The Kopite View

This is one of those academy stories that is always going to sting a little more than usual.

Liverpool have lost 16-year-old winger Isaac Konde to Manchester United.

And when you’re talking about Liverpool and Manchester United, there is obviously going to be a little extra spice to it.

Konde has now signed for United on a one-year scholarship followed by a five-year professional contract, with the youngster putting pen to paper at Old Trafford on Wednesday.

What makes this particularly interesting is that Konde isn’t someone who has just arrived at Liverpool and then decided to move on.

He has been at Liverpool since he was nine years old.

The rapid attacking player, who is of Congolese heritage, joined the Reds’ academy back in 2018 after growing up on Merseyside.

He made six appearances for Liverpool Under-18s last season, and United have now won the race to take him across the footballing divide.

And I’m not going to lie — seeing a Liverpool academy player go directly to Manchester United isn’t something I particularly enjoy.

Liverpool and United have one of the biggest rivalries in English football, and direct moves between the two clubs are incredibly rare.

In fact, no first-team player has moved directly between Liverpool and Manchester United since Phil Chisnall went from United to Liverpool in 1964.

Konde obviously isn’t making a first-team transfer.

He’s a 16-year-old academy player taking the next step in his development.

But the rivalry is still there.

United clearly see something in him

Manchester United aren’t signing Konde simply to fill an academy squad number.

The club have been extremely active in recruiting young talent and are targeting players they believe can potentially progress towards first-team football quickly.

Konde has arrived as part of that strategy.

United have also brought in 17-year-old England youth international Karim Cassim from Manchester City, while 16-year-old midfielder David Eze has also joined from City.

That tells you quite a lot about what United are trying to do.

They’re looking for the best young talent they can find and trying to get them into their system early.

And Konde clearly fits that profile.

A coach familiar with the winger described him as fast, direct and an exciting prospect, with his style drawing comparisons to former United wingers Nani and Wilfried Zaha.

Those are some pretty big comparisons for a 16-year-old.

Liverpool will receive compensation

There is at least some financial protection for Liverpool.

The two clubs are now discussing a compensation package for Konde, with reports indicating that Liverpool expect the eventual figure to reach seven figures. If an agreement cannot be reached, the matter could ultimately require a tribunal to determine the compensation.

So Liverpool won’t simply lose a player and receive nothing.

But money isn’t really the interesting part for me.

The bigger question is whether Liverpool have just lost another youngster who could eventually have become a first-team player.

And obviously, we simply don’t know that yet.

Six Under-18 appearances isn’t enough evidence to say Konde was destined for the Liverpool first team.

He’s 16.

There is an enormous amount of development still ahead of him.

But the fact Manchester United have committed to a scholarship followed by five professional years tells you that they believe there is something worth investing in.

The academy battle is getting bigger

This is something I’m going to be watching closely.

Liverpool have put enormous emphasis on developing young players, and we’ve already seen teenagers such as Rio Ngumoha and Trey Nyoni become part of the wider first-team picture.

At the same time, clubs such as Manchester United are aggressively trying to recruit high-potential youngsters before they become established.

The battle for young talent is becoming almost as competitive as the battle for established players.

And when the player happens to be coming from Liverpool and going to Manchester United, it obviously attracts even more attention.

For Konde, though, this is about his career.

He will now join Darren Fletcher’s Under-18s at Manchester United and try to prove that he can develop quickly enough to reach senior football.

I genuinely hope he does well — although obviously, I’d rather he had stayed at Liverpool!

That’s football.

Liverpool will have to move on, continue developing the youngsters who remain at the academy and make sure the next potential star doesn’t slip through their fingers.

Because losing a 16-year-old to Manchester United is annoying enough.

Imagine having to watch him become a first-team star at Old Trafford one day.

Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.

Jamie (The Kopite View)

We’ve now seen enough of Liverpool this season for me to start forming some proper opinions on who has impressed me — and who has left me wanting much more.

And I have to say, my best five probably won’t surprise too many people.

The worst five, though, might cause a bit more debate.

These are purely my personal rankings based on what I’ve seen from Liverpool so far this season.

My five best Liverpool players

1. Jeremy Jacquet

For me, Jacquet has been Liverpool’s best player this season.

And I don’t think that is particularly controversial anymore.

The young French defender has stepped into the team and looked remarkably composed for someone still so young.

His performance at Bournemouth was another example. He made some excellent tackles, looked comfortable in possession and helped Liverpool keep another clean sheet. BBC Sport’s player ratings named him their Liverpool player of the match, while Liverpool supporters also voted him Player of the Match.

What I particularly like is that he doesn’t seem frightened by the responsibility.

He’s playing alongside Virgil van Dijk and looking like he belongs there.

Jacquet has been one of the biggest positives of the season for me.

2. Alexis Mac Allister

I’ve been saying for a while that I want to see more of Mac Allister, and I think we’ve seen why.

When Liverpool have looked short of ideas, Mac Allister has often been the player trying to make something happen.

He scored against Atlético Madrid and also returned to the starting XI for the Bournemouth victory, where he helped Liverpool control the midfield better.

I still think Liverpool look better when Mac Allister is heavily involved.

For me, he should be one of the first names on the teamsheet.

3. Virgil van Dijk

I don’t think Van Dijk has necessarily had to produce his absolute best football every week, but he’s been incredibly reliable.

Liverpool have now put together three consecutive Premier League clean sheets, and Van Dijk has been at the heart of that defence alongside Jacquet.

What I love about Van Dijk is that even when Liverpool aren’t playing particularly well, he gives the team a sense of security.

And with such a young player beside him, his experience is absolutely vital.

He’s still the leader of this Liverpool defence.

4. Cody Gakpo

Gakpo has been excellent.

Actually, I’d go further than that — he has probably been Liverpool’s most consistently dangerous attacker so far.

Look at what happened at Bournemouth.

Liverpool were struggling to create anything, but Gakpo produced the moment that mattered, charging down the right and getting the ball into the danger area before Isak eventually finished.

He also scored against Tottenham in the Carabao Cup and has been involved in goals throughout the opening weeks.

There’s something different about Gakpo this season.

He looks confident.

He looks aggressive.

And he looks like a player who knows exactly what he wants to do when he gets the ball.

5. Alisson

This one is almost automatic.

Alisson is still Alisson.

When Liverpool have needed him, he’s been there.

The save against Evanilson at Bournemouth was particularly important because Liverpool weren’t playing well and couldn’t afford to concede. BBC Sport described it as a great reaction save, while his performance helped Liverpool secure another clean sheet.

That’s what you want from a world-class goalkeeper.

You don’t necessarily notice him for 80 minutes.

Then suddenly he produces something that wins you points.

Liverpool need Alisson fit and firing all season.

My five worst Liverpool players

Now for the controversial bit.

These aren’t players I think Liverpool should get rid of.

They’re simply the five players who, for me, have disappointed the most compared with what I expected from them.

1. Ryan Gravenberch

This is probably my biggest disappointment.

I know Gravenberch has ability.

I’ve seen enough of him to know that.

But I don’t think we’ve seen the consistency Liverpool need from him this season.

There have been games where he has struggled to influence the midfield, and I still have concerns about whether the Gravenberch-Szoboszlai combination gives Liverpool enough control.

He was dropped to the bench for the Bournemouth game, having started against Fulham.

I want much more from Gravenberch.

2. Florian Wirtz

This is the one that will probably get me the most criticism.

But I’m sticking with it.

Wirtz is a phenomenal footballer and I still believe Liverpool have a special player on their hands.

However, I don’t think we’ve seen enough of him yet.

There have been flashes.

There have been moments where you see exactly why Liverpool paid so much for him.

But there have also been long periods where he has disappeared from games.

Even after the Bournemouth win, BBC Sport described his performance as another difficult day, although he did play a part in the winning goal.

That’s the problem for me.

I’m not questioning his talent.

I’m questioning his influence.

I want to see Wirtz taking games by the scruff of the neck.

3. Milos Kerkez

Kerkez is another player I expected more from.

I like his aggression and his willingness to get forward, but defensively there have been moments where I’ve felt Liverpool look vulnerable down his side.

At Bournemouth, BBC Sport noted that he struggled initially and was targeted with balls over his head, although they also acknowledged his effort and battling qualities.

I don’t think he’s been terrible.

But considering what Liverpool need from their full-backs, I haven’t been convinced enough yet.

There’s plenty of time for that to change.

4. Rio Ngumoha

This is probably the harshest one.

And I want to make that clear.

Ngumoha is still a teenager.

I’m not expecting him to carry Liverpool’s attack.

But if I’m ranking performances so far, I haven’t seen enough yet to put him above the players I’ve selected.

He has shown flashes of his ability — including scoring against Wrexham in pre-season — but he’s still learning what it takes to play consistently at this level.

For me, this is much more about expectations than criticism.

I think Ngumoha could become a very good player.

He just isn’t there yet.

5. Dominik Szoboszlai

This is another controversial one because Szoboszlai has actually produced some important moments.

He scored the late penalty at Newcastle.

He scored a fantastic goal against Atlético Madrid.

And then he produced another spectacular finish against Tottenham in the Carabao Cup.

But I’m judging the overall performances, not just the goals.

I still have doubts about him playing in a two-man midfield.

His passing and positioning haven’t always convinced me, and I think Liverpool need more control from that area of the pitch.

So despite those big moments, he makes my bottom five.

So that’s my list

My best five

1. Jeremy Jacquet
2. Alexis Mac Allister
3. Virgil van Dijk
4. Cody Gakpo
5. Alisson

My worst five

1. Ryan Gravenberch
2. Florian Wirtz
3. Milos Kerkez
4. Rio Ngumoha
5. Dominik Szoboszlai

And I know some of these choices will probably cause arguments.

That’s football.

You don’t have to agree with me.

In fact, I’d be interested to know which players Liverpool supporters would put in their own top five and bottom five.

Because we’re still very early in the season.

A player sitting in my bottom five today could easily be in my top five a few months from now.

And that’s exactly what I’m hoping happens.

Especially with Wirtz, Gravenberch and Szoboszlai.

Liverpool have plenty of football still to play — and plenty of time for these rankings to change.

Jamie (The Kopite View)

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I absolutely love these questions.

Forget transfer rumours and tactics for a minute — give a footballer the chance to pick five teammates for a five-a-side game and you can usually learn quite a lot about the players they rate.

Andy Robertson has now revealed his five-a-side team.

And Liverpool supporters are going to love the names he picked.

Alisson. Virgil van Dijk. Thiago. James Maddison. Mohamed Salah.

That is some team.

Robertson was asked by The Overlap to pick his five-a-side side from former and current teammates, and there is an obvious Liverpool theme running through his selections.

Alisson in goal.

Van Dijk at the back.

Thiago in midfield.

Salah providing the attacking threat.

And Maddison completing the team.

Honestly, I wouldn’t fancy playing against that lot.

Alisson in goal? Obviously.

Let’s start with Alisson.

There probably aren’t many easier decisions Robertson could have made.

Even in a five-a-side game, having a goalkeeper who is comfortable with the ball at his feet is incredibly important.

And Alisson isn’t just an outstanding shot-stopper.

He can play.

Liverpool supporters have seen it countless times over the years, whether it has been his passing range, his composure under pressure or those occasional moments when he has decided to turn into an extra outfield player.

If you’re building a five-a-side team, having Alisson behind you is a pretty good place to start.

Van Dijk gives you everything

Then you’ve got Virgil van Dijk.

And this is where Robertson’s team starts to look a little unfair.

Van Dijk has the physicality, the intelligence and the ability to bring the ball out from the back.

In a five-a-side game, where space disappears quickly and players are constantly being dragged into different positions, having someone who can read the game like Van Dijk would be enormous.

Robertson knows that better than most.

The pair spent years together at Liverpool and were part of one of the most successful defensive units in the club’s history.

Robertson’s Liverpool career eventually finished after nine years, with the Scot making 378 appearances and winning multiple major trophies.

And then there’s Thiago…

This is probably my favourite selection.

Thiago in a five-a-side team just makes sense.

Give him a tiny pitch, less space and players constantly moving around him and you can imagine the Spaniard having an absolute field day.

His ability to receive the ball in tight areas, turn away from pressure and pick a pass would make him perfect for this sort of football.

And Robertson knows exactly what he was capable of.

There were times at Liverpool when Thiago could make the most difficult pass look ridiculously simple.

For me, if you’re playing five-a-side and you’ve got Thiago controlling the midfield, you would want to give him the ball as often as possible.

Maddison gets the nod

Then comes the really interesting one.

James Maddison.

Robertson is now at Tottenham alongside Maddison, and he has already been impressed by what the midfielder can do in five-a-side games.

When asked which Spurs player had impressed him most, Robertson simply replied:

“Madders – five-a-side player.”

When asked if Maddison was really that good, Robertson replied:

“Yeah, quality.”

Roy Keane couldn’t resist adding his own little dig, suggesting Maddison’s problem comes in 11-a-side football.

But Robertson’s selection tells us what he sees in Maddison when the pitch gets smaller.

And let’s be honest — Maddison, Thiago and Salah in the same five-a-side team would be ridiculous.

And obviously… Mo Salah

Then we get to the player I think every Liverpool supporter would have expected.

Mohamed Salah.

Robertson and Salah developed an incredible understanding during their time together at Liverpool.

The numbers tell you just how long that partnership lasted: the pair played 257 Premier League games together for Liverpool.

Robertson would bomb forward.

Salah would drift inside.

And somehow they seemed to know exactly where the other one was going to be.

In five-a-side, that understanding could be devastating.

Give Salah even half a yard and you’ve got a problem.

Give him space in a small-sided game and you’re probably already in trouble.

Robertson’s team is seriously good

So let’s put it all together.

Alisson

Van Dijk

Thiago

Maddison

Salah

That’s not a bad five-a-side team at all.

And what I particularly like about Robertson’s choices is that they tell us something about the qualities he values.

Alisson’s ability on the ball.

Van Dijk’s intelligence and physical presence.

Thiago’s technical brilliance.

Maddison’s creativity.

Salah’s ability to produce something out of nothing.

There is an outrageous amount of footballing ability in those five players.

And, as a Liverpool fan, seeing three players who became such huge parts of the club’s modern history in Robertson’s five makes it even better.

Robertson may now be starting a new chapter at Tottenham, but when he’s asked to pick the players he wants beside him in a five-a-side game, he clearly hasn’t forgotten the quality he had around him at Liverpool.

And I’m not going to lie…

I’d absolutely love to watch that five play together.

Thiago pulling the strings, Maddison creating, Salah finishing, Van Dijk bullying everyone and Alisson sweeping up behind them.

Good luck stopping that lot.

Jamie (The Kopite View)

I absolutely love hearing former Liverpool players explain what it was really like working under Jürgen Klopp and Arne Slot.

From the outside, both managers achieved an incredible amount at Liverpool, but Andy Robertson has now revealed just how different their approaches actually were.

And there is one part of his explanation that really stood out to me.

Klopp was all about Liverpool. Slot was much more focused on the opposition.

Robertson, who spent nine years at Liverpool and worked under both managers, explained that Slot was far more heavily focused on statistics and data than Klopp.

“Arne Slot was really into stats,” Robertson explained, describing how Slot brought Ruben Peeters with him.

He said Peeters was “always on his iPad” and that even something as simple as players doing too many sprints in training could lead to him getting involved.

Everything was being measured.

Robertson then explained that the biggest difference became even more obvious when it came to tactics.

And this is where I think Liverpool supporters will find it particularly interesting.

According to Robertson, Klopp’s mentality was basically:

If we execute our game properly, nobody can stop us.

It wasn’t about constantly worrying about what the opposition were going to do.

It was about imposing Liverpool’s own style.

As Robertson put it, Klopp was always thinking along the lines of: “If we do this, nobody can match us.”

And that perfectly sums up the Liverpool we watched for so many years.

The intensity.

The pressing.

The attacking full-backs.

The front three.

The relentless counter-press.

Liverpool knew what they wanted to do and, more often than not, tried to force the opposition to deal with them.

Robertson says Slot was different.

With Slot, Liverpool would spend much more time analysing the opposition and preparing for how they were going to deal with the opponent’s particular tactics.

If they do this, we do this.

If they change that, Liverpool would have another response.

Robertson even made the rather striking observation that under Klopp, Liverpool “never changed”, whereas under Slot they would constantly adapt to the opposition.

That doesn’t necessarily mean one approach was right and the other was wrong.

It simply shows that the two managers had very different footballing philosophies.

And I actually think that helps explain why the transition from Klopp to Slot was fascinating to watch.

Klopp had built an identity so strong that Liverpool could almost make opponents adapt to them.

Slot inherited that foundation but introduced more tactical flexibility and opponent-specific planning.

Robertson was perfectly placed to notice the difference because he experienced both approaches from the pitch.

And there is something else I find fascinating here.

The data side of modern football has become absolutely enormous.

Under Slot, players weren’t simply being judged on what supporters could see during a match. Training loads, sprinting, physical output and countless other measurements were being monitored.

That doesn’t mean Klopp ignored data, of course. But Robertson’s comments suggest that it wasn’t as central to the daily footballing philosophy as it became under Slot.

And that tells us something about how much football has changed.

Liverpool under Klopp were built around a powerful idea:

Trust our game. Make the opposition deal with us.

Slot’s Liverpool were much more:

Study the opposition. Understand what they want to do. Then find the best way to beat them.

For me, that’s one of the most interesting insights we’ve heard from a Liverpool player about the change between the two managers.

We all watched the football.

We saw the tactical differences.

But Robertson actually lived through both methods every single day.

And when a player who spent nine years at Liverpool tells us that Klopp wanted Liverpool to stick to their blueprint while Slot wanted them to constantly adapt, I’m listening.

Two managers.

Two completely different approaches.

And yet both left their own mark on Liverpool.

That’s what makes Robertson’s comments so fascinating.

Klopp wanted Liverpool to be Liverpool. Slot wanted Liverpool to be whatever Liverpool needed to be to beat the team in front of them.

I think that’s a brilliant insight into the two eras.

Jamie (The Kopite View)

I absolutely love stories like this.

Liverpool have had plenty of battles over young players in recent years, but the story of Joshua Abe is particularly interesting because of what the teenager apparently turned down to remain at Anfield.

According to Lewis Steele, some clubs were prepared to offer the 16-year-old winger almost £50,000 a week to leave Liverpool.

And these weren’t exactly unknown clubs.

Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City and Real Madrid have all been linked with an interest in Abe, yet the youngster chose to remain with Liverpool.

For me, that says an awful lot.

Abe is still only 16, so we obviously have to be careful not to put ridiculous expectations on his shoulders. But there is clearly something about this young winger that has attracted serious attention.

Liverpool managed to convince him that his future was better served at Anfield than by chasing a huge contract elsewhere.

And I think the pathway Liverpool offered him was probably more important than the money.

That has already been demonstrated.

Abe was taken on Liverpool’s pre-season tour of the United States this summer and was given opportunities around the first team under Andoni Iraola. He even started against Wrexham, despite being just 16.

That is some statement of intent from Liverpool.

Imagine being 16 years old and being told that you could potentially earn close to £50,000 a week somewhere else, with some of the biggest clubs in England and Europe interested in you.

It would be incredibly difficult to turn down.

But Abe did.

He chose Liverpool.

And that is something Reds supporters should be really excited about.

Abe had already impressed at youth level before his first-team opportunities arrived. He scored eight goals and provided three assists in just 10 appearances for Liverpool’s Under-18s last season, despite playing above his age group.

There is clearly a lot of natural ability there.

He is a left-footed winger who likes to attack defenders, cut inside and get himself into goalscoring positions. Liverpool’s academy coaches have spoken very positively about his development, and the club clearly believe he has the potential to progress quickly.

Unfortunately, his progress has hit a temporary setback after he underwent surgery on a shoulder problem in August.

Liverpool expect him to be out for around three months, but the important thing is that he is still a Liverpool player and his long-term future remains at Anfield.

And that could prove to be extremely important.

We have seen Liverpool produce some fantastic young players over the years, but keeping hold of the best talent is becoming increasingly difficult when other clubs can throw enormous salaries at teenagers.

That is why this particular story makes me smile.

Abe could have taken the money. He chose the Liverpool pathway instead.

Of course, nobody knows yet whether he will eventually become a Liverpool first-team star. At 16, there is a huge amount of development still to come, and football can change very quickly.

But the ingredients are certainly there.

Liverpool have already shown with their decision to involve Abe in first-team preparations that they don’t simply see him as another academy player.

They see a young footballer worth investing in.

And if Abe continues developing the way Liverpool hope, the decision to stay at Anfield could eventually prove to be worth far more than £50,000 a week.

For now, though, I think Reds fans should just enjoy watching his journey.

Because when a 16-year-old has some of the biggest clubs in the world trying to take him away from Liverpool — and he decides that Anfield is where he wants to be — you can’t help but get excited about what might be coming next.

Keep an eye on Joshua Abe. I have a feeling we’re going to be hearing that name a lot more in the years ahead.

Jamie (The Kopite View)

Tonight’s Netherlands against Germany is technically a UEFA Nations League game.

But for Liverpool supporters, it feels like much more than that.

There are so many connections to Liverpool that I’ll definitely be watching this one with a lot more interest than I normally would an international fixture.

For starters, you’ve got Virgil van Dijk, Cody Gakpo, Ryan Gravenberch and Jeremie Frimpong all involved with the Netherlands.

And then there’s the man standing in the opposite dugout.

Jürgen Klopp.

Yes, I’m going to be very interested in seeing how Klopp does.

This is the beginning of a completely different chapter for the former Liverpool boss, who has taken charge of Germany following his legendary spell at Anfield.

It feels strange seeing Klopp in an international dugout.

For almost nine years, Liverpool was his world.

He signed Van Dijk.

He signed Gakpo.

He signed Gravenberch.

And now three of the players he helped bring to Liverpool will be standing in his way as he begins his Germany reign.

Liverpool’s official website has even highlighted the huge Reds connection surrounding the fixture. Klopp will have Pep Lijnders and Peter Krawietz alongside him in the Germany setup, while Van Dijk, Gakpo and Gravenberch were all signed by Klopp during his time at Anfield.

How weird is that?

And then you’ve got Van Dijk.

Our captain has only just decided to continue his international career after speaking with new Netherlands boss Xavi.

He’ll captain the Dutch tonight, and it will be fascinating seeing him come up against his former manager.

Van Dijk was actually asked about Klopp ahead of the game and admitted just how important the German remains to him.

But he also made it very clear that the friendship goes out of the window for 90 minutes.

He wants to make sure Klopp loses his first Germany game.

I absolutely love that.

Klopp might have given Liverpool supporters some of the greatest memories of our lives.

He might have transformed the club.

He might still be hugely respected by everyone connected with Liverpool.

But tonight?

Sorry Jürgen.

Virgil wants the Netherlands to win.

And I’m sure Klopp will feel exactly the same way about Germany.

There’s also a particularly interesting subplot involving Gakpo.

Klopp was the manager who brought him to Liverpool from PSV, and Gakpo has developed into one of the most important attacking players in the current Liverpool squad.

He has started this season brilliantly, with four Premier League goal involvements in Liverpool’s opening five matches.

Now he gets to face his former boss.

Then there’s Gravenberch, another player who Klopp brought to Anfield.

And Frimpong adds another Liverpool connection after his move to the Reds.

So you’ve got four current Liverpool players on one side and Klopp on the other.

That is quite a game.

And personally, I can’t wait to see what Klopp does tactically.

This is his first competitive match as Germany manager, with UEFA describing Netherlands-Germany as the first match of his reign.

There will obviously be plenty of attention on how he sets Germany up.

Will we see the intensity we became so accustomed to at Liverpool?

Will Germany press aggressively?

Will he try to play on the front foot?

Will he change his approach because international football simply doesn’t give managers the same amount of training time as club football?

Those are the things I’ll be watching.

Because Klopp has spent years talking about building relationships with players and creating a particular mentality.

Now he has to do that with a national team.

And he doesn’t have months to work with them.

He has days.

That’s a completely different challenge.

There is also something quite nice about the fact that Klopp’s first competitive game comes against the Netherlands.

Liverpool supporters have such a strong connection with Dutch players because of the Klopp era.

Van Dijk became arguably the best centre-back in the world during Klopp’s reign.

Gakpo became an important attacking option.

Gravenberch has now become a key midfielder.

And tonight, they are all on the other side.

Football really does throw up some strange situations.

The Netherlands-Germany match kicks off at 7.45pm BST at the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam, with the fixture marking the opening competitive games for both Xavi and Klopp in their new international jobs.

From a Liverpool perspective, though, there is one thing I’ll be hoping for above everything else.

No injuries.

We’ve already got enough players away on international duty during this extended break.

The last thing Andoni Iraola needs is for one of his key players to return to Kirkby carrying an injury.

So I’ll be watching.

I’ll be watching Van Dijk.

I’ll be watching Gakpo.

I’ll be watching Gravenberch.

I’ll be watching Frimpong.

But most of all?

I’ll be watching Klopp.

Because whether you loved every minute of his Liverpool reign or simply appreciated what he achieved at Anfield, it’s impossible not to be interested in seeing what happens next.

Tonight is the beginning.

Jürgen Klopp is back in competitive management.

And somehow, his first opponent is going to be packed with Liverpool connections.

I can’t wait.

Jamie (The Kopite View)

Former Liverpool co-owner George Gillett Jr. has died at the age of 87.

The American businessman, who owned Liverpool alongside Tom Hicks between 2007 and 2010, passed away on September 22, according to confirmation from the Montreal Canadiens.

Gillett’s time at Liverpool was one of the most turbulent periods in the club’s modern history.

He and Hicks completed their takeover of Liverpool in 2007, replacing David Moores as owners and promising to take the club forward.

Instead, their three-year spell at Anfield became increasingly difficult.

The relationship between the two owners eventually broke down, while tensions with manager Rafael Benítez and growing concern among supporters created an extremely uncomfortable atmosphere around the club.

Liverpool were eventually sold to New England Sports Ventures — now known as Fenway Sports Group — in October 2010 following a bitter legal battle.

For Liverpool supporters of a certain generation, the Hicks and Gillett era will always be remembered.

Not necessarily for what happened on the pitch, but for the uncertainty surrounding the club off it.

There were protests against the owners, arguments over the club’s finances and serious concerns about the direction Liverpool were heading.

The pair had initially talked about building a new stadium in Stanley Park, but those plans never materialised during their ownership.

Eventually, the entire situation reached breaking point.

And Liverpool fans know what happened next.

The club changed hands.

FSG arrived.

Whatever individual opinions supporters have about Fenway Sports Group today, the arrival of John W. Henry and his group brought an end to the Hicks and Gillett era and began a completely different chapter in Liverpool’s history.

But it is important to remember that George Gillett’s sporting career stretched far beyond Liverpool.

He owned the Montreal Canadiens from 2001 until 2009 and was involved in a number of other major sporting ventures, including the Harlem Globetrotters and NASCAR.

The Canadiens have paid tribute to Gillett following his death.

Club owner, president and CEO Geoff Molson said:

> “George immersed himself in the Montreal community and was appreciated by everyone in the organization. We sincerely appreciate his contributions to the Montreal Canadiens during his time as owner.”

His time in Montreal was viewed very differently from his spell at Liverpool, with Gillett playing a significant role in the organisation’s centenary preparations.

But here in Liverpool, his name will inevitably remain connected to those difficult years alongside Hicks.

That doesn’t mean there is any need to celebrate or condemn a man on the day of his death.

Football ownership can leave complicated legacies.

And Gillett certainly leaves one at Liverpool.

He was part of a group that arrived at Anfield promising a bright future, only for the relationship with the club and supporters to deteriorate dramatically.

Eventually, Liverpool survived that period.

And perhaps that is the most important thing for supporters to remember.

The club came through it.

Liverpool survived the uncertainty, the ownership battle and the financial concerns surrounding the club.

Then came a new era.

George Gillett was 87.

His involvement with Liverpool lasted only three years, but those three years remain firmly etched into the club’s history.

May he rest in peace.

Jamie (The Kopite View)

Virgil van Dijk is normally one of the most relaxed and approachable players you will ever see in a press conference.

But there was a fascinating moment during his latest Netherlands media duties when one journalist decided to push him a little further.

And Van Dijk’s response at the end?

Brilliant.

The journalist began by suggesting that Van Dijk seemed reluctant to be there.

“Doesn’t it seem like you’re here reluctantly?”

Van Dijk immediately challenged the suggestion.

“What do you mean?”

The journalist continued, pointing out that the Liverpool captain was giving shorter answers than usual.

“Normally you’re sympathetic and chatty, aren’t you?”

Van Dijk responded:

“Well, sometimes things need to be said. You can’t listen to constant whining. Right?”

That was already a pretty interesting answer.

But the journalist wasn’t finished.

He suggested that Van Dijk was brushing questions off and that his relationship with the media appeared to be bothering him.

Van Dijk wasn’t having that either.

“I have no problem with most of the media, and I never have.”

But then he explained what was actually frustrating him.

“Sometimes nonsense and lies get written. What can I do?”

And that is probably the most revealing part of the entire exchange.

Van Dijk wasn’t saying he has a problem with journalists.

He was saying he has a problem with things being written about him that he believes aren’t true.

The journalist then suggested that if he had an issue with someone, he could simply speak directly to them.

And that’s when Van Dijk delivered the line that had me laughing.

“I’m already talking to that person right now.”

Brilliant.

No shouting.

No rant.

No big confrontation.

Just one perfectly timed sentence.

And you could almost feel the conversation change immediately.

This is something I’ve always found interesting about Van Dijk.

He generally comes across as incredibly composed in front of the cameras.

He has been Liverpool captain for years.

He’s dealt with criticism, pressure, injuries, huge expectations and some pretty difficult moments during his career.

He knows how the media works.

But that doesn’t mean he has to agree with everything that gets written about him.

And I actually think there is an important distinction in what he said.

He didn’t say he dislikes the media.

In fact, he specifically said he has no problem with most of them.

His issue is with what he considers to be “nonsense and lies”.

That’s a pretty different thing.

And perhaps the journalist was expecting Van Dijk to become defensive or irritated.

Instead, the Liverpool captain remained completely calm and simply turned the question back around.

The irony is that Van Dijk had already explained why he was giving shorter answers.

Sometimes things need to be said.

And maybe that’s exactly what happened here.

He wasn’t being difficult for the sake of it.

He wasn’t refusing to answer questions.

He simply wasn’t going to sit there and pretend everything was fine if he felt certain things being written about him weren’t accurate.

For a player who has spent so many years dealing with the spotlight, I can understand that.

There is also something quite refreshing about Van Dijk being so direct.

We hear footballers give the same carefully prepared answers over and over again.

“It’s about the team.”

“We take it game by game.”

“We’ll give 100 per cent.”

And then occasionally you get a moment like this.

A journalist pushes.

Van Dijk pushes back.

And suddenly you get to see a little more personality.

“I’m already talking to that person right now.”

That’s the sort of answer that tells you everything without needing a long explanation.

And considering Van Dijk has just decided to continue his international career with the Netherlands, it is clear that he still has plenty of confidence in himself and plenty to say.

He’s still Liverpool’s captain.

He’s still the Netherlands captain.

And clearly, he’s still perfectly capable of handling a press conference on his own terms.

Virgil van Dijk doesn’t need to shout to make his point.

Sometimes ten words are enough.

Jamie (The Kopite View)

I absolutely love stories like this.

Liverpool didn’t wait around.

They didn’t spend weeks making noise about a player before eventually deciding whether to move.

They saw Lucca Brughmans, decided they wanted him and moved incredibly quickly.

According to Lewis Steele, the teenage goalkeeper had already been taken to Real Madrid and was potentially on course to follow in the footsteps of his idol, Thibaut Courtois.

Then Liverpool’s recruitment team stepped in.

And things changed very quickly.

Steele reports that Matt Newberry and his team sold Brughmans on the Liverpool project, before moving quickly to get a deal done with Genk.

Liverpool made their offer on the Sunday morning before transfer deadline day.

By Monday, Brughmans was on a plane.

That’s some turnaround.

And when you look at the player Liverpool were trying to sign, you can understand why the club was so determined.

Brughmans is only 18 but has already established himself in senior football with Genk.

Liverpool officially confirmed the deal earlier this month, with the goalkeeper signing a long-term contract before returning to Genk for the remainder of the 2026/27 season. He made his senior debut in April and finished last season with 11 league appearances, while he has continued to start for Genk this season. (Liverpool FC)

He has also represented Belgium at youth level and captained his country at both the Under-17 European Championship and Under-17 World Cup in 2025.

So this isn’t simply Liverpool buying a goalkeeper because they think he might be good one day.

They clearly believe they have identified something special.

And apparently, so did Real Madrid.

That is the part that really catches my attention.

Brughmans had visited Real Madrid and was reportedly being considered by the Spanish giants, with Courtois being his idol.

He could quite easily have ended up heading towards the Bernabéu.

Instead, Liverpool’s recruitment operation got involved and convinced him that his future should be at Anfield.

That says something about the work being done behind the scenes.

Matt Newberry has been heavily involved in Liverpool’s global talent operation, and Brughmans is another example of the club trying to identify elite young talent before it becomes completely obvious to everyone else. (Liverpool)

And the speed of this particular deal is fascinating.

Genk sporting director Dimitri de Condé admitted he was surprised by how quickly Liverpool’s approach came together.

He revealed that Genk received the call from Brughmans’ agency at 11am on a Sunday, with the message that Liverpool were serious and that an offer had arrived.

The next morning, Brughmans was on a plane.

You can’t really get much more decisive than that.

Liverpool have apparently agreed a deal that could eventually be worth around £30m with add-ons, although the initial fee is considerably lower. (Liverpool)

And there is another interesting part to the deal.

Liverpool aren’t even bringing him straight to Anfield.

Brughmans will remain at Genk for the rest of this season, allowing him to continue playing regular senior football and developing in an environment where he already knows the club.

Liverpool have an option to bring him to England in January, but Genk says that is considered unlikely. (KRC Genk)

For me, that’s sensible.

He’s 18.

He needs games.

He needs experience.

He needs to make mistakes and learn from them.

There is absolutely no need to throw him into the Liverpool first-team picture immediately just because the club has paid a significant amount of money for his potential.

Instead, Liverpool can monitor his development while he continues playing regularly in Belgium.

And who knows what happens after that?

With Alisson entering the final year of his current contract and uncertainty surrounding Mamardashvili’s long-term future, Liverpool have clearly decided that goalkeeper is an area where they need to think several years ahead. (The Guardian)

That’s why I find this transfer so interesting.

Liverpool aren’t simply looking at today.

They’re looking at what the squad could look like two, three or four years down the line.

And if Brughmans develops into the goalkeeper Liverpool believe he can become, this could eventually turn out to be a huge signing.

The fact that Real Madrid were interested only makes it more intriguing.

He apparently had the opportunity to follow his idol’s footsteps.

Instead, Matt Newberry and Liverpool’s recruitment team convinced him that Anfield was the place to be.

They moved quickly.

Genk got the offer on Sunday.

Brughmans was on a plane on Monday.

That is how you get a transfer done.

Now Liverpool just have to wait and see whether their gamble on one of Europe’s most promising young goalkeepers pays off.

But one thing is already clear.

The Reds were not prepared to let Real Madrid have him.

Jamie (The Kopite View)

I have to admit, this quote from Graham Potter has caught my attention.

Not because Sweden’s manager doesn’t rate Alexander Isak.

Quite the opposite.

Potter clearly sees Isak as one of his most important players.

The problem for Liverpool is just how much he intends to use him during this international break.

Speaking ahead of Sweden’s upcoming Nations League fixtures, Potter was asked about Isak’s workload and whether the Liverpool striker could start every game.

His answer was pretty clear.

> “Alex has played a lot of games lately, is in a good place and as I know him he wants to start games, but we need to see how everyone is, how they react and recover.”

Then came the bit that will probably make Liverpool supporters sit up.

Can Isak start every game?

“Potentially yes.”

But Potter immediately added an important caveat.

“But there’s no chance he will play all the minutes.”

And honestly, that is probably the best possible interpretation of the situation.

Because Isak has started the season brilliantly.

He already has four Premier League goals in five games, including the winner against Bournemouth before the international break. That means he has already surpassed his entire Premier League goal tally from last season, when he scored three times in 14 appearances.

He also scored twice against Ipswich earlier in the campaign, with Cody Gakpo providing both assists.

This is the Isak Liverpool were hoping they were going to get when they spent the huge money to bring him to Anfield.

He looks sharper.

He looks fitter.

He looks more confident.

And, most importantly, he is scoring goals.

So I can understand why Potter wants him on the pitch.

Isak himself apparently wants to play as much as possible too.

That’s another thing worth remembering.

Players at this level don’t necessarily want to be wrapped in cotton wool.

They want to play.

They want rhythm.

They want goals.

And Isak has certainly found some rhythm at Liverpool.

But there is a difference between starting matches and playing every minute of every match.

Potter appears to understand that.

If Isak starts a game and then comes off after 60 or 70 minutes, that’s very different from playing four consecutive 90-minute matches during an international break.

And Potter has specifically said that there is no chance of Isak playing every minute.

For Liverpool, that has to be the important part.

Because let’s be honest, we’ve seen what happens when Isak isn’t available.

His first season at Anfield was badly disrupted by injuries and fitness problems, and he managed only 1,032 minutes across 22 appearances for Liverpool last season, according to This Is Anfield.

Now we’re finally seeing him build some momentum.

And with Hugo Ekitike sidelined for a long period, Liverpool need Isak.

They really do.

That’s why I don’t think Liverpool supporters should panic about Potter saying he could start all four games.

The key word is start.

Starting four matches does not automatically mean playing 360 minutes.

Potter has already acknowledged that.

And I’d much rather have an Isak who starts three or four games but is carefully managed than one who plays every possible minute and returns to Liverpool completely exhausted.

There is also a bigger picture here.

Liverpool’s attack is still not completely clicking under Andoni Iraola.

We’ve seen the defensive improvement.

We’ve seen the clean sheets.

But going forward, Liverpool are still trying to find the right combinations between Isak, Gakpo, Wirtz, Barcola and the rest.

And Isak is becoming the one constant.

He has four league goals already.

He has shown he can score different types of goals.

And against Bournemouth, when Liverpool weren’t particularly convincing, he was the man who produced the moment that won the game.

That’s exactly why Liverpool fans will be watching Sweden’s team selections closely.

Potter has made his position clear.

Isak is fit.

Isak wants to play.

And Potter is willing to start him.

But he won’t play every minute.

That’s the part I’m holding onto.

Because Liverpool don’t need Alexander Isak to prove anything during this international break.

We already know what he can do.

What Liverpool need is for him to come back to Anfield fit, healthy and ready for what is going to be a massive run of fixtures.

The goals have started.

Now let’s just make sure they keep coming for Liverpool.

Jamie (The Kopite View)