Ajax's £10m-rated midfielder, is being targeted by Liverpool

[JRedknapp11]

Rafael van der Vaart, Ajax's £10m-rated midfielder, is being targeted by Liverpool. Anfield bosses face opposition from Inter Milan and Juventus for his signature. (Sunday Express)

[dcc134]

He would be a bargin at that price, IMO.

[JRedknapp11]

Another midfielder is last thing we need. There's too many guys bleeding red in the reserves that should be given the chance before some over hyped dutchman comes in and fills another slot in the midfield.

[LiverpoolFanatic]

I saw him play a few times last season. He's good. I don't know how true the rumour is though.

[dcc134]

Originally posted by JRedknapp11
Another midfielder is last thing we need. There's too many guys bleeding red in the reserves that should be given the chance before some over hyped dutchman comes in and fills another slot in the midfield.

I wouldn't be so quick to call him over hyped. Have you ever seen him play? He's much better than Murphy.

[Matt Clark]

He's amazing. I'd snap him up. The aim of the game is to improve the squad. The guys squeezed off at the bottom of the food chain by the arrival of top notch talent at the top are neither here nor there. We were all in favour of a bid for Duff, this is with the same motive in mind. The rumour will probably turn out to run cold, but the logic behind getting players of that calibre is irrefutable.

I mean, really - are we supposed to make it easy for Bernard Diomede to get a game?

[JRedknapp11]

Originally posted by dcc134


I wouldn't be so quick to call him over hyped. Have you ever seen him play? He's much better than Murphy.

I've watched him play a few times , around five or so. He has the skills for sure...however he just wouldn't fit in. If that 10million tag is right , then I just can't see justifying that type of purchase.

Another defender is where we should be putting our focus. The midfield is so deep for us this year, I'd even say that we are prbobably the deepest in the EPL.

[Matt Clark]

Well, possibly. Assuming the new signings gel quickly and prove to live up to GH's assessment of them when he bought them. But the one thing we STILL lack is a genuine talent out wide (Cheyrou's potential impact notwithstanding). van der Vaart is the real deal and that is what we are after - as I said, if the signing of Duff made sense, then the signing of this kid definitely does too.

[JRedknapp11]

At least with Duff we were looking at only splashing around 4-5 million pounds while offloading some dead weight in the form of Nick or Berger.

Just up and spending 10 million quid or more just doesn't seem right , especially at this time.

Then again this is a tough season for me...seeing Redders in a Spur uniform while LFC play for the title. This is going to be a hard season for me.

[Matt Clark]

Why? Either you're a Liverpool fan, in which case you are happy that we are in contention for the title, or you are a Redknapp fan, in which case you are happy that he has another shot at a career in football with a regular first-team football.

It's a win-win.

And let's face it - Redders was never going to be a starting member of an LFC title-winning side.

As to Duff, I don't know where you got £4m - £5m from. Houllier stated that he would not pay the £20m Blackburn were holding out for, but even allowing for some haggling, and the money made from sales of Barmby (£3m, eventually) and Berger (assuming this actually happens), we woud still have been staring down the barrel of at least £10m. That's probably one of the reasons van der Vaart has become a target - the usual nonsense that sees British and Irish players valued at massively higher prices than entirely equal talent from abroad.

[dcc134]

Originally posted by Matt Clark
Why? Either you're a Liverpool fan, in which case you are happy that we are in contention for the title, or you are a Redknapp fan, in which case you are happy that he has another shot at a career in football with a regular first-team football.

It's a win-win.

And let's face it - Redders was never going to be a starting member of an LFC title-winning side.

As to Duff, I don't know where you got £4m - £5m from. Houllier stated that he would not pay the £20m Blackburn were holding out for, but even allowing for some haggling, and the money made from sales of Barmby (£3m, eventually) and Berger (assuming this actually happens), we woud still have been staring down the barrel of at least £10m. That's probably one of the reasons van der Vaart has become a target - the usual nonsense that sees British and Irish players valued at massively higher prices than entirely equal talent from abroad.


RVDV is a bigger talent than Duff, IMO. Unfortunately he got hurt in the second half of the season last year, but until he went out, he was leading the league in scoring, while playing the midfield. This preseason he has simply been dominate. Go to ajax-usa.com and read the match reports from this season. Almost single handedly defeated Barcelona.

Like I said 10m pounds is definately a fair price for him.

[Matt Clark]

I quite agree, yes. I've been following him for a while now, since a chap on another board I frequent was raving about him about two years ago. The boy's dynamite. I'd blow £10m on him without blinking, if I were LFC.

[dcc134]

Originally posted by Matt Clark
I quite agree, yes. I've been following him for a while now, since a chap on another board I frequent was raving about him about two years ago. The boy's dynamite. I'd blow £10m on him without blinking, if I were LFC.

Over on the Ajax thread a snicker was sent out at the suggestion that Ajax would sell him that price. I would have to agree, I think it would take a bit more to get him. However, I don't think any of the Ajax's first 18 is going to be sold this year. They are going to a fun team to watch and dangerous in the CL.

[dcc134]

Check out some of his highlights

http://www.geocities.com/supershota/

Try the Ajax-bara 2-3, 3-3 and 4-3, VDV magic and his goal agaist PSV from last week.

[Lanky134]

I'm sold. When can he start?

Dave

[LiverpoolFanatic]

According to Jari Littmanen Ajax has no money (which is why they allegedly offered him such a paltry contract). If that's the case they may jump at 10 million punds.

[dcc134]

Originally posted by LiverpoolFanatic
According to Jari Littmanen Ajax has no money (which is why they allegedly offered him such a paltry contract). If that's the case they may jump at 10 million punds.

That maybe true, but I don't think they are in desperate straights. They don't want to take on any more salary, because they have like 35 players in the squad. They have stated that none of the first 18 are for sale this season. Regardless I would think they would only "jump" at something close to Van Nisteroy money for VDV. I think they are set up for a nice run in the CL and should be able to increase their revenue this year.

[Matt Clark]

Thommo was at the Scotland - Denmark game at Hampden Park last night, according to a mate of mine up there who went. Why, we wondered?

Well, this afternoon's Echo has this to say on the matter ...


Reds watch Rangers winger - Aug 22 2002

By Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo


LIVERPOOL ran the rule over Danish wingers Peter Lovenkrandts and Dennis Rommedahl last night, sparking rumours of a pre-deadline day swoop.

The duo were watched by Liverpool's chief scout Alex Miller and assistant manager Phil Thompson at Hampden Park as they starred in Denmark's 1-0 win over Scotland.

Lovenkradts, a 22-year-old left-sided midfielder at Rangers, could be available for £5m. He currently has just two years left on his contract and the Ibrox giants are trying to negotiate new terms.

A pacy flank man, he fits the bill for the kind of attacking player Liverpool are looking for.

Rommedahl, who plays for PSV Eindhoven, created last night's winner for Ebbe Sand. Gerard Houllier wants new recruits before August 31.

[Cokane]

Apparently Gerard Houllier, at a recent (last few days) Liverpool Supporters Club Meeting, said that they would DEFINETLY sign Duff in the near future.

Hope its all BS, as we have the best attacking player in the EPL in my opinion, but it is inevitable at some stage I suppose.

He also said that Bruno Cheyrou will soon be worth £15-20 million.

[Matt Clark]

Yes, he said both of those things at the last OSC meeting at Anfield.