With the January 2011 transfer window now confined to the history books we can look back and see how it benefited Liverpool Football Club.
When the January transfer window opened I’m sure we all hoped a certain Spanish striker would remain at our club, as it happened the aforementioned injury prone Spanish striker chose to leave Liverpool, and join a smaller club in west London.
Paul Konchesky joined Nottingham Forest on loan, and I doubt he’ll play for Liverpool again, even though he tried his best, he wasn’t up to the Liverpool mark.
Ryan Babel was sold to Hoffenheim in Germany for £7 million, he never really settled in Liverpool, and I don’t think we saw his true potential, which is a real shame.
Also loaned out were youngsters: Nathan Eccleston (Charlton Athletic), Stephen Darby (Notts County), David Amoo (MK Dons).
Fernando Torres was sold to Chelsea for £50 million, quite a price for an injury prone striker.
On the plus side we have taken Coventry City youngster, Conor Thomas on loan with an option to buy once the loan has expired, Conor is thought to be a hot prospect for the future, so keep an eye on this one.
Luiz Suarez came in from Ajax Amsterdam for just under £23 million, he’s best known to neutrals for his hot temper, ear bite, and goal stopping handball against Ghana in the 2010 World Cup quarter-final, he also brings a scoring record of 35 goals in 33 games for Ajax last season, not a bad return for any striker. Suarez will wear the famous No. 7 shirt at Liverpool.
Andy Carroll arrived right at the close of the transfer window to join Liverpool for £35 million pounds from Newcastle United. Reports say that Carroll didn’t want to leave Newcastle, Andy Carroll said “I didn’t want to leave. I’m gutted that I wasn’t wanted at my home team after everything I have done and the progress I have made. I didn’t want to leave at all. Make sure they know I didn’t want to leave. The players, staff and fans were fantastic.” Andy Carroll will wear the No. 9 shirt at Liverpool.
Looking forward, I think we can all feel very happy with the work the club have done in the transfer window, the only downside I can see is that we didn’t get Charlie Adam from Blackpool, he would have been a major asset to our midfield, although with Raul Meireles hitting good form recently, he almost feels like a new transfer! Let’s hope Carroll and Suarez can hit the ground running, and keep out of trouble too! Liverpool now have two very good natural strikers, it’s been a few years since we’ve been able to say that!
It’s very pleasing to see John Henry and Tom Werner backing Kenny Dalglish so confidently in the transfer market, I can see Kenny staying on as manager for the long term now, which is fantastic news. For the first time in many years I feel we can look forward to Liverpool having a really bright future, we need to finish as high as possible this season, then strengthen the team in the summer for next season’s campaign.
Liverpool face Stoke City on Wednesday, and a small club in west London called Chelsea, on Sunday.
Something I have suspected since this debacle started is: How many fingers has Martin Broughton had in this little pie? And it has surprised me that nobody else has come to this conclusion or if they have they’ve not put these thoughts into print, so I’m throwing it into the ring for further debate, and if true is there a case for a wierd kind of tapping charge.
Who knows, you’ll have to ask Martin Broughton that one! I’m sure every major club has a tapper!
we now have a manager who says the right things, who does the right things, who knows what we are about, we have owners who want short term and long term success, we have a team of hard workers with loads of talent, we have the best younsters in the country coming through, the future is rosy red.
congrates to Paul Konchesky who has gone on loan to notts forest who have two European cups . to torres who has left a five times European cup winners to go to chelsea erm torres quote one of the best teams in the world with one European cup runners up ‘its destiny ‘
Your bitterness towards Torres and Chelsea is funny. As a neutral reading thsi article i’d just like to ask when was the last time Liverpool won a title? Sorry but Chelsea are now a bigger club than Liverpool, you have by far the greater history and tradition but the fact that Torres wanted to leave you for them says it all. Youve signed Andy Carroll for £35m, dont be fooled mate, its ANDY CARROLL! If someone had said to you 6 months ago your famous club were signing him for £35m you would have told them to f*ck off! Until you get back into the Champions League year in year out and finally win another title then you cant compete with Chelsea or Man Utd, the fact that Man City are spending so much money makes it even more difficult for you aswell!
Do you see Charlie Adam coming in in the summer then? And Liverpool being forced to pay over the odds (due to competition from other clubs) to secure the player?
I’d love to see Charlie Adam come to Anfield, but you’re right, if Blackpool stay up then he’ll be on the market for £20 million, if they go down then I’d imagine he’ll go for £10-15 million. My worry for Adam now is that, he was devestated last night when the deal fell through, and he almost signed for Spurs, and that was 2 mins past 11, so I imagine he’s feeling a bit deflated right now!
Let’s not forget a certain Joe Cole that needs to get fit and start putting in a shift and Jova is in the same boat, Kenny needs to work on these 2 players ASAP. They are 2 very good players when they are on blob, getting a tune out of them is vital now!!!!!
Good read , exciting times , but , whilst desperately trying not to be negative , if I add all of the plus points behind the big Geordie’s transfer together ( young , English , aggressive , long contract etc ) I come to a figure of £20m in the cold light of day .
However , like everyone else , I hope one day he will be seen as a bargain .
Where does Dirk Kuyt fit into the long term plan? Sturdy right wing workhorse? Backup striker? Or ‘workhorse who doesn’t really fit exactly into the team anywhere, but does a good job.’
I’ve seen a few comments over the past 48 hours similar to “It’s very pleasing to see John Henry and Tom Werner backing Kenny Dalglish so confidently in the transfer market”. If the net spend on Suarez and Carroll, after selling Torres and Babel is give or take a couple of £m – how is that backing Kenny in the transfer market?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m actually happy with our new strike-force and whilst I’m going to hate seeing Torres in blue on Sunday, I can see the point in selling an injury prone striker that wants to leave AND for a reputed £48m.
It’s just that (apart from the odd £m) I can’t see where FSG have backed Kenny in the January transfer market.
To be honest as a Chelsea fan with a lot of Liverpool supporting friends I’m a bit disappointed in the lack of class shown by many so called “fans”. Torres gave you some great years of service and if it wasn’t for him you’d have been out of the ECL a long time ago. He was sold for £50m which is at least £10m more than he should be worth, but Chelsea needed a striker who could play in the ECL and also had high level EPL experience. Torres ticked every box. His interview said that he would never talk badly about Liverpool and he thanks the fans for his support there but has moved to a club he believes that he can get high levels of success with. In doing so he’s got you the money that has allowed you to buy TWO replacement strikers (albeit one massively over-priced!). In turn “fans” are burning their shirts and calling him the anti-christ. What the hell is wrong with you people? Get over the fact that he’s given you some great years of service and no moved onto another club to try and achieve success. If Marseille bid £30m for Drogba in the summer I’d drive him there myself, shake his hand for the fantastic years of service and wish him all the best. I’d do the same if it was Arsenal or Man City! If the guy turned around and said I’ve always hated the club and the fans so I’m glad to finally be out of there then I’d understand, but he hasn’t criticised Liverpool at all. Give the guy a break. Enjoy the players that our money paid for and get on with the rest of your season. Personally I hope you do get back into the euro places, and even ECL if it’s at the expence of Arsenal or Citeh.
Bizarre_Blue, it is more the fact that he said he would honor his contract and would never play for another English club… I don’t have any hate towards him myself, I’m just trying to clarify others’.
@Bizarre_Blue
I too disagree with burning the shirt, but your attitude towards your own players says a lot about Chelsea. I’m fairly positive every red would have preferred to keep Nando, even at 50 million pounds. Nando wasn’t just our striker. He was one of us.
Great article. There’s something I would like to add about Carroll’s transfer price….it’s only expensive if he doesn’t deliver. If he delivers (and I’m sure he will under the Kings guidance [he also knows how to pick ’em]), along with the rest of the team and we end up competing in the league and in Europe then the marketing department won’t know what hit them. Add to this our presence in Asia….it will all be explosive. Measuring value is extremely difficult and can only be done so in hindsight.
Sorry, I’d like to add to my previous comment on value….although value can be measured only in hindsight, I thought it important to mention that gut instinct plays the most important role. Often something just “feels right”. That in itself is a value measuring instrument. Kenny’s great at that and so is John W Henry (as a hedge fundy owner value is what he lived for).
Mark says:
It’s just that (apart from the odd £m) I can’t see where FSG have backed Kenny in the January transfer market.
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I get what you’re saying, but I don’t think they really wanted to do business in this window, hence the low offer for Suarez. They understood that there is no real value in Jan and are probs waiting for the summer. Have faith in them….these guys are the real deal and great business people.
Liverpool fc have only spent what they have recieved back from torres deal they have got two very promising players for a out lay of 1.8 million pound which means we recieved the money we laid out for torres and chelsea bought us andy carrol the real winners out of all this mayhem is addidas who are the kit sponsors for liverpool ajax and chelsea they will been laughing there way to the bank .
Jake Jones says:
I get what you’re saying (Mark), but I don’t think they really wanted to do business in this window, hence the low offer for Suarez. They understood that there is no real value in Jan and are probs waiting for the summer. Have faith in them….these guys are the real deal and great business people.
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It’s not that I don’t have faith :-) I just don’t understand the hype with regard to this transfer window. Yes, we spent >£50m, but we recouped >£50m.
And I’m not sure about not wanting to invest in the squad in this transfer window… under the new Fifa Fair Play Rules, we would have been under a great deal of financial pressure if we hadn’t have invested in either of the last two windows. As we didn’t invest heavily in the squad over the summer, then January is the last “window” of opportunity. As from next summer, all spend is taken into account against revenue when applying for a new licence to play in Euro competitions.
I can’t quite put my finger on it, but something just doesn’t add up :-/