Will Hughes

[MrMichael]

I think you guys are underestimating just how good this kid can be, and even is already. Of course £12m is a lot of money, but when you think what players like Walcott, Zaha and Ox-Chamberlin went for, all of whom had also only played a few games in the Championship, I don't think it is all that excessive. Personally I think that although he'd had a season in the Prem, Hughes has greater potential and should cost at least as much as Henderson did. If we sign him, and I really REALLY hope we do, this won't just be another young talent seeking and possibly failing to break into the first team. He's better than that, and at the right club can become one of the best midfielders in the country in the next few years. If we want LFC to reach the very top again then this is exactly the sort of talent we should be signing.

[baitman]

i would say he is better than henderson is now.

imo

[danperkins]

"If" £12 million is the figure that is insane. Now if it's a case where we have another bucket load of cash to spend on players that will come straight into the first team & fill positions we need in the now, that's fair enough... but i doubt it. If true it's massive gamble.

[MrMichael]

"If" £12 million is the figure that is insane. Now if it's a case where we have another bucket load of cash to spend on players that will come straight into the first team & fill positions we need in the now, that's fair enough... but i doubt it. If true it's massive gamble.

Imo Will Hughes is the most impressive up and coming midfield talent I've seen play in this country in years. I really don't understand what people think would be a non-insane fee for someone of his talent and am quite, quite sure that if we refused to pay that much, in a couple of seasons everyone would be kicking off about us having been unwilling to show some ambition while Hughes is busy dominating the midfield for one of our rivals.

Didn't you want us to pay £30m for Lamela? (guaranteed to be on bigger wages too). So why is a third of that for Hughes insane?

[Ams12]

I have never seen a Derby game for quite some time so have not seen young Will in action.

What is it about him that shows his talent/potential stand out at championship level? Are any of his stats particularly above average for the championship?

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

Really like the look of him BUT its hard to judge him at that level, hopefully he keeps growing, I rate Ward-Prowse higher at the minute but Southampton would probably want stupid money.

[MrMichael]

I have never seen a Derby game for quite some time so have not seen young Will in action.

What is it about him that shows his talent/potential stand out at championship level? Are any of his stats particularly above average for the championship?

Not sure about all his stats, but 4 goals so far this season from his position is a good return. In the games I've seen him play however (and I've seen a few, mostly last season), he has great touch & close control, real vision, and he can tackle too. More than anything however what impressed me so much was his willingness to receive the ball and comfort on it. Where players many years older may hide in games, Hughes is always making himself available; at just 18 everything Derby do as a team goes through him. In many ways he is the opposite of your typical English midfielder and would not look at all out of place in say, a Spanish team.

While he is not necessarily the exact same sort of player as Stevie G was when he broke through, I genuinely think Hughes is another unique talent with that same level of potential and we should pull out all the stops to get him.

[Mostar]

He is better than Shelvey and certainly has a better football brain.

He is different type of player than Shelvey but £12m, if that is what he'll cost, is just not smart.

We already spent about £15m on Alberto and Ilori just this transfer window and neither of them are getting any minutes and Hughes will not be any different. Not yet at least.

Buying for future makes sense but we have to careful as many just don't make it and also we need to have a plan in place to give these players tons and tons of playing opportunities, which is key for their development by either keeping them at the club we purchased them from for sometime or loan them out and we are not really doing that well at the moment.

[Frenchie]

He is different type of player than Shelvey but £12m, if that is what he'll cost, is just not smart.

We already spent about £15m on Alberto and Ilori just this transfer window and neither of them are getting any minutes and Hughes will not be any different. Not yet at least.

Buying for future makes sense but we have to careful as many just don't make it and also we need to have a plan in place to give these players tons and tons of playing opportunities, which is key for their development by either keeping them at the club we purchased them from for sometime or loan them out and we are not really doing that well at the moment.

I kind of agree with you, however a player like Will only comes around once in a while and he is available now so I guess that's why we're in, 12m in the greater scheme of things won't buy you a Micky Ryan type of player these days unless you get lucky with the likes of Coutinho so better Will than nothing..

[Glenn Hysen]

****in hell...never happy some of you. Never good enough is it? Not even now...

[Mostar]

I kind of agree with you, however a player like Will only comes around once in a while and he is available now so I guess that's why we're in, 12m in the greater scheme of things won't buy you a Micky Ryan type of player these days unless you get lucky with the likes of Coutinho so better Will than nothing..

Will is a good talent but there are tons and tons of other young players world wide that potentially may be better players and cost less.

My point is we have to be smart how we spend our money as we are not in the same ball park as Chelsea or City etc in terms of spending powers.

I like Will but there is no guarantees that he'll make it.

Players like Zaha or Wickham are examples of that.

[Bender]

Will is a good talent but there are tons and tons of other young players world wide that potentially may be better players and cost less.

My point is we have to be smart how we spend our money as we are not in the same ball park as Chelsea or City etc in terms of spending powers.

I like Will but there is no guarantees that he'll make it.

Players like Zaha or Wickham are examples of that.

you can add Joe Allen to that list as well.

[Frenchie]

Will is a good talent but there are tons and tons of other young players world wide that potentially may be better players and cost less.

My point is we have to be smart how we spend our money as we are not in the same ball park as Chelsea or City etc in terms of spending powers.

I like Will but there is no guarantees that he'll make it.

Players like Zaha or Wickham are examples of that.

Will is much better than those two and he has one quality on the ball that our Bren loves above all else...


Bravery on the ball.

[Lee]

****in hell...never happy some of you. Never good enough is it? Not even now...

Sad innit.

Nice to have a few beans to spash out on promising youngsters. Wasn't long ago that we were scraping the bargain bin for the likes of Jovanovic, Cole and Voronin. Or selling players to pay off a massive interest rate that we were lumbered with.

MrM seems to have seen a lot of the lad and makes a lot of good points. I don't think I've really seen much of Hughes but he sounds pretty special so I'm all for this signing. Not my ****ing money afterall.

[Sarb]

Some of you have it totally wrong on Will Hughes. Seriously. To even mention the kid in the same breath as Zaha and Shelvey is ridiculous. I remember some on here pissing and moaning that we didnt sign Zaha at the price he went for. Wont admit it now. If Hughes was playing at Schalke or some other foreign club, you'd all be up for this

I agree with Mr M. This kid is the real deal and he is a huge Liverpool fan. You'll be crying if he ends up at Utd or Arsenal because it will really be one that got away

He's been watched by top European clubs regularly, including Barcelona on quite a few occasions. He has great technique. Not afraid to tackle and not scared of the ball. He has that bravery Rodgers wants in his players, to keep the ball and pick a pass.

We can all say 'yeah but its only the Championship' but that is one seriously tough league and very physical. This kid is pretty slight but he has held his own. Said it before, he will get games here next season if he signs .