Agents are arriving for negotiations as Arne Slot gets closer to making his first transfer to Liverpool

Although Liverpool has not added a new player to the roster this summer, rumours have it that they are nearing finalising an agreement to bring Takefusa Kubo to Anfield as a long-term replacement for Mohamed Salah.

Takefusa Kubo, a star player for Real Sociedad, is reportedly close to joining Liverpool. The Japan international is expected to be Arne Slot’s first acquisition.

After over nine years in charge, Slot has taken over as manager of Liverpool, ushering in a new era. Rumours from Japan indicate that Kubo is nearing the completion of a high-profile move to Anfield.

After the player’s representatives visited England, the deal is reportedly “in the final stages,” according to the Japanese publication Sponichi. Kubo is expected to cost Liverpool about £55 million; according to the report, he has been selected as Mohamed Salah’s long-term replacement.

Along with Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold, Salah has entered the final year of his contract. However, Mirror Football has learnt that Liverpool has decided not to sell him this summer, even if he chooses not to sign a new contract.

This month, Richard Hughes, Liverpool’s sporting director, stated, “I don’t think it would be fair for me to talk about contractual situations.” “The club and the players are discussing these in private.

“The only concern I and Arne have about situations is total commitment from the players to the cause for next season and we’re absolutely convinced that will be the case.” At Anfield, Kubo will meet up with Wataru Endo, his international teammate.

The 23-year-old helped Sociedad finish sixth in La Liga and earn a spot in the Europa League last season with 12 goal involvements in 41 games. Additionally, Zinedine Zidane is a big admirer of Kubo after praising his efforts while the player was still signed by Real Madrid during a loan at Mallorca.

When Kubo was first mentioned by Zidane in 2019, “I think he’s having a good season,” “We’re all happy that he’s playing a lot. He is a really intriguing talent both now and in the future. That he’s doing well pleases me.

Of course, it would be preferable if he stayed at home tomorrow. I encourage him to keep going in this direction and wish him the best. But we won’t make a decision about his future until the summer.

We’ll deal with that eventually. Should Kubo successfully complete his move to Anfield, he will join Endo, Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma, Arsenal’s Takehiro Tomiyasu, Daichi Kamada, who just signed for Crystal Palace, Southampton’s Yukinari Sugawara and Renato Takaoka, and Kubo as the seventh Japanese player to play in the Premier League the following season.