Grujic loan details emerge & Van Dijk backs the return of fans – Liverpool FC Roundup

October 7, 2020
This Is Anfield

Liverpool could yet see a little more transfer business take place, but we’re also seeing more details come through over those which have happened.

Grujic loan deals emerge

Marko Grujic sealed a surprise loan move to FC Porto before the Liga NOS deadline, giving him the chance to get regular action for 20/21 – as well as some Champions League experience.

The Serbian midfielder is still hoping to have a longer-term future at Liverpool, though much depends there on how he fares and how our midfield continues to thrive.

Over in Portugal, they were also largely surprised at the deal, so reports of how it came about have only just begun to emerge.

Record report that Porto will pay €500,000 for the season-long deal, with no option to buy him at the end.

It also suggests Liverpool turned down offers from Hertha Berlin and AC Milan before the European window shut.

Van Dijk backs calls for fans to return

Liverpool have backed the joint letter from the Premier League, FA and other footballing bodies to the government, asking for fans to be able to safely return to matches soon.

Virgil van Dijk has echoed that call, highlighting the part that supporters play in the good times and bad.

“The fans can play a massive part in difficult games, in difficult times during games, but also in good times in games.

“When you concede a goal, the fans will lift you up and let you go again, or when you score a goal, that can also let the opponent go further away from you.

“But I think for us in particular it’s something we obviously enjoy at Anfield, everyone knows how difficult it is to play there with the fans behind us.

“It’s just different now, and we all have to adapt and hopefully things will change as soon as possible, because we need fans.”

The big defender also spoke about mentality and the relationship between club and fans over the past few years.

On a related coronavirus-themed note, Scotland have had a positive test come back for Southampton‘s Stuart Armstrong, but Andy Robertson returned negative.

However, so did Arsenal‘s Kieran Tierney, yet he must self-isolate anyway according to protocols.

Departure lounge

Reds are all over the place at present on international duty, while others could be set for a longer-term move away.

Curtis Jones and Rhys Williams made their England U21 debuts and the attacking midfielder nabbed an assist
Here’s how, when and where you can watch all of Liverpool’s internationals in action over this two-week break
And half a dozen more Reds could be set for exits with the domestic transfer window still open

Quickfire LFC news

LFC Women continued their good start to 20/21 by beating Man United in the League Cup (TIA)

Mohamed Salah intervened to save a homeless man from a gang before helping him out financially, too (Independent)

Gini Wijnaldum says Barcelona‘s interest of him this summer was never serious (Mail)

And Sven Goran Eriksson says teams have worked out how to play against Man City and Liverpool (Sky)

Around the Prem

United’s new striker Edinson Cavani has to self-isolate for 14 days after not being with a club since June…though since he hasn’t actually kicked a ball since March, perhaps that isn’t the worst news (BBC)

United also reckon they “walked away” from Sancho after working out he’d cost £227m overall…which is about five times less than the total of all the dross they’ve signed over the last half a decade (Guardian)

St Etienne have criticised Arsenal for not letting William Saliba head back on loan to them, because how dare a team not make it easy for another team to get what they want (TS)

And a few Championship sides want Baba Rahman on loan from Chelsea and honestly, we’d forgotten he existed (Goal)

Stupid bid of the day

West Ham offered Chelsea £50,000 for every game they did not start Fikayo Tomori in during a loan spell.

Can’t imagine why their transfer work hasn’t been all that successful over the last few years.

Tweet of the day

After Liverpool's 3-1 win over Arsenal, Mo Salah saw a homeless man being harassed in a petrol station

"He heard what a group of lads were saying to me, then turned to them and said, 'That could be you in a few years'… Mo incredibly handed me £100. What a complete legend." ? pic.twitter.com/Lpy8AqD4ZB

— Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) October 7, 2020