Coutinho or Barkley.

[merseyboyred]

Yeah, but we would charge them between 60 and 70 million. That's a shitload, they could get almost any centre mid in the world for that barring from their closest rivals. Coutinho just isn't there yet. Plus, looking at that central midfield it can be improved but Coutinho isn't the type of player they really need.

When would that ever stop them?!

There's enough publicised interest from Barca mouthpieces to know that he's at least a player they're very much 'monitoring' closely as it were. One full season's worth of the form he's displayed pre-injury & post international break will see that interest become serious.

 

[Pagnell]

Seemed a decent thread to bump under the circumstances. Not even in the squad today and didn't travel so I reckon he's played his last Liverpool game and is about to go to Barcelona for a record Premiership fee given what we turned down from them in the summer.

He annoyed me in the summer, not so much the transfer request, more his refusing to play with the bullshit back injury. But to give him some credit, he has made the effort since, and would have been our best player if not for Salah. I guess you could say he's earned the move, and will make us shit loads and allow us to buy VVD with change to spare. I suspect the upcoming move was agreed months ago and is why we didn't balk at the stupid fee going to Southampton.

 

[SALTIRE]

I don't think he's off yet, Klopp has made 7 changes for this game and he is one of them. Probably saving him for Everton.

However IF I'm wrong and he is off, then I do expect to see a replacement signing in January.

 

[Pagnell]

I do believe he's off. Not having your second best player of the season even on the bench, especially with your best player injured, makes no sense whatsoever, and there is no mention of Coutinho himself being injured.

For me, if he still had any future at Liverpool he would have travelled and been on the bench.

 

[SALTIRE]

Well we'll see. He's been in brilliant form so it would be a shame to lose him this window, but I don't think we are anywhere near as reliant on him as before and could cope with his loss early.

 

[Johnnyt]

If Barkley had of played this season i think Koeman may well of still been in a job, massive miss for the blues.

Coutinho would be a similar miss but i think Liverpool have some cover with Ox and Mane although not as good obviously.

 

[Pagnell]

BBC saying we're yet to receive a new bid from Barcelona which surprises me given recent events. Would be good news, if he is to go I'd rather it be at the end of the season for obvious reasons, him staying until the summer would make top 4 far easier and give us more time to get in a replacement.

If Barcelona think we will take less money than they previous offered simply because we're now prepared to sell I suspect they're in for a disappointment.

 

[SALTIRE]

Indeed Liverpool are getting better in negotiations these days. They'll drive a hard bargain.

 

[JimJams]

I expect a buy now, take in the summer deal. Hes cup tied for the CL, they've already won the league, he's not needed atm. Better for them to unveil him in the summer to build excitement for the new season.
Though I'd have thought decimating Arsenal for Ozil and Sanchez on frees would make more sense, then splash out on Milinkovic-Savic and roll around in your cash stacks!

 

[Bilo]

I expect a buy now, take in the summer deal. Hes cup tied for the CL, they've already won the league

This is pretty much definitive in my eyes, he won't leave in January. It makes more sense for all parties for him to leave in the summer.

 

[AFCB_Mark]

Ross Barkley having a medical at Chelsea today according to the Times

 

[St. Juste]

Barkely is rubbish and will carve out a Steve Sidwell esque career on the Chelsea bench.

Probably excellent for his bank balance, credit to him for that. Given his demeanour in interviews, he'll need every penny once he retires.

 

[Abertawe]

Barkely is rubbish and will carve out a Steve Sidwell esque career on the Chelsea bench.

Probably excellent for his bank balance, credit to him for that. Given his demeanour in interviews, he'll need every penny once he retires.

he's better than sidwell but yeah he's pretty wank. homegrown british is such a blessing under the current rules - crap players can earn the pounds of a stellar foreign name.

 

[AFCB_Mark]

he's better than sidwell but yeah he's pretty wank. homegrown british is such a blessing under the current rules - crap players can earn the pounds of a stellar foreign name.

Why spend even 15m on Barkley to sit on the bench and fill a quota, when Chelsea already have loads of homegrown players on their books, in some cases some reasonable players too, but loaned out to every corner. Loftus-Cheek being one in Barkley's position. Surely those lads could fit that cover and quota purpose just as well. Makes little sense from Chelsea if that's all it is.

 

[SALTIRE]

Conte hardly sound enthused when asked about him didn't he!

 

[Pagnell]

A transfer of Jack Rodwellesque proportions. I doubt Barkley will get more than a dozen appearances over the next 12 months. He isn't good enough to make any position in the Chelsea team his own, so he'll be restricted to occasional injury cover and the odd substitution.

The stuff dreams are made of, eh Ross?

 

[Pagnell]

£142m bid incoming from Barcelona according to Phil McNulty at the BBC.

 

[Abertawe]

I don't think you'd have spent so much on the van if you weren't getting wedge from somewhere. Good business - you've loads of attacking players - if you can get another defender and save a bit for a keeper in the summer you'll be much better.

 

[Pagnell]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/42580173

£142m agreed. As long as it's most up front and doesn't involve stupid, unachievable addons I'm not unhappy with that. He was always going, so it's good we've made a shit load of money on him.

 

[SALTIRE]

A transfer of Jack Rodwellesque proportions. I doubt Barkley will get more than a dozen appearances over the next 12 months. He isn't good enough to make any position in the Chelsea team his own, so he'll be restricted to occasional injury cover and the odd substitution.

The stuff dreams are made of, eh Ross?

He'll be put out on loan to Vitesse like the rest they don't want.

 

[Bobbin']

Mahrez his replacement? 55mil.

 

[JimJams]

I don't think he'll fit at Everton mate.

 

[Johnnyt]

So Ross Barkley ends up at the champions of England after playing 0 games all season.

Must have something about him that people on here cant see.

 

[St. Juste]

So Ross Barkley ends up at the champions of England after playing 0 games all season.

Must have something about him that people on here cant see.

I think everyone understands he's homegrown and relatively cheap.

Which was the two primary criteria in which he was signed.

This isn't a Conte signing, not even close.

 

[Johnnyt]

I think everyone understands he's homegrown and relatively cheap.

Which was the two primary criteria in which he was signed.

This isn't a Conte signing, not even close.

100K a week isn't cheap mate

 

[Pagnell]

Let's see how many games he plays. How much he earns at a club like Chelsea means jack shit. As I've said above, he'll be cover and come on as a sub occasionally.

If he wanted to increase his bank balance, he's done the right thing. If he wanted to take his footballing career to the next level, he'd have been best staying at Everton and knuckling down and proving himself, something he hasn't done yet.

I suspect he'll be sold on within 2-3 seasons having made no more than 30-40 appearances, if that. You only have to listen to Conte talk about him.

 

[Stevencc]

Barkley is in the Premier League. Coutinho is not.

Finally, we have a conclusive answer to the question.

 

[St. Juste]

100K a week isn't cheap mate

I said relatively cheap and he is - both on a transfer fee and wage basis.

When counting bonuses, appearances etc. (which he will get relatively few of) that's probably around the average wage in the Chelsea first team.

I'm not entirely sure what you're arguing? He's a really good player and none of us (even his new manager) can see it? It's possible I guess, just not very likely.

Someone like Mahrez is relatively similar, but far superior to Barkley. He would improve Chelsea, but they aren't getting him for 15 mil and 100k a week.

 

[Dirk]

Barkley is in the Premier League. Coutinho is not.

Finally, we have a conclusive answer to the question.

Steven!!!!! Missed you. Good you're back.

 

[Bilo]

Steven!!!!! Missed you. Good you're back.

No we didn't.