Arne Slot is convinced: he wants his £67m target at Liverpool

Head Coach Arne Slot is said to be eager for Liverpool to acquire a highly-rated midfielder from Benfica in January.

Slot experienced a relatively subdued summer transfer window, with only Federico Chiesa and Giorgi Mamardashvili joining the club; the latter will stay at Valencia until next summer.

The Reds will have the opportunity to strengthen their squad again in January, but it’s uncertain if any new players will come to Anfield this winter.

Slot desires Kokcu

According to the Portuguese outlet *Record*, Slot is looking to reunite with former Feyenoord captain Orkun Kokcu, who has made a fantastic start to the season.

The 23-year-old midfielder has scored four goals and provided three assists in nine matches across all competitions. With Slot also enjoying a strong start, having won six of his first seven Premier League games, it seems like a promising pairing.

Kokcu led Slot’s Feyenoord team to the Eredivisie title in the 2022-23 season, and the coach believes that Kokcu could further enhance the Liverpool squad, which faces a busy campaign.

Liverpool previously acquired Darwin Nunez from Benfica, but he hasn’t found much success at Anfield. The Reds would hope that if they secure a move for Kokcu, he would fare better at the club.

Kokcu’s contract with Benfica runs until 2028 and reportedly includes a release clause of around £103 million, although the Portuguese club is said to be asking for £67 million for him in January. However, they appear hesitant to let one of their key players depart.

With Slot seemingly aiming to strengthen the midfield, it raises questions about his satisfaction with the current lineup. Given the success Kokcu and Slot have had together, it seems plausible that the Dutchman always intended to bring the midfielder to Merseyside.

More news……

Liverpool open to discussions to acquire Chelsea underperformer for €35 million.

The 23-year-old Ukrainian international has struggled to meet expectations since his transfer to Stamford Bridge and has faced criticism for his performances.

A fresh start away from Chelsea could benefit the winger, and Liverpool appears to be a potential destination for him soon.

According to Fichajes, Liverpool is exploring options to replace Mohamed Salah and is monitoring the Chelsea winger. The report indicates that Liverpool is prepared to negotiate a deal for the Ukrainian at around €35 million, with the total package possibly reaching €50 million, though it’s uncertain if an agreement will be reached.

This potential move would be surprising, considering Mudryk’s performance for Chelsea, where he has scored seven goals in 64 appearances. Salah has been an elite player for Liverpool, and substituting him with the Chelsea player would seem illogical for the club.

Additionally, the signing is likely to be unpopular with fans.

Chelsea aims to part ways with Mykhailo Mudryk

The Blues invested €100 million in the player and are fully aware that selling him would likely mean accepting a significant loss. Recovering €50 million for him could be a reasonable option as they seek to minimize their losses.

Chelsea can reinvest the funds from his sale into their squad.

It will be intriguing to see how this situation unfolds in the coming months. Salah is among the best players globally, and Liverpool will need to find a suitable replacement. It seems improbable that Mudryk could adequately fill the gap left by him.