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Why the potential Reina/Mignolet transfer fees make no sense

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LFC keeperWE all expect José Manuel “Pepe” Reina Páez to leave. The Arsenal connection has finally died down but the Barcelona connection has gained frantic speed and ferocity.

He has struggled in recent interviews to deny his desire to go to Barcelona. He will go and I for one will not be sad. Don’t get me wrong, I will not be happy (I am so ‘hard to do’).

Reina hasn’t been at his best for a while but maybe that’s because his heart just hasn’t been at LFC.

He has improved recently but still not playing at his best. Reina has seemingly wanted to go for a long time. The murmurings of discontent have been there for a while and I think it is best he starts this new chapter in his life.

In my opinion it is insulting and degrading for Liverpool Football Club to have ‘star’ players talk of leaving. I would go as far as to say it is insulting and disrespectful when they fail to quash rumours of them wanting to play for other teams.

Reina has had sympathetic words for Torres and now Suarez as they have wanted to leave. It doesn’t matter if we are in the Champions League or challenging for titles. All players need to respect the hand that feeds them.

A message to Liverpool FC players:

If you want to go, get your agent to do the talking, talk to the clubs and not the media. If you are good enough then the Barca-City-Oil-Rich-Madrids of this world, who have plenty of money, will make the right offer for LFC to accept. The door will open. We will let you go – for the right price. Everything can happen in a professional and respectful manner.

Life carriers on and as Reina walks out, a new keeper is rumoured to be walking in – Sunderland’s Simon Mignolet. I think it would be crazy for Mignolet to be worth the same in transfer fees to Liverpool as Reina is worth to Barcelona. Only a few years ago Arsenal offered £20 million for Reina.

Mignolet is younger (24 years old) but is an emerging talent who has had an ‘ok’ season for a team who only just avoided relegation. Pepe Reina is a world class keeper who has won two UEFA Intertoto Cups, the FA Cup, League Cup, FA Community Shield, UEFA Super Cup, the World Cup, the European Championships twice, Premier League Golden Glove three times, Liverpool player of the season once, played in the Champions League final and is currently Spain’s number two while still young for a keeper at 30 years of age.

In my opinion LFC must have a transfer fee surplus of at least £5 million in selling Reina and buying Mignolet.
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There should also be a very significant saving in wages. Reina is rumoured to be on £110k a week (basic), that’s £5.72 million a year. Mignolet, when playing for LFC, in my opinion, shouldn’t be on any more than £50k a week (basic). Over the course of a year that’s £2.6 million. This deal should save us at least £3.12 million a year in wages.

Mignolet for £10 million is a concern but maybe Rodgers wants Premier League experience. I’d have preferred a relatively unheard of young keeper for £3 million who turned out to be world class but then again who wouldn’t? Such a gem may be too hard to find and just too much of a gamble to risk. Keepers tend to need that experience and so tend to peak later in their careers.

We have, and are signing, a few players who will be new to the Premiership. Maybe Rodgers feels he needs that bit of experience between the sticks. After all, the position of goalkeeper isn’t a forgiving one. A single small error often will cost you and your team points. Any change in keeper results in questioning the judgement of the manager when the keeper makes an error. A player unknown to the British public and media would only lead to more questions and pressure. Playing for Liverpool has always had its own pressures to add to the mix.

I for one am tired of new players being hyped by all to be ‘the new Messi’ and just ending up to be expensive and untidy! I don’t care who we sign and what others say. Fellow fans and media will be telling us all players are brilliant or terrible in equal conflicting measure. I’ll make up my own mind on how good they are when they wear the red shirt.

One thing I do prejudge on is price. Any player bought for more than £8 million and I will be concerned. Any player paid £60k+ a week (during their first season) and I will be concerned. The more we pay in transfers and the more we pay in wages the bigger risk we are taking. If the signing should fail to be a LFC success then we would find an expensive player harder to move on to another club while still recovering out costs; look at Andy Carroll. If Andy had been bought for £8 million and was on £50k a week then he would have started his post LFC career in stable surroundings having been sold during Rodgers’ first summer.

My fingers, like those of all LFC fans, are crossed, wishing all the signings succeed, but that is statistically very unlikely, so low transfer fees and wages are wise in our crazy money era. I want LFC to be unearthing hidden gems for a few million. I don’t want to see LFC just paying huge transfer fees for players when their clubs have showcased them for a year having bought them for peanuts and now seek a hefty profit.

You can follow me on Twitter @LFCVee
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An armchair fan who loves the stadium experience but likes the bread and butter of replays, moronic pundits, a drink in a pub atmosphere. LFC is my religion.

Common sense is missing from football but the situation is always complicated so I endeavour to give opinion and encourage discussion and thought about LFC.

54 comments

  • James says:

    Are you serious… “A keeper who had an OK season for a team who narrowly avoided relegation”. Mignolet was statistically the best keeper in the league, along with Cech, and he single handedly kept Sunderland in the premier league last season. He has only just turned 25 and not one sunderland fan will be happy if he leaves for as cheap as 10 million. Especially not to liverpool. If he does leave, then he at least deserves to play champions league football.

    • Steve OConnor says:

      here here!!! Migs was fantastic last season and has never let us down!!

      10M YOU PAID 18M for henderson on that basis Di Canio should hold out for 40m!!!

      but coming back to reality which we Sunderland fans know how to. I think 15m would be fair and I would rather let him run his contract out and let him go for nothing if the fee was anything less than 10m… 10m has got to be the minimum. put it this was I would be totally mad if we done a straight swop for Reina

      • VikasDhingra says:

        After £35mil for Andy can you blame LFC fans for having reservations when spending big for players? And yes £10mil is big for a young keeper.

        You guys are convincing and yes I don’t watch Sunderland anywhere near as often as Sunderland fans.

    • Chris says:

      I’m glad someone made this point. The person who wrote this article clearly didn’t watch a single Sunderland game last season. Mignolet was one of the only bright sparks of last season. Some of his displays were worthy of any team in the world. This article is very condescending to teams like us, this guy needs to realize that Liverpool are NOT a top 4, 5 or even 6 club anymore. Mignolet deserves the champions league. And also, you’re talking about a club who thought Jordan Henderson was worth £15 million! If Jordan’s worth that then you’re digging deep for Migs!

      • VikasDhingra says:

        Really didn’t mean to be condescending to Sunderland or fans. I was desperate for you to stay up. Di Canio factor took hold as I egged you guys on.

        Your right, LFC are not top 6. We want to be and so need to sign players who will get us there.

        Your saying Mignolet is a player who can?

  • Jamie says:

    Jesus xD an ‘ok season’. Are you for real??

    Sunderland fans will be devastated if he leaves for £10m, anything under and people will be on suicide watch. Mignolet has the potential to be world class, and I for one think the move to Liverpool is a poor option. He can do better than Liverpool, he can do better than fans waiting for him to fail. Arsenal would be a far, far better option where he has the chance to play amongst Europe’s elite.

    However, if he is going to leave, £10m is a steal for you. I genuinely believe he is far better to the Pepe Reina of the last couple of seasons, and level-headed Liverpool fans who give him a chance and don’t jump on any minimal mistake.

    Stop talking rubbish.

    • VikasDhingra says:

      Mate, I may be wrong. I may not know a thing about footy. But pool fans don’t ‘wait’ for people to fail. The fans support the team and managers. I, like all fans, have expressed reservations about a potential signing. £10mil is a lot esp for a keeper. We have dialog.

      We support all our players.

      YNWA

  • Dave says:

    “A keeper who had an OK season for a team who narrowly avoided relegation”

    I’m guessing someone didn’t watch much of him last season then

  • ynwa says:

    Have to agree mignolet is quality. Liverpool have been unearthing little gems, hello coutinho, aspas could be another, ibe potentially ilori if we sign him. The only player I think we pay a lot for is mkhitryan but if we can sign one marquee signing then it will give the club a good lift. I also think mignolet would represent good value at ten million. We would save alot on wages in the long run

  • Nick says:

    Mignolet is too good for an ok side like Liverpool and Reina doesn’t even want to leave by all accounts now.

    Mignolet would be far better suited to Arsenal, having Champions League and relative stability rather than Liverpool whose inconsistency sees them towards the bottom of the table for much of the season.

  • Steve OConnor says:

    http://164.177.157.12/img/graphics/504.jpg

    Have a look at this read both keepers stats

    read and weep don’t know what you at talking about!

    next you will be saying you can win the league next season!!!!!

  • Roker boy says:

    Mignolet is the best goalkeeper Sunderland have had since Jimmy Montgomery.We do not want him to go to Liverpool and 10 million is a snip,and we would not swap old man Reina for our young brilliant keeper!There was a time in our History when we were your equal and hopefully one day we may compete on the same terms.Liverpool are a wonderful respected club,but please do not think it you can poach our best player for peanuts!

  • JK says:

    The author is obviously clueless. He’ll be in for a shock when he sees Mignolet as he’s one of the very best goalkeeper’s in the world based on his performances last season. On that basis I doubt he’ll stick around at Liverpool very long as they themselves are now considered a stepping stone for players as they are no longer the team they once were.

    • Adam says:

      if Liverpool are a stepping stone then what would that mean for a penniless club like Sunderland who consistently finish below Liverpool

      • VikasDhingra says:

        Feeder club?? (No, I’m just kidding, don’t slate me lol)

        Di Canio will make or break Sunderland, hope you finish ahead of Newcastle!

  • VikasDhingra says:

    Glad to see so many Sunderland fans leap to the defence of Mr Mignolet. I don’t watch as many Sunderland games as you, granted. I’d like to offer my sincere appologies to anyone I offend as that’s not my intention. Sorry.

    You’ve made me feel much better about him potentially signing.

    Liverpool FC are not the power house we once were, fully accepted.

    The pressure and expectations of playing for LFC are huge. May be the expectations are unrealistic and based on silly notions of entitlement. But they are there nonetheless.

    Will Mignolet succeed at LFC?

  • Chris says:

    Yes he would succeed. Pressure is something Migs has never been bothered about. I firmly think he would be signing of the season. However, I really hope he stays…

    • VikasDhingra says:

      Considering the reports where on the bosses haggling on price by £2mil…suggests he might be off. Heard you guys had a good replacement lines up.

      If Pepe stays I think they might still Sign Mignolet…we’ll see. Could all be paper hype and result in nothing. Cheers. V

      • Steve OConnor says:

        Pepe will be off

        his agent will be telling him to say it is best for his family to see out his contract!!!!!

        Why???? Cos he will get a pay off cos he has not asked for a transfer the deal will already be done betweeen Pepe and Barca just Liverpool dont know it yet!! Come on guy’s wake up and smell the coffee!!!

        why do you think now Migs is saying he won’t sign a new contract!! force the move but never asked for a transfer so gets a pay off!! agents on 5%?? not bad deal for everyone but the clubs!!! but the clubs are to blame because every club does it so reap what they sow!!

  • Roker boy says:

    Succeed?Of course he will succeed.He kept Sunderland in the Premier League!!He was simply BRILLIANT.Please Mignolet stay at Sunderland.

  • Gaz says:

    Liverpool wasn’t the powerhouse as they once were? ??? I dare you to rewrite this in a year. Makes me laugh, and reminds me of a Newcastle fan who said they’re bigger than Liverpool-that was what he wrote a year ago. Liverpool are on the up, can you say this about Man u, Everton or even Arenal?

    • Steve OConnor says:

      Everton maybe not!

      But Arsenal have been paying off there new stadium for the last few years but are going to spend big and look at the league they are in Europe again!! unlike Liverpool! so now will push on!!

      Man utd they will spend as usual and have just brought in the right manager for stability and they have been stable for the last How many Years??? and How many trophies??? and could still spend big on Ronaldo!!! but will add this season for another good crack at the title.

      don’t get me wrong rodgers will do well with liverpool but it will be a few seasons yet and a few chunks of human flesh before they compete again with Chelsea Arsenal man city and Man Utd!!!!! |Tottenham will finish above Liverpool again this season and are closer to the top 4

      Migs is a good Start and the lad Coutinho signed last season is a class long term replacement for Gerrard but need a few more over a couple of seasons

      btw Newcastle fans are in flying high on some kind of feel good drug every August and by Christmas all hell has broke loose!!

      Sunderland fans speak the truth!! most would have drove henderson to scouse land for no petrol money! cos the club were getting 18m but migs no one would for less than 10m….

    • guest says:

      “Liverpool are not the powerhouse they once were”, that’s true, why are we on the up?, we have just had our worse season for decades, carra is to retire(Rodgers only stopped leaking goals once he came back in), Suarez(whome without his goals Rodgers would have been sacked) is leaving, you know, Luis Suarez, one of the best players in the world at the moment. Gerrard is a year older, we have an inexperienced manager, who talks better than he managers. I am just curious as to why the “Younger” fans are deluded?, most of the older fans I have spoken too, can see the reality. I am amazed at just how this manager spins negative to positive, constantly.

  • Ian mackay says:

    As a Sunderland supporter i would be sad to see him go, But anybody who thinks Reina is worth more than Mignolet is having a laugh. Mignolet is a young lad with years left, Reina is past his best and do not forget how much Man u paid for their young goal keeper around £20m !!!!!

  • jgaray says:

    2 years left on his contract and 8M is his worth in Sunderland’s eyes. He will not sign a new contract. I’m sure you can wait until January to sell, the price might go up or it could go down depending on his form and which clubs need a GK for Champions League, Euro League or spots for those competitions. If Sunderland is struggling, he might slap a transfer request to make his move and then the cost for him could drop significantly. Sunderland can do alot with 10M and probably can purchase 2-3 players including an up and coming or experience GK to plug the gap in goal. Is Sunderland’s project for a top 10 finish or a top 4 finish? Is it a rebuilding plan? I think Simon has been quite clear he is going to move on to another club. In LFC, he sees a club that is the youngest in the premier league and still finished 7th, 12 points from a CL spot. LFC plays a style of football that best suits him for a starting place on the Belgium National Team. Right now, I think that is where his heart is at the moment. He wants to be the starting GK on the BNT and Sunderland does not help his cause. LFC will do that for him.

    • bodyelectrics says:

      No matter what team Mignolet will play for his path to be Belgiums n°1 goalkeeper is firmly blocked by Thibaut Courtois.He will play for another year at Atletico and Chelsea is doing a bad deal with that.In my opinion Courtois is already the best goalkeeper in the world at the tender age of 21.Mignolet is 25 and as Courtois is still improving fast I see no chances for Mignolet to overcome him.

  • PTR says:

    ” Pepe Reina is a world class keeper who has won two UEFA Intertoto Cups”

    Stopped reading there. LOL

  • Erin says:

    It doesnt make sense. Mignolet is a good goalkeeper for Sunderland. We know that much. No disrespect to Sunderland but Liverpool at another level. When you make a mistake for Liverpool, as a goalkeeper, you end up front page, ”Reina howler cost lfc.” The pressure is 10 fold. Whenever you buy a player to play at a higher level, there is an element of risk. A player like Reina is proven at every level and contains a very, very low risk of becoming a flop, i would say 0 risk. A club like Barca/Real madrid and co dont want any risks. Buy proven talent and stay at the top of the game is their aim.

    Which brings me to my other concern, Luis Suarez. How can a player who has never played in europe be worth 50 million plus (Neimar), and Suarez not worth more. Does anyone else out there remember Robbinho or Alexandre Pato???? When you pay that much money you want guaranteed success. Suarez is guaranteed success at any level, in any country. Ive read some reports about him not being worth 50 million plus and i find them puzzling. Can anyone enlighten me?
    YNWA

    • VikasDhingra says:

      The cost if negative publicity and those who haven’t ‘forgiven’ Suarez will never ‘support’ Barca/RM as their second team. That must effect the price.

      V good point re lack of risk!

      • Erin says:

        Negative publicity is a factor. That’s true, however, if neimar or his county mate , Cavani don’t deliver, won’t that generate negative publicity? Imagine if city sign Cavani and he doesn’t make it! 54 million pounds spent, I think the papers will have a field day.

      • Erin says:

        My point is, regardless of the bad publicity, luis is what you see is want you get. A predator that will score 20-30 goals a season in any league. Neimar could score 20-30 goals or just 1 and cost the jobs of everyone envolved in buying him!

    • bodyelectrics says:

      Did you ever saw Neymar play.I don’t think so because you can’t even spell his name.Neymar is only 21 and is already hot for some years now.When Santos,Pelé’s legendary club started recently to have decent results again for the first time in well let us be fair,decades,than it was mainly because of Neymar.And for the moment he is the only one who is very good when the Brazilian national team is out to play.
      There is no one out there who dribbles like Neymar.Not Ronaldo,Messi,Hazard,…when it comes to dribbling Neymar is just unbelievable.
      That said I don’t believe any football player’s transfer should cost more than a £ 10000 and they certainly shouldn’t make more money than a garbage man,who does a job far more important than a footballplayer.

  • onyeka says:

    Mignolet is far better than Reina no doubt about that.

  • Mackem says:

    Looks like Mig will have a medical with Liverpool next week. Good keeper with loads of potential, don’t build a shrine to him as he is not a deity. Annoyed that he and his agent have engineered a move to a mid table team not in Europe on the pretence of more exposure – how much more exposed can you get than behind a Sunderland defence. He’ll do well – but I guess like you guys feel about Suarez etc…GOOD RIDDANCE, WE MOVE ON !

  • Neil says:

    Just read your article about Regina and mignolet are have come to the conclusion that you must only ever watch games when Liverpool are involved, otherwise you could not come out with a pathetic comment like, mignolet only having an ‘ok’ season. I support Sunderland both home and away and can safely tell you that mignolet had a fantastic season and was probably the biggest factor in gaining enough points to survive. Also your ridiculous comment about what reina has won in comparison is just what I expect from someone as small minded as you. Reina was yes a great keeper but no one is gonna tell me he had a better past couple of seasons than mignolet. I personally wish mignolet well and hope he makes you choke on your words.

    • VikasDhingra says:

      Hi Neil, need your help. My small mind is struggling with a question. May be your great intellect can enlighten us all.

      Why is Mignolet being linked to a top 7 prem side like Liverpool while Reina is constantly linked with champions league/title challenging teams (Arsenal) and arguably the best team in world (Barca)? After all Reina’s not very good, not as good as Mignolet and having won things before e.g. Golden glove 3 times is irrelevant!

      Look forward to your answer but I fear my small mind might struggle to grasp your intelegent reply with its crystal clear logic.

      Thanks mate, V

      • Neil says:

        Hi V,
        Sorry, sounds as if I have touched a nerve but as u said , fans defend their own and you were implying that mignolet was not worth the money because he was coming from lowly Sunderland. Never ever said that I had any greater intellect, just use my own two eyes and watch an awful lot of footsie. And 1 thing is for sure is that in the past couple of years has Pepe Reina’s form deteriorated. The answer must be yes. Not denying that arsenal were previously linked but not now. Correct me if I am wrong but the reason why Liverpool are offering the current amount and moving quickly is because they are trying to sign him before arsenal try to sign him. Check the press if you don’t believe me. I can understand your concerns over money and valuations. After all you have paid way over the odds for players recently ( Carroll, Henderson for example) but in today’s market the fee for mignolet represents good value in my opinion. I personally would rather keep him than have the cash but appreciate he is going to a bigger club with more potential. I honest think Liverpool will be stronger with him in goals. As for barca chasing reina, well he is Spanish I suppose and has loads of mates already there. Oh, just one last thing, we you keep going on about golden glove awards, don’t forget the team and defence that’s in front of him.

  • VikasDhingra says:

    Oh n exactly which words wold you like me to eat?

    Questioning signings is every fans right.

    Supporting all our own players is guaranteed!

    I’ve held faith with Hendo from day one, still do. Yet the cost was crazy…unless he stays for 10yrs and does well for us.

    • Jon says:

      He’s got you there mate, don’t swallow them words to quick you might choke on them. Ha ha
      The lad is a good keeper but Reina is a world class keeper and has been for years.
      Mig might become world class in time and theirs no better place for him to do it

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