Liverpool FC Forum

[bunglemark2]

In all fairness, money talks....25M+ is not bad business for Alonso.
Not saying we should sell him, but if it's true that Rafa has 25M to start with, BEFORE he offloads players, and he can bring in another 20-25M by selling one player, it allows him to bid more seriously for other players he might have his eye on.
TBH, I can't see the funds being used on Tevez (unfortunately, as I think he'd be the dog's) but who knows who else Rafa has his eyes on ?

[bigmick]

25 million is a huge amount of money. Personally, given the way he's played THIS season I wouldn't sell Xabi for that. Based on the two seasons prior to this one, I'd have sold him for just over half that, and the fact that nobody was prepared to pay 2/3 of 25 million twelve months ago just goes to show how much his form has fluctualted.

Now if we need the 25 mill in order to have some much needed transfer funds, I might be persuadable. If we need the money for a Torres, then all well and good. That's the crux though, we spent/spunked 40 million quid in the Summer for the net gain to the first team of Albert Riera. If we're planning on selling Xabi and coming anywhere near repeating that fiasco, I'd be all up for selling NO FIRST TEAM PLAYERS AT ALL, and taking a punt that we can pick somebody up for feck all who will improve us. We are very close to being a good enough team to win things as we are, we don't need to reinvent ourselves IMHO. Just think if we get one of those transfer bans if one of the Yanks was found to have cooked the books or something, NO ins, and NO outs. Would we go fairly close at least next season? I reckon we would yes. Nows not the time for selling our best players and starting again.

[Owzat]

The rumours on Tevez vary, but I heard his £30m price tag included money the mancs had paid for him in loan fees so would have worked out at around £20m. Whether that could make him cheaper to us I don't know, but we have enough workers in the side and not enough skilled players like Torres and Tevez.

Sell Mascherano for £20m or Alonso for £20m and I'd sell Mascherano. That isn't to say I'd sell Mascherano off on the cheap, but for what he does for the team £20m is a lot of money. We did well when we sold Sissoko, while we're scoring well at the moment it isn't guaranteed to continue and already draws have taken their toll - 11 in the Premiership, only two of those against 'big four' rivals. Alonso is a key component, one of if not the best passer in the side.

[Sabre]

This year we're a bit more vulnerable to foreign attacks, because not long ago, I remember I did more or less the 1 pound ---- > 1.5 € conversion, while now, the pound is weaker. That's good for English exporting their products, but bad for Liverpool Football CLub.

Mick says 25M is a lot of money. Reason says he's right, but current English Market is not under the rules of reason. It's absolutely mad.

If Ferguson is paying 19M for a player who's worse than Alonso, it's not because Ferguson is stupid, but because the Market is that way. If O'Neill didn't want to get rid of Barry for less than 17M, it's not that Barry's truely worth it, but because the market is that way. Yesteryear when I discussed the value of Alonso I had this in mind. What can we do with 25M?? We'd need to bring another CM for sure, and to bring something similar to Alonso you'd have to pay something similar.

I wouldn't sell Alonso unless the offer was really Madridesque, one of this offers that only can come from one of Real Madrid's caprices, and voices in Madrid suggest they should have less Metzelders and Gagos and more Spaniards. Only under a scenario of Madridesque offer caprice (35M), I'd consider selling ALonso.

Don't laugh, it's nothing to do with Alonso's quality his price, but the market, and Real Madrid caprices.

[bigmick]

I ain't laughing Sabes. If Ronaldo (fantastic player that he obviously is) is worth 100 million to them, Alonso has to be worth over a third in anybodies money. Yes Ronaldo will score goals etc, but they, based on the evidence of the two games I saw in the Champions League NEED an Alonso like player desperately.

[JoeTerp]

I wouldn't sell Alonso unless the offer was really Madridesque, one of this offers that only can come from one of Real Madrid's caprices, and voices in Madrid suggest they should have less Metzelders and Gagos and more Spaniards. Only under a scenario of Madridesque offer caprice (35M), I'd consider selling ALonso.

Don't laugh, it's nothing to do with Alonso's quality his price, but the market, and Real Madrid caprices.

If we could take Sneijder, Garay, Metzelder, and Gago off their hands for them, then the deal would start to make sense, especially if we are going to lose Agger and Hyypia in the Summer.

[bunglemark2]

Was there not a vicious rumour circulating that Agger was about to sign a new contract this week or next ?

[tubby]

Follows on from the Masch comments earlier but more quotes here.

Rafa: Alonso and Mascherano are going nowhere

Rafa Benitez has categorically stated his intention to keep Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano at Liverpool next season.

The midfield duo have both found themselves linked away from Anfield this week, with news of Juventus interest once again emerging around Alonso.

Last summer Benitez seemed willing to sell the sublime Spaniard in order to fund a move for Gareth Barry, only to then see Alonso play a starring role this season.

Both Alonso and Mascherano are the key anchor men in the Liverpool midfield, and Benitez insisted he intends to keep both of them for another title tilt next year.

"I was talking with Javier this morning for 15 minutes about the comments in the press," revealed Benitez.

"He said 'I cannot stop top sides asking about me, or talking with my agent.' He is really pleased and happy to be here. He knows he is at a massive club.

"He is an idol for the fans and a key player for me so I think everything is okay.

"It is the same situation with Xabi - we want to keep the key players. That is something we are very clear on."

[RobinHood6969]

I wouldn't sell Alonso unless the offer was really Madridesque, one of this offers that only can come from one of Real Madrid's caprices, and voices in Madrid suggest they should have less Metzelders and Gagos and more Spaniards. Only under a scenario of Madridesque offer caprice (35M), I'd consider selling ALonso.

Don't laugh, it's nothing to do with Alonso's quality his price, but the market, and Real Madrid caprices.

If we could take Sneijder, Garay, Metzelder, and Gago off their hands for them, then the deal would start to make sense, especially if we are going to lose Agger and Hyypia in the Summer.

Metzelder would keep the medics busy mate .. Lets get Pepe    instead

[Wintersleep]

I'm getting really off with the press speculating that Xabi will be sold.... and often to accomidate Barry in the team. Surely this is just the media being tools. I hope rafa isnt so obsessed with barry that he would do such a thing.

[shakey]

Surely after this seasons displays Rafa wont sell Xabi   plenty of worse players to sell to raise cash!!

[Scottbot]

I'm getting really off with the press speculating that Xabi will be sold.... and often to accomidate Barry in the team. Surely this is just the media being tools. I hope rafa isnt so obsessed with barry that he would do such a thing.

I think we all are mate, i'm seriously pis..sed the manager has not come out and made a strong enough 'hands off, he's our player and he's going fu...c...king nowhere' statement to the press.

Surely this statement (below) was somehow taken out of context? If Rafa said that or is thinking of off-loading a player who is having his best ever season for the club then he is a complete fool in my book. I've always remained pretty supportive of the manager, even when things have gone ropey but i'd take it all back if we sell (or even try to sell) Xabi. 

'Alonso was not on the market last summer but Juventus came to us, so we had to talk,' said Benitez.

'I think it will be the same situation this year. I don't want to sell him but when there is a window you have to talk to see what price is being considered.'     

[tubby]

At the end of the day Scott he is the manager and has to find ways of making the squad stronger. If he doesn't get all the funds he needs then he may have to look to raising some cash. No one want's to see Xabi go but it very nearly happened last season had Arsenal bid a few mil more. I just hope Rafas boner for Gareth Barry is still not as hard as it was last summer.

[Scottbot]

At the end of the day Scott he is the manager and has to find ways of making the squad stronger. If he doesn't get all the funds he needs then he may have to look to raising some cash. No one want's to see Xabi go but it very nearly happened last season had Arsenal bid a few mil more. I just hope Rafas boner for Gareth Barry is still not as hard as it was last summer.

It's so dumb though, it's bad man-management, comments like that say to the world, 'Xabi has got his price, and if you want him your'll have to come up trumps and maybe we'll talk', at least that's how I read it and i'd guess the player would see it the same way. You risk alienating the player if you talk about him one way in contrast to other players. I'd like to hear Rafa talk about Alonso the way he does for Gerrard and Torres, it's VERY VERY clear that neither of two will be going anywhere at any time, I'd like to hear the same said of Xabi the way he has played this season.

[Wintersleep]

At the end of the day Scott he is the manager and has to find ways of making the squad stronger. If he doesn't get all the funds he needs then he may have to look to raising some cash. No one want's to see Xabi go but it very nearly happened last season had Arsenal bid a few mil more. I just hope Rafas boner for Gareth Barry is still not as hard as it was last summer.

It's so dumb though, it's bad man-management, comments like that say to the world, 'Xabi has got his price, and if you want him your'll have to come up trumps and maybe we'll talk', at least that's how I read it and i'd guess the player would see it the same way. You risk alienating the player if you talk about him one way in contrast to other players. I'd like to hear Rafa talk about Alonso the way he does for Gerrard and Torres, it's VERY VERY clear that neither of two will be going anywhere at any time, I'd like to hear the same said of Xabi the way he has played this season.

I agree.

it must have felt like last summer when he was being pimped out to other clubs and being left in no doubt that he wasnt really wanted. And it seems, after immense performances from xabi this season, that the media are starting to build it up again that he may be used to make room and money for barry and i dont like it. 

I do feel that more than anything this is the press just doing what they do...After all didnt rafa say he wasnt avaliable.