Liverpool transfer news recap – Kylian Mbappe claims, Khephren Thuram declines, Federico Valverde offers €90 million

Liverpool transfer news, rumors, gossip and speculation, including the latest developments on Federico Valverde, Victor Osimhen, Jeremy Doku, Khephren Thuram, Ryan Gravenberch, Jurgen Klopp, Nicolo Barella, Micky van de Ven and more

Liverpool are ready to take the next step in rebuilding their midfield following the signing of Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton & Hove Albion earlier this month. Absence from Champions League football did not stop Mac Allister from moving to Merseyside. The Argentine World Cup winner has signed a five-year deal at Anfield.

In today’s news, Liverpool have reportedly suffered a major transfer shock while OGC Nice are reportedly looking to keep midfielder Khephren Thuram for another season. While Chelsea would be “on the verge of investigating the Napoli attacker”, as reported by France. Send your thoughts to @LivEchoLFC and don’t forget to subscribe to our free Liverpool FC newsletter, our YouTube channel and listen to our Blood Red podcast – featuring all your favorite ECHO regulars including Paul Gorst, Ian Doyle, Joe Rimmer, Sean Bradbury, Theo Squires, Tom Cavilla, Keifer MacDonald and Charlotte Coates.

Brighton retain interest in the man Liverpool admire

According to Alex Crook, TalkSport’s chief football correspondent, Brighton and Hove Albion maintain their interest in young Chelsea defender Levi Colwill.
Last month, ECHO reported the Reds’ admiration for the 20-year-old as they stepped up their search for a defender, just days before the Seagulls saw a £30m bid from Chelsea rejected. At first it was suggested that Brighton would return with a club-record offer of £40million, but that never materialized. Despite this, they maintained their interest, while Liverpool kept their cards close to their chest.
To dash the hopes and dreams of both clubs, new Blues boss Mauricio Pochettino apparently wants to keep Colwill next season.

Salah wins Reds Goal of the Season

Mohamed Salah’s winning goal in Liverpool’s 1-0 win over Manchester City at Anfield last October was voted the club’s goal of the season.

A forgettable campaign was littered with many memorable moments, this being one of them. From Alisson’s impeccable ball over the top to Joao Cancelo’s Salah breakthrough and finishing past Ederson, it was a truly superb goal against the champion-elect.

Liverpool ‘Weiper eye’

Liverpool have reportedly been tracking Mainz youngster Nelson Weiper for the past two years.
That’s according to German publication BILD, via Sport Witness, which reports that “new demands keep coming” for the player as he continues to impress in the Bundesliga.
The report goes on to say that Liverpool have been “very keen” on Weiper for “more than two years” and have already wanted to “lure” him to Anfield.

Former Liverpool defender Max Thompson has died

Former Liverpool defender Max Thompson, the Reds’ youngest player at 36, has died aged 66.

Legendary manager Bill Shankly handed the youngster his debut against Tottenham Hotspur at the end of the 1973-74 season aged 17 years and 129 days, in Scotland’s iconic final season in charge.

In a tribute, the club said: “Liverpool FC is deeply saddened by the passing of former player Max Thompson.
“Thompson, once the youngest ever player for the Reds, has sadly passed away at the age of 66.

The Liverpool-born defender joined the club as a trainee before securing a professional contract.
Aged 17 years and 129 days, Thompson got his senior debut from Bill Shankly with a start in the last game of the 1973-74 season, a 1-1 draw away to Tottenham Hotspur.

“That club record would stand until May 2010 when Jack Robinson appeared in a Premier League match for Hull City aged 16.”

Phillips has been linked to Man United

Manchester United are reportedly preparing to stun Pep Guardiola with a transfer offer for midfielder Kalvin Phillips. According to Spanish publication Fichajes, United boss Erik ten Haag has given the green light to the transfer and is confident he can get the most out of the England star who has struggled to establish himself at Man City.

A fee of around £35m was reportedly paid, which is £10m less than Man City sent to Leeds last summer. The England international was linked with a move to Liverpool in April.

Rabiot extends his stay at Juve

Adrien Rabiot has extended his stay at Juventus after agreeing a new one-year contract with the club.
The French midfielder’s contract expired in the summer but he signed for another year with the Italian giants in a bid to end speculation over his future.

Manchester United have been heavily linked to Rabiot, with Liverpool also mentioned as a possible destination in previous reports.
The 28-year-old joined Juventus in 2019 after leaving PSG.

Doku ‘remains in Liverpool’s sights’

Rennes winger Jeremy Doku is said to be on Liverpool’s radar after emerging as a target for the Reds in 2018.

The youngster was offered a tour of Melwood and Anfield as a teenager in a bid to get him to join the club. A move was not forthcoming, but according to a report from L’Equipe, the Belgian star remains ‘in Liverpool’s sights’.

The article adds that Doku’s future at Rennes is “not certain” due to recent transfer speculation, with the player’s contract due to expire in two years.

Leeds are “interested” in Phillips

Leeds United would consider a transfer for Nat Phillips on a permanent basis.
The 26-year-old made just five appearances for Jurgen Klopp’s first team last season and has been close to leaving the club on more than one occasion.

What Liverpool will do with the defender this summer remains to be seen, although the Athletic have reported that Leeds are interested in signing Phillips.

Burnley finalize deal for ex-Liverpool goalkeeper

Burnley have finalized the signing of former Liverpool goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux.
Vigouroux left the Reds in 2016 after zero first team appearances to sign for Swindon Town and has since built a solid reputation in the EFL.

Last season he kept 24 clean sheets in the Second Division and helped Leyton Orient win the title. After his contract expired in the summer, he is now back in the Premier League.

Liverpool are ready for a €90m bid for Valverde

Liverpool have reportedly set aside €90m (£77m) for the services of Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde.

After Jude Bellingham’s arrival in the summer and the signing of new contracts for Toni Kroos and Luka Modric, the Uruguayan is a ‘main candidate’ to leave Los Blancos this summer.

It comes after a recent report from Spain, which said Liverpool were ready to pay £77million for Valverde, an offer the La Liga giants would be ‘very hard to refuse’.

The report adds that Carlo Ancelotti’s side will ‘weigh the pros and cons’ of keeping Valverde, which could be used as a ‘sacrifice’ to fund a Kylian Mbappe deal.

Bayern make €70m bid for Kane

It turns out that Bayern Munich have made a €70m offer for Harry Kane. This promises to be an interesting transfer saga…

The Firmino affair is heading towards the final stage

Roberto Firmino’s deal to join Al-Ahli, a Saudi team, is entering its final stages, it is suggested.

The Liverpool forward will officially become a free agent at the end of the month and will likely have to weigh up a number of offers as he prepares to choose his next club.

Yesterday it seemed that Saudi Arabia could be his next destination and Fabrizio Romano declared that he had a ‘three-year contract’ on the table. He adds that the final details are being discussed before the “green light”. Statement by Kylian Mbappé

Liverpool are set to rival Real Madrid over the signing of Kylian Mbappe this summer, it is said.

The Reds have previously been hinted at as a possible destination for the PSG star, who has long been sought after by Madrid.

Mbappé is expected to become the world’s most expensive player if he leaves his current employers, with the Ligue 1 giants holding on for a significant fee.

A latest update on the French international has suggested Liverpool have not given up hope of a deal for Mbappé, as FIFA agent Marco Kirdemuir clarified.

Speaking to Radio Marca, Kirdemuir insisted Liverpool were “riding competition against Real Madrid” before adding that the 24-year-old could receive an offer of up to €300m (£257m). Gravenberch outlines Bayern’s plan

Ryan Gravenberch has admitted he still expects to be at Bayern Munich next season.

The Dutch midfielder is a target for Liverpool alongside Gabri Veiga and Khephren Thuram and could make a move this summer after a frustrating first season in Germany.

Speaking to Algemeen Dagblad, he clarified his future and said: “I guess I will be at Bayern Munich again next season.

“That’s really how I am. I’m at one of the top three clubs in the world.” I think it’s beautiful and special. I don’t give up like that. My goal remains to succeed at FC Bayern.

Nice want to keep Thuram

Nice Khephren Thuram does not plan to sell this summer.
Liverpool are interested in the French midfielder who is currently representing his country at the European Under-21 Championship.

A recent player update from Nice Matin via GFFN made it clear that Nice would like to keep Thuram, despite speculation over his future. The player ‘doesn’t want to worry about the future of his club’ until he returns from the national team, a decision believed to have been made by his father and 1998 World Cup winner Lilian

Williams set to leave Liverpool on loan

Rhys Williams is set to leave Liverpool on loan again this summer.

ECHO understands that several clubs are interested in the 22-year-old, but Aberdeen are currently leading the charge for his signature.

Liverpool have close ties with the Scottish Premiership club and were impressed with the ease with which they were dealt with when Calvin Ramsay’s transfer to Anfield was discussed last summer. Meanwhile, both clubs were pleased with the success of Leighton Clarkson’s loan move to the Dons last season.

Clarkson has since moved permanently to Aberdeen and Williams could now follow in his former teammate’s footsteps at Pittodrie.