Benitez must sell before buying

[BBC Sport]

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez concedes he will have to sell players to help fund any summer transfer moves.

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[Zebedee]

This is an interesting one. It will certainly keep the players on their toes. But if he's right then it means we're looking to spend over 20 million this summer. Which hints at some very tasty signings...

 

[19-11-08]

This is an interesting one. It will certainly keep the players on their toes. But if he's right then it means we're looking to spend over 20 million this summer. Which hints at some very tasty signings...

you normally spend over 20 million overall btw the bird on your badge looks like moltres .... awesome

 

[Ben]

What happened to the money from Robbie Keane?

 

[TheHig]

your right, they got a fair bit of money back on keane and did not sign anyone with it

 

[Ben]

Yeah that'd leave around 10 million from the Keane transfer. So... then if we sold Lucas- I hope we do and Voronin on a permenant basis along with the sale of Itandje and Dossena that'd leave more than 20 million to spend. We need a striker for when Torres is out and also a right back. I'd go for Oscar Cardozo not just because of him on FM but watched Benfica a few times over the last couple of weeks and he's very, very good. Scored a great free-kick too. I'd spend up to 10 million on him and then look into Rafinha from Schalke for another 10 million.

 

[Ben]

Yeah that'd leave around 10 million from the Keane transfer. So... then if we sold Lucas- I hope we do and Voronin on a permenant basis along with the sale of Itandje and Dossena that'd leave more than 20 million to spend. We need a striker for when Torres is out and also a right back. I'd go for Oscar Cardozo not just because of him on FM but watched Benfica a few times over the last couple of weeks and he's very, very good. Scored a great free-kick too. I'd spend up to 10 million on him and then look into Rafinha from Schalke for another 10 million.

 

[deelang]

Yeah that'd leave around 10 million from the Keane transfer. So... then if we sold Lucas- I hope we do and Voronin on a permenant basis along with the sale of Itandje and Dossena that'd leave more than 20 million to spend. We need a striker for when Torres is out and also a right back. I'd go for Oscar Cardozo not just because of him on FM but watched Benfica a few times over the last couple of weeks and he's very, very good. Scored a great free-kick too. I'd spend up to 10 million on him and then look into Rafinha from Schalke for another 10 million.

Not convinced: just because everyone knows LFC wants shot of Ijtande and Voronin so they will not be expensive for buying clubs. Given how often Lucas has been used this year I think it's unlikely he'd be sold without signing a cost-for-cost replacement.

Seems more likely that the transfer business will be something like:

Out
Ijtande
Lucas
Voronin

In
Barry

 

[Lee]

What happened to the proposed £30m Rafa had to spend?

I don't know where you guys are getting your figures for the Robbie Keane fiasco but we made a loss if anything from that.

I doubt Dossena would be leaving unless we get an offer too good to turn down because Insua is still a little unproven and Aurellio is getting on a bit (not to mention his injuries).

Degen, Itandje, Pennant, and Voronin are the most likely to be sold in my opinion. With Babel, Agger, and Lucas as the maybe's although I'd like them all to stay. I don't believe we need to sign a new striker at the moment, N'gog has started to show why he was bought. Babel, Kuyt, and Nemeth are all capable or taking Torres' place if needed.

 

[Zebedee]

What happened to the proposed £30m Rafa had to spend?

I don't know where you guys are getting your figures for the Robbie Keane fiasco but we made a loss if anything from that.

I doubt Dossena would be leaving unless we get an offer too good to turn down because Insua is still a little unproven and Aurellio is getting on a bit (not to mention his injuries).

Degen, Itandje, Pennant, and Voronin are the most likely to be sold in my opinion. With Babel, Agger, and Lucas as the maybe's although I'd like them all to stay. I don't believe we need to sign a new striker at the moment, N'gog has started to show why he was bought. Babel, Kuyt, and Nemeth are all capable or taking Torres' place if needed.

Thought I'd posted to this thread, but totally agree with you Lee.

The 30 million to spend now seems likely to have included money which has been allocated for wages. edit: although it's interesting that Rafa was actually talking about raising the amount of money already available to buy the player/s he wants. Might actually be a shot across the bows of some players as well as stating the obvious for eg Voronin.

You're right about the Keane transfer too. We took a two million pound loss and an overspend of 8 million last summer. Is that where 10 million quid has gone? Although the Keane transfer was apparantly on the never-never so I'm not sure.

Has Agger signed a new contract? If not, he'll have to go this summer or risk him leaving on a free. Pennant leaves on a free in the summer, and so his wages will be the only thing we've saved on since he went to Portsmouth. Babel and Lucas I think will be given another season. Babel to show that he can improve and Lucas because, despite a lot of moans from some quarters, has made a lot of progress this season and looks like an excellent young player if we're going to move towards circulation football.

Nemeth would have made the first team already after his proposed loan spell in January. But the injury put paid to that. Rafa's latest comments indicate that we'll not be looking for another young striker (or even one in his peak). I wouldn't rule out a move for an older striker though (Millito has been suggested).

Johnson coming to us is a rumour which just isn't dying despite his new contract at Portsmouth (signed January with yet more rumours of a reasonable minimum fee release clause in the 7.5 million pounds range). I'm wondering whether Pacheco is just a season or so too young for regular first team football so my money is an attacking player who can play on the left and in the centre. No idea who, but that's the player who Benitez' system now needs. Whether that's Barry or not...

 

[ardcor3]

Agger just signed a new contract today thank **** ..

 

[dakin116]

Think we should buy Sakho he was epic on FM 2008.

No seriously, seems like we usually spend about 30m? So its probably safe to say we'll get that from the owners again. Hope we sell off Babel, Dossena, Degen, Itandje, and Voronin. Would like us to keep Lucas as he is improving all the time for me. Babel doesn't looked arsed half the time and has taken a couple of steps back this year IMO.

Probably need depth at RB and a second striker.

Could honestly see us going in for Barry agian although wouldn't want to see us do that. Wouldn't be surprised to see Xabi Alonso go if we got a high bid for him.