March 2017 - Liverpool Wiretap

Jurgen Klopp: Big Clubs Must Adapt To Rising Transfer Fees

Dec 29, 2017 1:09 PM

Jurgen Klopp suggested clubs must adapt to the rising cost of transfers.

Liverpool spent a world record £75 million on Virgil van Dijk.

Speaking about the transfer market at news conference on Friday, Klopp said: "I'm surprised about the development in the last two years, let me say, because there were big steps.

"But the last half a year changed pretty much everything and we, as a club, cannot change that.

"Of course, not each club would be able to do it, but a lot of clubs are able to do it and will do it in the future. How the market always is, it's all about the need and the opportunity.

"If you want to sign a player, the last thing I think about actually is the price, to be honest -- not because I like throwing money around, it's only because we are thinking about the player. There's one moment when you get the price and then you have to accept it or not.

"It's a big change in football in the last few months and years. We have to adapt to it. That's how it is.

"It changed already and it doesn't now mean that all transfers will now be in this category, but it's the same how it was before. Half a year ago, I think, there was a big transfer for an offensive player and now we have a big transfer for a defensive player.

"It's not nice, but that's the market, that's the world. We have to adapt."

Glenn Price/ESPN

Tags: Liverpool, IQ, Misc Rumor

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Liverpool Agrees To World Record $100.6M Fee For Virgil Van Dijk

Dec 27, 2017 9:06 PM

Liverpool has agreed upon a £75 million ($100.6 million) fee with Southampton for Virgil van Dijk.

The fee is a word record for a defender. Liverpool nearly signed Van Dijk during the summer for £60 million.

Saints only paid £11.5 million for Van Dijk in 2015.

“Liverpool football club can confirm they have reached an agreement with Southampton for the transfer of Virgil van Dijk,” read an official statement. “The Reds have agreed a deal with the south coast club, and the player himself, that will see the 26-year-old defender move to Anfield when the transfer window re-opens on 1 January 2018.”

David Hytner, Ben Fisher/The Guardian

Tags: Liverpool, Southampton, Misc Rumor, Transfer Rumor

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Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar, KDB, Kane Headline Guardian's 2017 Top 100

Dec 23, 2017 3:33 PM

Lionel Messi has reclaimed the top spot from Cristiano Ronaldo on The Guardian's Top 100 list.

Real Madrid and Barcelona combine to have 23 players on the list as Madrid have 13 to Barca's 10. Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City have eight players apiece.

The Premier League remains the competition with the most players with 33, four more than La Liga, with Serie A (14), Bundesliga (13) and Ligue 1 (11) also featuring.

No players from any other leagues made the list, which is a first since The Guardian began publishing its annual list.

There are 17 Spanish players on the list, followed by France with 12 and Brazil with 10.

Top 100
1. Lionel Messi, Barcelona
2. Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid
3. Neymar, PSG
4. Kevin De Bruyne, Manchester City
5. Harry Kane, Tottenham Hotspur
6. Luka Modric, Real Madrid
7. Robert Lewandowski, Bayern
8. Kylian Mbappe, PSG
9. Toni Kroos, Real Madrid
10. Eden Hazard, Chelsea
11. Sergio Ramos, Real Madrid
12. Isco, Real Madrid
13. Edinson Cavani, PSG
14. Paulo Dybala, Juventus
15. Luis Suarez, Barcelona
16. Gianluigi Buffon, Jventus
17. N'Golo Kante, Chelsea
18. Antoine Griezmann, Atletico
19. Marcelo, Real Madrid
20. Sergio Aguero, Manchester City
21. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Dortmund
22. Mohamed Salah, Liverpool
23. David De Gea, Manchester United
24. Philippe Coutinho, Liverpool
25. Christian Eriksen, Tottenham Hotspur
26. Dani Alves, PSG
27. Dries Mertens, Napoli
28. Casemiro, Real Madrid
29. Andres Iniesta, Barcelona
30. Paul Pogba, Manchester United
31. Dele Alli, Tottenham Hotspur
32. Alexis Sanchez, Arsenal
33. Mauro Icardi, Inter Milan
34. Gonzalo Higuain, Juventus
35. Jan Oblak, Atletico
36. Sadio Mane, Liverpool
37. Romelu Lukaku, Manchester United
38. David Silva, Manchester City
39. Gabriel Jesus, Manchester City
40. Manuel Neuer, Bayern
41. Radamel Falcao, Monaco
42. Marco Asensio, Real Madrid
43. Edin Dzeko, Roma
44. Lorenzo Insigne, Napoli
45. Leonardo Bonucci, AC Milan
46. Sergio Busquets, Barcelona
47. Alvaro Morata, Chelsea
48. Marco Verratti, PSG
49. Thiago Alcantara, Bayern
50. Gareth Bale, Real Madrid
51. Karim Benzema, Real Madrid
52. Cesar Azpilicueta, Chelsea
53. Naby Keita, RB Leipzig
54. Timo Werner, RB Leipzig
55. Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Barcelona
56. Giorgio Chiellini, Juventus
57. Ivan Rakitic, Barcelona
58. Gerard Pique, Barcelona
59. Ousmane Dembele, Barcelona
60. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Manchester United
61. Leroy Sane, Manchester City
62. Raheem Sterling, Manchester City
63. Diego Godin, Atletico
64. Joshua Kimmich, Bayern
65. Thibaut Courtois, Chelsea
66. Arturo Vidal, Bayern
67. Mesut Ozil, Arsenal
68. Diego Costa, Atletico
69. Emil Forsberg, RB Leipzig
70. Mats Hummels, Bayern
71. Ciro Immobile, Lazio
72. Radja Nainggolan, Roma
73. Samuel Umtiti, Barcelona
74. Nemanja Matic, Manchester United
75. Marcus Rashford, Manchester United
76. Thiago Silva, PSG
77. Christian Pulisic, Dortmund
78. Keylor Navas, Real Madrid
79. Arjen Robben, Bayern
80. Saul Niguez, Atletico
81. Hugo Lloris, Tottenham Hotspur
82. Toby Alderweireld, Tottenham Hotspur
83. David Luiz, Chelsea
84. Bernardo Silva, Manchester City
85. Miralem Pjanic, Juventus
86. Dani Carvajal, Real Madrid
87. Thomas Lemar, Monaco
88. Koke, Atletico
89. Jordi Alba, Barcelona
90. Alex Sandro, Juventus
91. Fabinho, Monaco
92. Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Manchester United
93. Cesc Fabregas, Chelsea
94. David Alabama, Bayern
95. Raphael Varane, Real Madrid
96. Jamie Vardy, Leicester City
97. Benjamin Mendy, Manchester City
98. Mario Mandzukic, Juventus
99. Adrien Rabiot, PSG
100. Angel Di Maria, PSG

The Guardian

Tags: Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Chelsea, Internazionale, Juventus, Leicester City, RB Leipzig, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, A.C. Milan, Monaco, Napoli, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Roma, Tottenham Hotspur, IQ

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Liverpool Won't Take Short-Term View During January Transfer Window

Dec 20, 2017 1:17 PM

Jurgen Klopp insists Liverpool won't be subjected to short-term thinking as they approach the January transfer window.

Liverpool wanted to sign Virgil van Dijk in the summer to improve their back line, but they've not conceded a goal from open play for nearly a month.

"Everything we are doing has influence on ours plans," Klopp told a news conference on Wednesday. "That's all I can say about that.

"Yes it has influence, but I don't know in which way. You'll have to wait a little bit.

"I'm not sure that I get the question 100 percent. When we win a game and when we defend well then I'm happy about it.

"If we defend not that good as a team then I'm not happy about it, but I don't then think the solution is always a new player.

"I'm still a supporter because I love the game, but I cannot change my mind [clicks his fingers].

"It's really rare that I read. But for example, Alberto Moreno did fantastic this season, and then we played at Sevilla and he played not well people didn't hesitate to say: 'That's why we need a new left-back.'

"And I think: 'Wow'. But thank God, I -- or we here -- make the decisions and nobody else. We are not relaxed, but we have view on everything and it needs to fit together and everything needs to work out in the end and you need to have solutions for different situations, systems and all that stuff.

"So far it's OK, but it could have been better and it could have been much worse. Now we prepare for Arsenal and we have to be really, really strong in that game otherwise we don't have a chance."

Glenn Price/ESPN

Tags: Liverpool, Misc Rumor, Transfer Rumor

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Madrid-PSG, Chelsea-Barcelona Highlight UCL Round Of 16 Ties

Dec 11, 2017 8:27 AM

The matchups of the Round of 16 stage of the Champions League have been set with Real Madrid versus Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea versus Barcelona highlighting the ties.

Four first legs will be played on Tuesday and Wednesday 13/14 February, and the remainder the following week.

Juventus v Tottenham

Basel v Manchester City

Porto v Liverpool

Sevilla v Manchester United

Real Madrid v Paris Saint-Germain

Shakhtar Donetsk v Roma

Chelsea v Barcelona

Bayern Munich v Besiktas

The Guardian

Tags: Barcelona, Basel, Bayern Munich, Besiktas, Chelsea, Juventus, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Roma, Sevilla, Shakhtar Donetsk, Tottenham Hotspur, UEFA Champions League

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Philippe Coutinho Won't Rule Out January Transfer

Dec 7, 2017 12:38 PM

Philippe Coutinho is not ruling out the possibility of a transfer during the January window.

Coutinho was linked to Barcelona throughout the summer but ultimately remained with Liverpool.

"I am at Liverpool and I always do my best when I have the opportunity to play, respecting the jersey and the supporters,'' said Coutinho, who has scored nine goals in 13 appearances this season.

"I do not know how the future is going to be. What will happen in January, we will know it in January. I do not know if there will be an offer.

"Last summer there was a job offer in the same way that happens with any employee and I was interested in it. Since I stayed I have played with will and desire.

"Of course a lot happened in the summer but my will is always to play and do the best wherever I am -- that has not changed.

"I am here [at Liverpool], we have a lot of games and I try to do my best to help."

PA Sport

Tags: Barcelona, Liverpool, Misc Rumor, Transfer Rumor

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Champions League Round Of 16 Teams Set

Dec 7, 2017 10:52 AM

The Round of 16 for the 17-18 Champions League is now set following the final matches of the group stage.

Group A: Manchester United (winners), FC Basel (runners up)

Group B: PSG (winners), Bayern Munich (runners up)

Group C: Roma (winners), Chelsea (runners up)

Group D: Barcelona (winners), Juventus (runners up)

Group E: Liverpool (winners), Seville (runners up)

Group F: Manchester City (winners), Shakhtar (runners up)

Group G: Besiktas (winners), Porto (runners up)

Group H: Tottenham (winners), Real Madrid (runners up)

The next round will begin in February while the Round of 16 draw will take place on December 11th.

Teams cannot face a team they played in the group stage.

Pot 1 (club coefficient ranking): Manchester United (14), Paris Saint-Germain (6), Roma (30), Barcelona (3), Liverpool (32), Manchester City (8), Besiktas (28), Tottenham Hotspur (21).

Pot 2: Basel (20), Bayern Munich (4), Chelsea (15), Juventus (5), Seville (7), Shakhtar Donetsk (16), Porto (12), Real Madrid (1).

RealGM Staff Report

Tags: Barcelona, Basel, Bayern Munich, Besiktas, Chelsea, Juventus, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Porto, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Roma, Sevilla, Shakhtar Donetsk, Tottenham Hotspur, UEFA Champions League

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