*Apologies if I'd made some of these points over the last few days. I'm slightly giddy this AM.
YES THE REDS!!!!! When we decide to make our move, we move and execute swiftly aye?
Another one in the eye for the increasingly mental, and, mercifully, increasingly fewer in number, anti-FSG brigade.
As they’ve consistently done since going all in on Jürgen, if they’ve needed to spend big, they have shown they have absolutely no qualms doing that. (Not that this is anything outside the going rate for a top young forward in today’s mad transfer market when there’s so few of them. And so many clubs in need of one. A simple case of supply and demand. But yanno’. All relative.). Superbly
structured deal by Julian Ward to get iit down from what Benfica wanted to how we wanted it. Edwards has taught him well. Before this windows out, we’ll have covered the £64 M. initial fee in all likelihood with sales. Hopefully. all add-ons will be paid as that will mean our success has carried on unabated. With around £100 K P/W through 6-years contract yet again dispelling the fast fading myth that money rules ALL with players. When in truth, the right project and leaving a legacy in the game, and the best place and coach to work under to achieve that, is becoming equally, if not more, an important factor with most players today.
I’ll be honest about Núñez. Outside of seeing him first-hand the 2 Benfica games last year, I honestly know F all about him save for what I’ve read/ compilations i’ve watched the past week.
He was great at Anfield in particular. But that was effectively a dead tie already won out in Lisbon that we coasted through in third gear. So I preface any and all observations that follow with that ….. Ala Ibou, men of that size and build/ strength, shouldn’t move that fast! Great range of movement too. Particular in-to-out and back on the left. And he passed the 1-on-1 test with Alisson with flying colours. As we know week-in, week-out, very few, if any, forwards ever do that! That was what stood out on the initial live eye test to me for what ever that’s worth.
Watching subsequent compilations, it would appear he has the first touch of a donkey. Or Romelu Lukaku in football terms. But that’s well coachable and a few sessions of intense rondo's with Thiago, Fabinho and co will soon improve that. Raw but with all the traits, physically, technically and mentally, to mould into a 10-year or more #9 that would kill the fee. Something we’ve not had thus far under the German. A pure number 9. Yet another evolution and tweak to Klopps Reds. It'll be fascinating to watch the next tactical switch in this team to accommodate that. The excitement just keeps on rolling with this current group.
One of the main things that stand out too and hasn't been lost on me is how we've quietly and effectively dropped the age of our attack like the rest of the squad. Thats Díaz, Jota and Núñez, over the past 2 years, at 25, 25 and 22 years old respectively. For all the mad angst about our age up front, thats one heck of a quick way to get younger. With the super exciting Carvalho at 19 also adding to that.
It’ll be a wrench to see Sadio leave, but to get a player 8 years younger, on a similar salary, who is one of the up and coming coveted young strikers in Europe, is as good as it gets to soften that blow.
The next wave of Kloppo’s attack built with Bobby and Mo still here. Not too shabby business at all.
Superb start to Julian Ward’s tenure in the main gig. (And most important role at the football club for me as Jürgen would be nothing without top recruitment giving him the tools to work with and improve.). With, no doubt, ‘Mini Klopp’ Pep Lijnders and Vitor Matos also playing key roles with their contacts and intimate knowledge of the Portuguese game.
The King is dead. All hail King Julian!
Welcome Darwin. Can't wait to see you in action.
Now, onto the next addition in what will be a busy summer further shaping the next evolution of already one of the very best squads in World football.
). But Klopp's often spoke of his admiration for what they do there.
