Welcome to the club well kind of. I suppose we can use this thread to keep an eye on his progress. A fringe benefit for us with this deal is that by forking money over now, we also won't be paying it next year after the pound has dropped another 10% against the Euro.
Fair play Gary, I think you've just brought us all back to reality with that one.... we all hope he's going to be the dog's ****** but in truth, we haven't got a clue how good he is, or how he'll do in the PL. The majority of us are celebrating out of two things - firstly that we've actually gone and signed up a player (one we've been sniffing around for months) and two, that we've got one of Klopp's first choice targets (and credit where it's due, it's an achievement, even if we don't get him for 12 months). We still need to strengthen for this season, so probably best not to get completely carried away about a player most of us really know nothing about.
Hey Paul, I'd be amazed if we've agreed to hand over more than a deposit at this stage. Why would we give Red Bull all of the dosh now, when we don't get the player for another season, anything could go wrong between now and then ? It's not like we've bought him and then agreed to loan him back for a season, it's a post dated deal. Sign a contract with a 10% - 20% deposit and complete in 2018 when we get the player, seems more likely to me. You've obviously made a very good point regarding the exchange rate and the fact that sterling is likely to weaken further, so he'd cost more in euros, if we pay for him next year - but that assumes we don't hedge the currency risk now, which I would expect the club and owners will have done. Also, the club and FSG are both likely to have some euro receipts coming in, so they may already have some euros hidden under a mattress somewhere in Boston that they can fund part of the deal with.
I am delighted by this news, not anything to do with how much I know about the chap because I knew absolutely nothing about him, I haven't even seen the honorary youtube clip but if Klopp wants him so badly that we'd chase him all summer and eventually resort to signing him next season then that shows how highly he is rated by our manager and that's good enough for me. Great to see some long term planning going on though we do still have more short term requirements, at least the scorecard is balanced for Coutinho leaving next season now as long as he doesn't get his move in the next two days though that seems unlikely with the international break likely to cause disruption to any planned transfers.
Great signing, it's a pity we couldn't get it done for this season. I haven't been this excited about a new signing since Torres
Delighted with the deal even though like all others a little disappointed that we couldn't get him for this season. None the less, happy that we managed to sign him after all the efforts this summer.
This transfer reminds me of something Bayern Munich would have done. Noticed a cracking player and signed him for the following season to let him develop further . Delighted to see this thread. Exciting times ahead lads. Can't be said FSG won't spend the money anyway.
Think we should leave that one until after 1st Sept over in the FSG thread mate, by which time we can assess the entire transfer window etc
I honestly still don't know just how good he is, or will be in the PL ... but if he's been one of Klopp's first picks all summer then I'm taking it that he's great, not sure if he needs to develop further etc. Bit of a funny situation really ... we've all be delighted to see the club get this fella and yet, we don't actually have him this season. Perhaps part of the celebration is down to how long his name has been doing the rounds, while if I'm to be honest, there's also a little bit of it down to having heard that Barca might have wanted to go for him and now we've possibly lifted him from under their noses (just hope we keep Coutinho now, the two combined would be a real coupe for the club over Barca).
I'm not going to claim I watched all his games last season and know every thing about the lad but I seen some of their games last year on TV and he was very good in the handful of games I seen. He like to get forward and get a goal, but he also does the dirty work in the game too . Klopp wanted him and he was wanted Klopp. I think it says a lot about the manager we have that players want to come and play for his. Look at the likes of Keita, Van Dyjk and even the Ox is supposed to want to play for Klopp. Exciting times ahead. 7 years ago we were looking at swapping Ryan Babel for Cartlon Cole. Always think Positive .
Will be interesting to keep an eye on him in the CL and see how in performs against us in the semis of final(whichever way we can draw them)
Anyone looking for a peak at our future midfielder can tune into Hamburg V RB Leipzig Friday night (8th Sept) at 7.30 on BT sport/ESPN.
Just scored a very good goal. Not a great match and both teams look very average. Hamburg 0-1 Leipzig 70mins