Liverpool FC Forum

kazza » Tue Jun 30, 2026 3:48 pm wrote:Talk of PSG buying Diomande and loaning him back for a year which means they may not need to move Barcola on for another transfer window at least.


Just a quick point on Dembele. Dortmund bought him for 35m Euros and he was supposed to be a real talent. They sold him to Barcelona for 148m Euros and he was supposed to set the world on fire. He didn’t do well and Barcelona couldn’t get rid of him, I remember we were interested in him, then Barcelona sold him to PSG for 50m Euros and he went down as a flop. Now at 29 he’s probably the best attacker in the world. You’d think that Diomande is that type of talent but obviously in the last 10 years prices have risen exponentially. Is 100m the old 35m? Would you rather have him for 100m or Bowen for 50m?

The thing about Dembele kazza is that if you put him in any serious league he'd practically be useless. He playes in a very weak French league where PSG are the absolute dominant force with or without him, and he plays 20 odd low tempo games a season with zero pressure and puts his efforts entirely in the Champions League. You can't afford that in England, you'd need him at 100% in every game, and for Dembele that's impossible, he'd probably spend most of his time injured like he did in Barcelona.

Dembele is quality but very much doubt his body would be able to handle the rigours of the Premier League. Think he only started 11 games for PSG last season and they kept him fit for the CL.

Liverpool have drawn up a three-man shortlist to replace Mo Salah now that it looks like they will miss out on both Yan Diomande and Bradley Barcola, including Lille's Matias Fernandez-Pardo, FC Koln's Said El Mala and Brighton's Yankuba Minteh - the Athletic

Quite like that Barcola lad, plays in weaker league but has shown he performs in UCl.

redshade » Wed Jul 01, 2026 4:12 am wrote:Quite like that Barcola lad, plays in weaker league but has shown he performs in UCl.

PSG put a valuation of 115m Euros

kazza » Wed Jul 01, 2026 2:21 am wrote:Liverpool have drawn up a three-man shortlist to replace Mo Salah now that it looks like they will miss out on both Yan Diomande and Bradley Barcola, including Lille's Matias Fernandez-Pardo, FC Koln's Said El Mala and Brighton's Yankuba Minteh - the Athletic

None of them exactly inspire you with any confidence, Minteh is nowhere near a guaranteed 20-30 goals every season player like Salah, if the club are serious about replacing Mo they should be looking at someone like Oilise.......someone of that ilk.
We were fvcking dreadful last year, we need quality, is Minteh going to change us from a team who loses 20 games in a season to a team who loses 2?

Remember Salah wasn’t “Salah” when he came. You either buy ready made and pay a premium or take a gamble on a younger player with potential. Salah, Mane and Firmino were not exactly household names. They were prospects that became world class. Their talent, the manager and the system all had to come together. So replacing Salah is not going to be easy as his numbers, consistency and lack of injuries make him a needle in a haystack.

Apparently we are looking at Diomande’s Norwegian team mate Antonio Nusa

kazza » Thu Jul 02, 2026 1:56 pm wrote:Remember Salah wasn’t “Salah” when he came. You either buy ready made and pay a premium or take a gamble on a younger player with potential. Salah, Mane and Firmino were not exactly household names. They were prospects that became world class. Their talent, the manager and the system all had to come together. So replacing Salah is not going to be easy as his numbers, consistency and lack of injuries make him a needle in a haystack.

Apparently we are looking at Diomande’s Norwegian team mate Antonio Nusa

9 times out of 10 if you want a top player you have to go and buy one ready made off the shelf. Even with Mo, Bobby and Sadio we won the title just once, if you want to win the top prizes in the game on a regular basis you need to be exceptional. Oilise is exceptional, Minteh is not.

Dont forget our fortunes really changed under Jurgen not when we signed Mo or Sadio [Bobby was already here] but when we broke the world transfer record on a goalkeeper and then broke the world tranfer record on a centre half, it was buying 2 top, top players which transformed our fortunes not gambling on players who might come good in the future.

We've been linked today with UD Almeria midfielder Sergio Arribas. He's a 24 year old Real Madrid graduate playing in the 2nd tier of Spanish football. He's valued at around £40m and had 32 goal contributions in 47 games.

Looks like we are trying to find potential world class players for good prices instead of spending loads on the finished articles.

It's quite a difficult market for the type of profile we need in the wide positions.

Looking around and seems to be a lack of top quality wide players that are realistically gettable.

If Diomande does go to PSG, think we'll make a big push for Barcola but read his first preference would be a move to London with Arsenal but they look to be liked with Rogers and may pivot to Barcola if they can't get him.

Sounds as though we we need to see a couple of dominoes full before we make our move so maybe later this month or August which isn't ideal but we can't afford to bring in any old player in and need real quality so may need to bide our time.

UvS xR4GEx » Sat Jul 04, 2026 6:31 pm wrote:We've been linked today with UD Almeria midfielder Sergio Arribas. He's a 24 year old Real Madrid graduate playing in the 2nd tier of Spanish football. He's valued at around £40m and had 32 goal contributions in 47 games.

Looks like we are trying to find potential world class players for good prices instead of spending loads on the finished articles.

I think it’s a good strategy for us but as long as we have a long term manager, if we flip managers every couple of years we will not see that potential reached.

kazza wrote:

UvS xR4GEx » Sat Jul 04, 2026 6:31 pm wrote:We've been linked today with UD Almeria midfielder Sergio Arribas. He's a 24 year old Real Madrid graduate playing in the 2nd tier of Spanish football. He's valued at around £40m and had 32 goal contributions in 47 games.

Looks like we are trying to find potential world class players for good prices instead of spending loads on the finished articles.

I think it’s a good strategy for us but as long as we have a long term manager, if we flip managers every couple of years we will not see that potential reached.

We don't have a long term manager though and Hughes looks set to be off soon as well.

We cant gamble on everything, as it stands we have lots with no xp and coming from inferior leagues so we need to be careful on how much of that we bring in. Leadership is another issue as these lads are going to need it to settle.

Iraola is going to have to perform miracles with the squad he's left with at the start of the season. They look set to leave him with a lot who aren't good enough in the hope he can duct tape it together. A 2 Yr deal with half of the squad needing to go and the other half going to walk for free in a year. Some long term planning going on there!!

£40 million for a second division Spaniard. Feck me when did we become so stupid?

Liverpool facing leadership upheaval as Michael Edwards quits FSG role

Transfer guru was frustrated with failure to embrace multi-club model, while club’s sporting director Richard Hughes discusses Al-Hilal move.

Michael Edwards has quit his role as chief executive officer of football for Fenway Sports Group, which owns Liverpool, leaving the club facing unwanted executive upheaval.

Frustration at FSG’s lack of progress in acquiring a second European team and embracing the multi-club model prompted Edwards to first signal his intention to move on last autumn. He subsequently tendered his resignation and departs two years into a three-year contract.

Attempts to persuade Edwards to remain were made by the American ownership but, in his absence, FSG president Mike Gordon will assume more day-to-day control of Liverpool.

Coupled with the sporting director Richard Hughes discussing a move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal — Liverpool have been unable to provide any assurances about his future beyond the summer transfer window — there is a sense of uncertainty at Anfield at least from the outside.

Hughes’ contract is due to expire in the summer of 2027 and he has only just recruited Andoni Iraola as head coach after Arne Slot’s dismissal at the end of May.

Internally, Edwards and Gordon are united in the belief that the work undertaken in recent years means that ways of working, philosophy, culture and processes are all in place that will allow Liverpool to kick on. Edwards exits for a second time, having left his position as Liverpool’s sporting director in 2022 partly due to tensions with Jürgen Klopp.

Edwards, left, initially left Liverpool in 2022 following tensions with Klopp. He returned under the FSG umbrella two years later in an overarching role as Klopp prepared to stand down, with his remit extending beyond Liverpool and towards expanding FSG’s football operations.

Analysis of around 25 different clubs was undertaken with Edwards passionate about adopting a multi-club format given that post-Brexit regulations, which came into force in 2021, prevented English clubs from signing players under the age of 18 from overseas. Purchasing a club in a country that is still a member of the European Union can help circumvent those rules, while also allowing the placement of players with a view to helping them subsequently meet UK work permit criteria.

Getafe, Bordeaux, Toulouse and Malaga were among the clubs FSG considered, but ultimately pulled away from a deal. The possibility of buying a second team in the future has not been ruled out but, given more than £525million has been spent on transfers at Liverpool in the past 12 months, it is clear which club FSG has been focusing upon.

Still, without the new challenge that drew him back to the fold originally, Edwards was not motivated by simply holding a position and drawing a salary. Both of Edwards’ tenures have seen Liverpool’s only title successes in the Premier League era and, for a period between 2016-2020, the club’s transfer hit rate was phenomenal, cementing his reputation as one of the shrewdest sporting directors around. Upon leaving Liverpool four years ago, Manchester United and Chelsea were among the numerous clubs which sought to acquire his expertise.

Despite the 2025 championship triumph in Slot’s first season, there has been more scrutiny on Edwards’ second coming with the £241million outlay on Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz in last summer’s transfer window yet to bear fruit. The transition from the Klopp-era initially proved smooth but the club now feels as if it is immersed in another period of major change.

Edwards leaves Liverpool believing the club are in a better position than when he arrived but said that the “broader project ultimately evolved differently to how we had originally envisaged”.

“It has been a privilege to return to Fenway Sports Group and Liverpool at such an important moment,” Edwards said. “I leave believing Liverpool is in a strong position, with outstanding people, a clear direction and the foundations in place for continued success.

“When I returned, I was excited not only by the opportunity to help guide Liverpool through an important period of transition, but also by the chance to help shape FSG’s wider football ambitions. While that broader project ultimately evolved differently to how we had originally envisaged, I am proud of the work our team undertook in presenting ownership with a broad range of thoughtful and well-developed options for the future.”

Gordon added: “Michael has made an extraordinary contribution to Liverpool Football Club and Fenway Sports Group throughout his time with our organization. When Michael returned in 2024, he did so at a pivotal moment for Liverpool, embracing a broader leadership role across our football interests in the process. Throughout both periods he has consistently demonstrated exceptional judgement, integrity and an unwavering commitment to building a strong football organization for the long term.

“His return to the organization saw Liverpool successfully navigate a significant period of transition before securing the club’s historic 20th English league title, an achievement to which Michael made an important contribution. While we are naturally disappointed to see him leave, we will always be grateful for everything he has given.”

Regarding squad strengthening, all preparatory work has been undertaken and the responsibility for executing the strategy would fall on Hughes rather than Edwards. The Spain winger Victor Muñoz has been Liverpool’s only signing to date, although Jérémy Jacquet was recruited in January with a view to joining in July, and there is a need to recruit further attacking reinforcements at the very least.

Beyond signings, contract talks with Dominik Szoboszlai have been taking place while Virgil van Dijk, Alisson, Curtis Jones and Joe Gomez are among those players heading into the final year of their deals.

The situation with Hughes, therefore, feels hugely unsatisfactory with thoughts already turning to who succeeds him. David Woodfine is assistant sporting director and close to Edwards. Woodfine left his role as director of loan management at Liverpool in 2023, but returned a year later when Edwards was back at the club.

Another internal candidate could be Julian Ward, who has already filled the position once. Also a close associate of Edwards, he succeeded him as sporting director in 2022, but left a year later only to return as FSG technical director in May 2024.

The one constant throughout all the comings and goings — and returns — has been Gordon, who is effectively the managing owner. His low-key, analytical demeanour and rational thinking is viewed internally as having been central to Liverpool’s rise.

A tiled wall etched with "LIVERPOOL WAS MADE FOR ME & I WAS MADE FOR LIVERPOOL" and many small fan illustrations, with one face circled in orange.
Edwards features in a mural at Liverpool’s AXA training centre
Edwards, of course, played his part, too, and his spirit will live on at the club’s AXA training centre; his face was incorporated into a crowd scene that adorns the wall where visitors arrive at the non-first-team wing of the building.

It was placed under a banner which reads: “Liverpool was made for me & I was made for Liverpool.”
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Personally I don't think Edwards is as good as he thinks he is and a lot of the problems we had last season can be traced back to buying over price mega stars  and letting valuable players run down their contracts and leave for free. No crocodile tears here.