. While it's usually not good to see at a time like this, it could be tough to turn down big money when you have lost a ton of revenue.

 

[les Habs]

I figured you didn't mean me specifically, I do the same thing all the time, just speak in general terms. Yeah, the misleading part is suggesting that Liverpool is never going to see that money. They have received it because the sold the A/R at an unknown discount, so they've already received it.

Exactly. Again, amazes me this stuff gets put out there. I'm not somebody who is against the media, in fact it's quite the opposite, but some outlets are just bad and you always need to consider context.

I suppose another aspect of this market that we haven't really gone into is on the clubs with players that the big teams want, how motivated would they be to sell now if they are in bad financial shape because of COVID. While it's usually not good to see at a time like this, it could be tough to turn down big money when you have lost a ton of revenue.

The big clubs don't have the money though. Some do, but many seemingly don't. I'm just praying Newcastle's sale goes through and can they come in and save us.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Exactly. Again, amazes me this stuff gets put out there. I'm not somebody who is against the media, in fact it's quite the opposite, but some outlets are just bad and you always need to consider context.



The big clubs don't have the money though. Some do, but many seemingly don't. I'm just praying Newcastle's sale goes through and can they come in and save us.

More so specifically wondering about Leicester and Leverkusen lol.

 

[hatterson]

Part of the reason for Liverpool's financial situation. The reason they won't see that money is because they already sold their A/R to a financial institution, Barca will still have to pay the amount, so it's a bit misleading. FC Barcelona still owes Liverpool $104 million for the 2018 transfer of Philippe Coutinho, but the Premier League club is unlikely to see it

I also saw somewhere, can't find it at the moment, but they had the 2nd highest transfer fees outstanding in the EPL, fees that they still have to pay for players already purchased.

Liverpool's financial situation shouldn't really come as a surprise, the signs were there and clear.

Also their owners have their other major investment (Red Sox) not sure if they'll even play this year so I doubt they're willing to shuffle money over to Liverpool to make debt driven transfer purchases.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Also their owners have their other major investment (Red Sox) not sure if they'll even play this year so I doubt they're willing to shuffle money over to Liverpool to make debt driven transfer purchases.

Liverpool people have said they keep the businesses pretty separate and don't really use their personal fortune, so I doubt the Red Sox would have much of an impact, either positive or negative.

 

[Cassano]

Cursed. I think he would've been an OK purchase, but after this injury they'd be stupid to exercise the option to buy.

 

[Live in the Now]

Liverpool aren't going to make transfers that would put them in debt. Not now, not ever.

Supposedly they'll make one or two signings though. That's all the team really needs anyway.

 

[Aladyyn]

Sancho is basically confirmed

 

[robertmac43]

Cursed. I think he would've been an OK purchase, but after this injury they'd be stupid to exercise the option to buy.

I would agree, too much of a question mark now. It's unfortunate he seemed to be excited to join the squad and looked to be a decent rotation player.

 

[koyvoo]

Sancho is basically confirmed

Poor kid deserves better. I’m also not buying that he’d accept United no problem if they are other clubs in the mix.

 

[Chimaera]

Liverpool aren't going to make transfers that would put them in debt. Not now, not ever.

Supposedly they'll make one or two signings though. That's all the team really needs anyway.

The ownership has been very clear that they will keep the club operating within their means. That might mean less this summer, but that's always been the case.


As for the Fabinho discussion, I think some of the talk is hard to gauge. He was probably one of Liverpool's best players down the stretch last season, and he really is a gifted DM. But, I will say that after he came back from the injury, he did not play well at all (though he did not really get a a lot of time), and that did not help his case when Henderson really played well in that position while he was out. One of the deceiving things about him is the eye test, I don't know that he pops off the screen, nor does he always have the best metrics, but he is a quality player no doubt.

I wouldn't put him as the best DM in the world, but I certainly would buy that he should be in the discussion. I think some of the discussion gets off track because others in the midfield are so brutally underrated, and do sell themselves short doing a lot of the grunt work.

I also wouldn't sell Keita. Why would you? If anything, if he comes good, he's like a top class signing. If he doesn't, you can't afford to go out and spend that money, and won't get quality for what you'd sell on. So, just keep it.

 

[bleedblue1223]

Is Sancho set on returning to England or is he open to other countries?

 

[Savant]

Liverpool need to generate money on outgoing like Grujic, Shaqiri and Wilson. They aren’t giving up on Keita yet

 

[Savant]

Is Sancho set on returning to England or is he open to other countries?

Yes

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Poor kid deserves better. I’m also not buying that he’d accept United no problem if they are other clubs in the mix.

Same guy that keeps citing a fee for Sancho that is about 40M euros below what Dortmund claims to want. He doesn’t know what he’s saying.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Yes

I don’t think it’s so. I think it’s very much the latter, if he even leaves to begin with.

 

[gary69]

I see he hasn't changed since leaving Schalke...

Maybe UEFA will ignore FFP this year...

It's confirmed, UEFA will ignore the FFP for this and next season (although they say any misbehaviour will be dealt in the future years, but whether that will be actually enforced then remains to be seen.

Break-even rule – valid during seasons 2020/21 and 2021/22
the assessment of financial year 2020 is postponed for one season, and will be assessed together with the financial year 2021;
• the 2020/2021 monitoring period is curtailed and only covers two reporting periods (financial years ending in 2018 and 2019);
• the 2021/2022 monitoring period is extended and covers four reporting periods (financial years ending in 2018-2019-2020 and 2021).
• the financial years 2020 and 2021 are assessed as one single period;
• the adverse impact of the pandemic is neutralised by averaging the combined deficit of 2020 and 2021 and by further allowing specific COVID-19 adjustments.

Temporary emergency measures for Financial Fair Play | Inside UEFA

 

[Chimaera]

Here's a bailout year for all the shady owners and crazy people. I wonder if that helps City's defense and attempt to get out of their ban at all.

I more worry about what it might mean with ridiculous lower level clubs spending way above means and ending up going bankrupt.

 

[Chimaera]

I don’t think it’s so. I think it’s very much the latter, if he even leaves to begin with.

I tend to agree that England is the most likely destination. But were say, a glory club of the Barca/Real come calling with a real offer, and stupid contract/incentives, I have to think he might be at least a little interested. I'm sure his agents would be. Heck, I'm sure Nike would be interested.

I wouldn't put it on the most likely thing to happen, but you never know.