Liverpool look set for a reasonably quiet deadline day…but don’t blame us if it all changes in the closing hours!
Buvac the boss?!
The little-spoken-of departure of Zeljko Buvac must have been a difficult time for Jurgen Klopp personally, given how long they had worked together for, but the Reds have only gone from strength to strength since then.
The former assistant has hardly been in the headlines since, but that’s apparently the way he wants it.
Speaking in an interview in Russia, where he’s now with Dynamo Moscow, Buvac suggested he felt he was manager in all but name anyway and didn’t want to do the press responsibilities – and that he has turned down big jobs since leaving the Reds.
There was no message of congratulations for those on Merseyside from him, either, though he says he was “happy for Liverpool, the fans, the players” – and a notable omission of the boss.
No new ‘keeper and Shaq set to stay
Despite being left out of the squad for the cup defeat to Arsenal, Xherdan Shaqiri now looks likely to stay.
Talks had been reported with at least two clubs, but the latest news is that those have now ended and the Swiss winger will be an option for Klopp until at least January.
The knock-on effect, though, is that Harry Wilson could still leave – and three Premier League clubs are mentioned as still being in the running, while Celtic are still keen on him on loan.
Marko Grujic is another who might still leave, but there’s no prospect of the Reds making a late panic buy on a goalkeeper.
Reaction to Villa battering
Let’s get this over and done with, shall we…
- Andy Robbo has fronted up and says there’s no excuse for the Reds’ absurd performance at Villa, calling it “embarrassing”
- Dejan Lovren has come to the rescue of Gomez and Adrian, saying defeats belong to the whole team and that people must move on from the game
- And Jamie Carragher believes the Reds should alter the high line they try to play, amid fears teams will now exploit it more easily
Quickfire LFC news
- Rhys Williams has received a call-up to the England U21 squad after his first couple of matches for the Reds (TIA)
- James Milner says it’s more important than ever that the squad sticks together and promises fans that they’ll bounce back (LFC)
- Jermaine Jenas says Sadio Mane‘s absence was hugely felt in the way the press failed against Villa (Star)
- Families of the 96 have received apologies from Nike and the Reds after footballs with the Hillsborough eternal flame on were spotted on sale in shops (Echo)
Around the Prem
As it stands at 5pm on deadline day…
- Arsenal have finally caved and are going to pay the release clause for Thomas Partey, which they could have just done two months ago (Goal)
- Theo Walcott is having a medical at Southampton after being unable to get in the Ev’s lineup (BBC)
- Spurs won’t make another bid for Milan Skriniar and Inter say the deal is off (FR)
- And Man United, having admitted defeat in signing Sancho, having failed to lure Grealish, having been unable to capture Dembele and having realised Dan James is sh*te, are finally in “intense negotiations” over Ismaila Sarr (GFFN)
Superb decision of the day
Clubs aren’t standing for the nonsense. Juventus aren’t letting players leave for international duty yet. Ukraine have had six players pull out the squad. Raheem Sterling is “injured”. And RB Salzburg have decided “all international call-ups have been rejected”.
Bin off this ridiculously timed, self-centred, potentially dangerous international break.
Video of the day
Just in case you forgot ;)
Worth watching tonight
Err…deadline day ticker going crazy until the early hours?!
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