Asier Illarramendi (to Real Sociedad)

[Trix]

I desperately want to be proven wrong but I still maintain that I think we have pretty much no chance with this. Not knocking the ITK, but if the club is that confident I think they're being naïve. No way will we get him.

As I say, desperate to be wrong, but I think he's this summer's Moutinho.

As I said yesterday, "as things stand." This is because he wants to leave and is waiting to see if any bigger clubs come in first. As I understand it everything is pretty much agreed, so will happen quickly if we remain his best option.

 

[Singaspursofsixspence]

i'm hoping we gave him a deadline to make up his mind whether to join us or not. otherwise we will be in for a very bumpy deadline day.

Reckon Fridays the D-day for him to make up his mind.

 

[$hoguN]

As I said yesterday, "as things stand." This is because he wants to leave and is waiting to see if any bigger clubs come in first. As I understand it everything is pretty much agreed, so will happen quickly if we remain his best option.

It is a little worrying though, as if he decided 4 hours before deadline that he would sooner go to arsenal then he could leave us in a bad position. I hope we at least have a deadline to work to

 

[ackie]

Once again, I think he is waiting on Liverpool and if we do get him it will be a loan with option to buy....
But I think it's do-able. Few more days now...

 

[IMissTheWaddler]

Once again, I think he is waiting on Liverpool and if we do get him it will be a loan with option to buy....
But I think it's do-able. Few more days now...

They never really seem to work and outside of Ade (bearing in mind it's early) when have we ever done that.

Maybe it's my cynicism but if he's holding out for bigger and better options then this is a long shot at best and maybe we'd be better served going for a player who actually wants to play for us

 

[Trix]

It is a little worrying though, as if he decided 4 hours before deadline that he would sooner go to arsenal then he could leave us in a bad position. I hope we at least have a deadline to work to

Who says he is going to wait until 4 hours before the window shuts?

 

[$hoguN]

Who says he is going to wait until 4 hours before the window shuts?

I was just making an observation, and that is why i said I hope we have some sort of agreed deadline.

 

[ackie]

They never really seem to work and outside of Ade (bearing in mind it's early) when have we ever done that.

Maybe it's my cynicism but if he's holding out for bigger and better options then this is a long shot at best and maybe we'd be better served going for a player who actually wants to play for us

I think we have other options...Wanyama (i guess) is one of them.
Personally I would look at PSG and find another player as DM...

 

[$hoguN]

Once again, I think he is waiting on Liverpool and if we do get him it will be a loan with option to buy....
But I think it's do-able. Few more days now...

I'm not sure why you believe this. Liverpool may have started the season well but we continuously finish above them despite the money they throw around and in general Rodgers is a knob, who's future is far from certain. So I have no clue why you think he would be waiting on them. Someone like athletico Madrid or Dortmund who wo could lose a midfielder to a big team and need to replace them, absolutely, but not Liverpool

 

[Wheeler Dealer]

The only time Liverpool beat us for players it's because they're willing to pay the selling club a fee which we won't, we always compete evenly on wages though.

Damn near everyte it's been straight head to head for a player we've always gotten the man over Liverpool.

I'm sure that they were devastated at missing out on Dempsey and Siguardsson...Er maybe not

 

[Trix]

Here c

I'm sure that they were devastated at missing out on Dempsey and Siguardsson...Er maybe not

Here comes the old hindsight avenger. One look at Rawk at the time will tell you they were.

 

[RButch]

If true that AI wants a Prem move then we are without doubt the best fit for him, especially as he'll get week in week out game time. My only worry would be Arsenal,they have to strengthen right? As for Liverpool, they don't need him especially after Can's performance last night.

 

[ackie]

I'm not sure why you believe this. Liverpool may have started the season well but we continuously finish above them despite the money they throw around and in general Rodgers is a knob, who's future is far from certain. So I have no clue why you think he would be waiting on them. Someone like athletico Madrid or Dortmund who wo could lose a midfielder to a big team and need to replace them, absolutely, but not Liverpool

Rodgers may indeed be a knob but Liverpool still have the history and they have bought well and look more 'attractive' and 'competitive'. I think you may be right in regards to Dortmund or A. Madrid but I think he wants Premiership. Like I said I think this is do-able for us! I'm quietly confident. I did pm mods a few weeks ago before this really picked up.

 

[monkeynick]

Here c

Here comes the old hindsight avenger. One look at Rawk at the time will tell you they were.

In the same way that this place was desperate to sign Welbeck and are currently clamouring for Berahino.
Moths to light bulbs..

 

[TH1239]

Having followed Marca closely over the years, and lived in Madrid myself many years ago, I tend to find their transfer speculation when it comes to both major Madrid clubs pretty reliable. Their latest bit on Illara essentially says that Sociedad desperately want him, but he prefers a move to England. For the second time in the last week or so, Marca seem to strongly intimate that Liverpool are not only interested, but that they are front runners

(http://www.marca.com/en/2015/08/24/en/football/real_madrid/1440407340.html).

Frankly, I can see why the move to Liverpool over us would make sense for him. They have the better squad on paper right now. They have the ability to engage in net spending to improve their squad for the foreseeable future. They will probably offer him bigger wages than us. They have his Spanish U-21 teammate, Alberto Moreno, in their squad to help with the transition to a new country (they won the U-21 Euros together in 2013 and don't underestimate how important something like this can be, as Pedro just cited his relationship with Fabgregas as a factor in why he chose Chelsea). There is also the Xabi Alonso connection.

The other issue for us is where are we going to get the money to sign him on top of Berahino? We haven't had a net spend in 10+ transfer windows. We have about 15 million pounds surplus currently. Even with Fazio and Lennon leaving, that'll barely be enough to cover Berahino. We know Liverpool have no problem spending. Will we?

I think we had our chance to bring in a quality CM, but missed out on Imbula, Mario Suarez, and Cabaye for what appear to be various reasons.

 

[ackie]

Having followed Marca closely over the years, and lived in Madrid myself many years ago, I tend to find their transfer speculation when it comes to both major Madrid clubs pretty reliable. Their latest bit on Illara essentially says that Sociedad desperately want him, but he prefers a move to England. For the second time in the last week or so, Marca seem to strongly intimate that Liverpool are not only interested, but that they are front runners

(http://www.marca.com/en/2015/08/24/en/football/real_madrid/1440407340.html).

Frankly, I can see why the move to Liverpool over us would make sense for him. They have the better squad on paper right now. They have the ability to engage in net spending to improve their squad for the foreseeable future. They will probably offer him bigger wages than us. They have his Spanish U-21 teammate, Alberto Moreno, in their squad to help with the transition to a new country (they won the U-21 Euros together in 2013 and don't underestimate how important something like this can be, as Pedro just cited his relationship with Fabgregas as a factor in why he chose Chelsea). There is also the Xabi Alonso connection.

The other issue for us is where are we going to get the money to sign him on top of Berahino? We haven't had a net spend in 10+ transfer windows. We have about 15 million pounds surplus currently. Even with Fazio and Lennon leaving, that'll barely be enough to cover Berahino. We know Liverpool have no problem spending. Will we?

I think we had our chance to bring in a quality CM, but missed out on Imbula, Mario Suarez, and Cabaye for what appear to be various reasons.

I agree with the above about Marca, player relationships and Liverpool situations. In regards to our financials I have no ideas... Also if players feel we value them in our pursuit then they feel more comfortable to sign. England will be something new for him, so whoever shows more interest then players become more attracted, add to that if they have someone else who is from their country or someone they know.

 

[Sweech]

I'm sure that they were devastated at missing out on Dempsey and Siguardsson...Er maybe not

Doesn't change the fact that we won and they didn't.

 

[SFCS]

The only time Liverpool beat us for players it's because they're willing to pay the selling club a fee which we won't, we always compete evenly on wages though.

Damn near everytime it's been straight head to head for a player we've always gotten the man over Liverpool.

Litterally the opposite happened with Ings this summer. We were the ones throwing money about and he still chose 'Pool's bench.

I doubt we'd have had a chance with Lovren or Lallana either, regardless of the fees being paid, they wanted to challenge for titles at Liverpool, as ridiculous as that seems.

They can blast us out of the water on wages if they want too. When we got Sigurdsson and Dempsey we were a top 4 team even though we didn't have CL football and Liverpool were on the back of a midtable finish, well off the pace. When they signed Joe Cole ahead of us, they gave him huge wages, Adebayor's £100k a week is crippling us whilst Balotelli's getting paid even more and Liverpool still go out spending £30mill on a striker like it's nothing.

I hope we do get Illarramendi but if Liverpool are in for him I'm a lot less optimistic than most of you on here.

 

[GetSpurredOn]

Whilst I see the Liverpool connection in terms of Spanish players, are we forgetting our manager had a successful spell playing and managing in Spain? Equally, his teammates Bale and to a lesser extent Modric, could be in his ear giving him advice.
As for those worrying about us being made to wait whilst he assesses his situation in the hope of a bigger club (CL team) coming in for him. Is that not what we're also doing, Trix stated we are confident on a backup option, so you'd assume we have this guy waiting whilst we decide if we can get Illaremendi. Same situation really. I'm sure it goes on all over in football.
For what it's worth, I think we'll get him.

 

[Sweech]

Litterally the opposite happened with Ings this summer. We were the ones throwing money about and he still chose 'Pool's bench.

I doubt we'd have had a chance with Lovren or Lallana either, regardless of the fees being paid, they wanted to challenge for titles at Liverpool, as ridiculous as that seems.

They can blast us out of the water on wages if they want too. When we got Sigurdsson and Dempsey we were a top 4 team even though we didn't have CL football and Liverpool were on the back of a midtable finish, well off the pace. When they signed Joe Cole ahead of us, they gave him huge wages, Adebayor's £100k a week is crippling us whilst Balotelli's getting paid even more and Liverpool still go out spending £30mill on a striker like it's nothing.

I hope we do get Illarramendi but if Liverpool are in for him I'm a lot less optimistic than most of you on here.

The whole reason Ings chose them is because of location. One of the very few times they will ever win from that. Especially when concerning a Spaniard who doesn't run a charity organization in the area.