Will Hughes

[Catrin]

wasted development

I was just thinking (went to the bog and forgot to take something to read) that when we sign young British players loaning them to foreign clubs would aid their development. What would help Will Hughes's become the player we wanted him to be? Back playing for Derby or a few months with ....Auxerre?

[baitman]

I was just thinking (went to the bog and forgot to take something to read) that when we sign young British players loaning them to foreign clubs would aid their development. What would help Will Hughes's become the player we wanted him to be? Back playing for Derby or a few months with ....Auxerre?

we might need to loan him back to derby to get the go ahead with the deal, but imho i would look to then loan him elsewhere after this to build his experience and man strength so he is fully ready to go into the team when he comes back.

i know we need bodies in there right now, but with someone of his potential it might be prudent to better develop him before he gets chucked in.

[danperkins]

Buy him and loan him to promoted premier league side or lower premier side.

[little dave hedgehog]

i thought we were upset about spending millions on players who aren't ready to make an instant impact on our first team right away. are we not upset about that anymore?

[baitman]

i thought we were upset about spending millions on players who aren't ready to make an instant impact on our first team right away. are we not upset about that anymore?

for squaddies, yes.

but will hughes is the great white albino hope, the new gerald, xavi and iniesta all rolled into one

[little dave hedgehog]

gerald

[Yozza]

From BBC rumours... (link is to The Rag so won't post it) Liverpool have beaten Arsenal to the signing of Derby midfielder Will Hughes and will sign the 18-year-old in a £12m deal during the January transfer window.

[frank the tank]

I half-expected this after Andre going there on loan recently.... i wouldn't have been surprised to see us sign him on a pre-conny and take him next summer but in reality it would be good to see him get some substitute game time after xmas and then hopefully be a first teamer steamer next season onwards....

Apparently he is the mutts nuts but to be perfectly honest, i don't know how appropriate the championship is as a guide.... i am hoping that the fee is based on him doing well....

[Cormack74]

From BBC rumours... (link is to The Rag so won't post it) Liverpool have beaten Arsenal to the signing of Derby midfielder Will Hughes and will sign the 18-year-old in a £12m deal during the January transfer window.

Blimey I hope that's:

- overstated

- in installments

- based on appearances

- conditional on us winning the champions league

I think he's got something about him but not for that kind of money.

[Mattshark]

Blimey I hope that's:

- overstated

- in installments

- based on appearances

- conditional on us winning the champions league

I think he's got something about him but not for that kind of money.

Especially as the gap between championship and the prem is so big.

[~LFCHistory~]

He'll be the next Shelvey for us but will cost us 6 times more , excellent in the championship steps up to LFC and spends most of his time on the bench or in the reserves because we can't gamble and give game time to a kid who probably isn't actually that good because the goal of CL qualification is too important.
He'll spend 2 years here plying his trade on the bench before he gets fed up and we loan him out to Swansea/Villa and sell for 5 million.

[Sarb]

I'll say the price is silly but I'll have to disagree on the comparisons to Shelvey. He is miles better than Shelvey and has the ability and technique to fit in the system we play. He is a massive talent

[Chazza]

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

Also Shelvey was playing in league 1 when we bought him and played the majority of his games for Charlton at that level. Jumping two divisions was always going to be a big ask.

[~LFCHistory~]

I'll say the price is silly but I'll have to disagree on the comparisons to Shelvey. He is miles better than Shelvey and has the ability and technique to fit in the system we play. He is a massive talent

I'm not saying he's a similar player to Shelvey but like Jonjo and all the other youth/reserve players it's almost impossible at this club for them to break into the first team which is understandable given the circumstances, however spending 12 million on a completely unproven kid is utter madness when you look at our track record with young players in recent years and the incredible amount of money we've wasted on them.

[Sarb]

I'm not saying he's a similar player to Shelvey but like Jonjo and all the other youth/reserve players it's almost impossible at this club for them to break into the first team which is understandable given the circumstances, however spending 12 million on a completely unproven kid is utter madness when you look at our track record with young players in recent years and the incredible amount of money we've wasted on them.

I agree with that. I think I made the point last week about having no plan when we sign youngsters eg. Ilori playing in the U21s with little chance of breaking into the first team. Hughes should be loaned out if we sign him if club feels he isn't quite ready. But I think he could play quite a few games for us next season