Liverpool to compete with Atletico Madrid for 21-year-old talent’s signature

Liverpool is reportedly set to compete with Atletico Madrid and other top European clubs for the signature of PSV Eindhoven’s Ricardo Pepi.

The 21-year-old United States international has been in excellent form for PSV this season, scoring six goals in 11 Eredivisie matches—just one goal shy of his total from last season. Pepi netted seven goals in 27 league appearances during the 2023/24 campaign, helping PSV secure the Eredivisie title with a commanding seven-point lead over Feyenoord, managed by Arne Slot.

Now, Pepi appears to be attracting attention from some of Europe’s biggest clubs, including Liverpool. According to CaughtOffside, the Reds are reportedly monitoring the forward, who could be available for a rumored fee of $26.4m (£20.8m/€25m).

Atletico Madrid is also said to be keeping an eye on Pepi, alongside Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. Currently, while Liverpool’s attacking options are strong, the team is left with just one fit striker, Darwin Nunez, due to Diogo Jota’s injury.

The Athletic recently reported that Jota is expected to be sidelined for “about a week after the international break,” meaning he will miss matches against Southampton, Real Madrid, and Manchester City. Unless there is a tactical change, Nunez is likely to lead the attack for Liverpool in these games.

With Jota’s ongoing fitness issues, questions are being raised about whether Liverpool should target a new striker in January, particularly with their strong push for the Premier League title this season. Jota has not managed to complete a full Premier League campaign for Liverpool, with the only time he played more than 30 league matches coming in the 2021/22 season.

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£676,000-a-year player makes a plea for Liverpool move

Liverpool has now gone through two consecutive transfer windows without signing a new center-back. Despite exploring options, they have opted not to make any moves, partly due to the rise of Jarrel Quansah.

Joel Matip departed the club as a free agent at the end of last season, leaving Liverpool’s management with a clear but limited focus.

Recent reports suggest that Liverpool is in a position to secure a signing for under £50 million.

Currently, Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate are the primary choices for the center-back role, with Quansah as backup. Michael Edwards understands that the team could face a defensive crisis with just one injury, emphasizing the need for action in the upcoming months.

One player actively seeking a move to Liverpool is Bologna’s Sam Beukema. The Dutch defender expressed his interest, stating (CorSport via SW): “There are so many fantastic teams in England, so if another great club like Liverpool came along I would be happy to go there one day.”

Beukema had a standout season with Bologna, helping them qualify for the UEFA Champions League for the first time. The 25-year-old made 29 appearances in Serie A under current Juventus manager Thiago Motta, achieving 13 clean sheets.

Earlier this month, he played for 62 minutes at Anfield during a Champions League match that Arne Slot’s team won 2-0.

Beukema’s contract with Bologna runs until the summer of 2027, and he earns approximately £676,000 annually. Whether he will realize his ambition of playing for Liverpool remains to be seen.