footballtopstar

Blog

Liverpool could encounter an unexpected Levi Colwill problem. As Chelsea turns the tables on Jörg Schmadtke

Liverpool may have thought they had the upper hand in the race for Levi Colwill, but the landscape is very different now to earlier summer.

Liverpool reportedly pushed hard to sign Mason Mount from Chelsea, but the midfielder opted instead for arch-rivals Manchester United.

According to The Athletic, the Reds were willing to pay Mount a salary at the same ballpark (at least $321,000/£250,000/€292,000 a week with bonuses) as United, and made an offer to do so.

Eventually, the club had no choice but to move on to other targets and were able to sign Dominik Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig for almost the same fee of $76m (£60m/€70m).

It was somewhat surprising that Liverpool even went after Mount from the start, not because he wouldn’t be a good fit for Jürgen Klopp’s side, but because they would normally consider a player from a Premier League rival off-limits.

Yes, he had just one year left on his contract, but it’s telling that Liverpool haven’t signed a Chelsea player on a permanent basis since Daniel Sturridge in 2012. And it’s also fair to say that Mount was a far more important figure for the Blues .

But on the way to the window, Liverpool knew Chelsea would be in a weak position. The Times reported that the Blues would need a “fire sale” to ensure they could meet financial fair play rules in the face of a record $770m (£600m/€700m) outlay under Todd Boehly and two losing seasons, partly the result of the sanctions imposed on the club in the last mob of the Roman Abramovich era.

Furthermore, Chelsea had an added incentive to sell academy graduates like Mount as they could count the transfers as pure profit on his books.

But less than a month into the window, which only opened on June 14, the club allayed their concerns with a masterful series of deals totaling $242m (£189m/£221m euros).

The rather sudden rise to prominence in the Saudi Pro League has benefited them, with Kalidou Koulibaly and Édouard Mendy taking a total of $46m (£36m/€42m) from their respective moves to Al-Hilal and Al-Ahli, but like us, it’s also where they’ve secured hugely competitive fees for young stars like Kai Havertz (US$83m/£65m/€76m) and Mount.

Liverpool still have a strong interest in one of Chelsea’s England campaigners – centre-back Levi Colwill (according to David Lynch/The Redmen TV) – but now it’s the Reds who are in a weaker negotiating position due to restrictions regulations.

Liverpool were only able to name 24 players instead of 25 to their Premier League squad last season as they could not meet their self-imposed quota of eight players and have since removed Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner from that list already reduced.

Curtis Jones could fill one of the spots but previous Liverpool signings – Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister – failed to solve the problem.

In short, it is important, although not essential, that the club bring a local or a young person under the age of 22 to their next move.

It’s a safe bet that rival clubs are aware of this predicament and willing to capitalize on Liverpool’s new weakness by demanding service after the club slipped to fifth place. Since only release clauses have been activated so far, this issue is still open.

Chelsea are already reluctant to sell Colwill. The Guardian have reported they have no plans to sack the defender after rejecting a $39million bid from Brighton. Instead, it is hoped to tie him to a new long-term contract and end the speculation.

But even if he were to turn down a new contract because he sees no chance in the first team, and Chelsea are at least willing to consider approaches, it will be a very difficult negotiation for Liverpool.

Sporting director and chief negotiator Jörg Schmadtke should know that it would be a big challenge to reach an acceptable agreement.

More news…..

Arsenal and Liverpool receive a £85m transfer boost with Kylian Mbappe’s future in spotlight

Arsenal and Liverpool could boost their transfer hopes with Kylian Mbappe.

Arsenal and Liverpool could agree a surprise £85million deal for Federico Valverde or Aurelien Tchouameni, while Real Madrid are hoping to raise funds to buy Kylian Mbappe. According to reports in the Spanish media, Los Blancos are ready to sell one of the midfielders this summer.

Madrid are desperate to finally make the long-awaited transfer of French star Mbappé. They are aware that they could finally have a chance to assert themselves in the coming months as the striker is likely to leave Paris Saint-Germain.

Mbappe’s contract with PSG is just one year old and it is widely reported that he is interested in leaving the club once his deal expires. However, the Parisians don’t want to lose their best player for nothing and want to recoup at least some of the £165m they paid Monaco in 2017.

It has been claimed that Madrid are making a huge offer for Mbappe. However, they may have to sell one of their biggest stars which could mean a big boost for Arsenal and Liverpool.

According to Spanish journalist Juan Ignacio G-Ochoa, the La Liga giants will make Valverde and Tchouameni available for around £68-85m.

Arsenal and Liverpool have both been linked with the duo. Speaking to Radio Marca about Real’s deal, the journalist said: “They will make a very big investment for Kylian. They could sell Valverde or Tchouameni and bring in 80-100 million euros if an offer comes along.

While a £68-85m outlay for either club would eat up much of both clubs’ remaining budgets, signing either player would complete their respective rejuvenation. in the middle of the field.

Meanwhile, Mbappe has hinted at another move after claiming a career should be ‘selfish’ and stressing he was ‘never satisfied’. Speaking to L’Equipe, the 24-year-old said: “I push my own limits first. People don’t really like it when they say that, but a career is selfish, it’s the yours is what you leave behind.”

“Actually, I’m always dissatisfied, so I’m never impressed with what I do. It’s already the first key to understanding myself, because in everything I do, I tell myself that I can do it again and better.”

July 11, 2023
As the $156 million reality surfaces, Liverpool’s summer transfer spending might not be over.

Liverpool are on the right side of the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules

With the summer transfer window well and truly in full swing, the staggering sums being paid in the Premier League to sign new players seem unstoppable.

Arsenal will soon make Declan Rice the most expensive English signing in the Premier League, with the West Ham United midfielder expected to complete a £105m move to London.

Elsewhere there has been significant spending from the likes of Manchester United, who spent £60m to sign Mason Mount from Chelsea, and Newcastle United spent £55m to bring Italian midfielder Sandro Tonali to Tyneside.

The question of staying under the radar of the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules runs deeper at some clubs than others.

Under P&S rules, clubs could lose £5million a year or £35million if backed by secure funding (i.e. firm commitment by owners or co-ownership, where owners’ loans are not sufficient).

It is being monitored over a three-year period, meaning a total of £105m could be lost over those three years. Failure to comply with the rules can lead to a variety of sanctions being imposed on the club, from fines to possible point deductions.

Due to the significant financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the Premier League has allowed the 2019/20 and 2020/21 periods to be combined and valued as an average of the two.

Chelsea’s huge transfer spending during the first two transfer windows of the Todd Boehly/Clearlake Capital scheme, which has seen over £600m in transfer fees, means some serious cuts are needed this summer, with artists from the the likes of Mount, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Mateo Kovacic, Edouard Mendy, Kalidou Koulibaly and Kai Havertz all emerge from the exit door at Stamford Bridge.

Some of these outflows occurred in time to be accounted for before the end of the fiscal year on June 30, while others won’t be visible until the 2023/24 accounting period.

This means there will likely be scrutiny of spending from the London side, although they will argue they are making the right choices and some of the deals will be amortized over up to nine years. – a gap, which is now closed by UEFA.

It was already an important summer break for Liverpool.

Two midfielders have joined Alexis Mac Allister (£35m from Brighton & Hove Albion) and Dominik Szoboszlai (£60m from RB Leipzig), taking the spending already to £95m. It’s possible the spend will approach or even exceed the £150m mark by the start of the season.

For Liverpool, the focus has long been not on whether or not it can escape the rigorous scrutiny of P&S regulations, but on how many deals will affect the results of a football club that owns the one of the strongest records in European football. This is largely supported by the financial approach it takes compared to some of its competitors.

But how much leeway must Liverpool spend without getting unwanted knocks on the door from the Premier League’s watchdogs of profitability and sustainability?

In terms of knowing the exact P&S position of Premier League clubs at the moment it is nearly impossible to crack as clubs are now in new financial cycles for 2023/24 and accounts for 2022/23 are not due until they are made public in late 2023, early 2024.

However, looking at the 2021/22 accounts gives a pretty good indication of where the clubs have gone this summer.

Figures presented by football finance expert Swiss Ramble show the Reds posted an operating loss of £75m over the three-year reporting period. Although a significant figure on the face of it, only Brentford, Burnley, Wolves and Tottenham Hotspur fared better, with Chelsea the worst performers with an operating loss of £552m.

For Chelsea, meanwhile, £269m in profit from player sales helped recover from the previous record figure, with Liverpool sixth-best player with £106m in profit from player sales on the period.

Next, the net interest payable by Premier League clubs, namely interest on bond borrowings and refinancings, was assessed.

While Spurs actually made an operating profit of £5m over the three years, net interest payments for the North London side amounted to £106m linked to funding deals of the construction of the stadium.

Manchester United came second on this list with £91m. This sum was linked to the Glazer family’s leveraged takeover of the Old Trafford team in 2005. Liverpool’s place on this list was 11th at £10m.

Putting all of the above together, plus any gains from property sales, just four Premier League clubs reported pre-tax profits over the three-year reporting period. Brentford were top performers with £45m, followed by Burnley with £40m, Wolves with £26m and Liverpool with £24m.

The team that fared worst is the side with the biggest P&S headache in the Premier League right now, Everton, with the Toffees losing £287m. Of the so-called ‘big six’, three (Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea) were in the bottom five.

Despite heavy losses for some clubs, the main elements of this affect P&S regulation. Premier League P&S rules allow deductions for infrastructure investment, women’s football, youth development, community investment and depreciation of fixed assets (physical assets such as stadiums).

In the case of Spurs, the fall in value (£169m) due to the investment in the new stadium was by far the largest in the Premier League. Liverpool were about halfway there at £30million.

Liverpool’s allowable deductions for all of the above were £73million, the seventh highest in the Premier League but the lowest of any so-called ‘Big Six’.

Swiss Ramble’s analysis showed that, taking into account all factors, including the deduction of losses directly attributable to COVID, nine clubs were profitable under P&S regulations during the three-year period under review.

This gives an indication of the leeway clubs have in this new season, although some clubs looking at negative positions, such as Arsenal (loss of £7m), are boosted by a return to profit-making nature.

of the Champions League. to positively change their position in the future, as well as all cost-saving measures taken during the financial year just ended.

In Liverpool’s case, the Reds are negotiating a profit of £141m under P&S rules, the second-highest profit in the Premier League, behind only Spurs, who are at £231m, largely due to the amount raised by could be deducted from their position Investment in the stadium is the main reason for the negative financial impact.

Compared to their other ‘Big Six’ rivals, Manchester United are in the dark at £28m, Manchester City have plenty of room at £109m, while Chelsea still have work to do to reverse its loss of £131 million during the period in relation to the P&S rules.

However, it is a position where the profit from player sales will help significantly, especially since the sale of Mount to United and the departure of Loftus-Cheek to AC Milan are counted as pure profit because this are products of the academy. For other sales, you only see profit above book value.

However, losses of up to £105million would be allowed for some clubs based on the latest available financial information, including Everton and Chelsea, who are given such leeway. However, this is due to the fact that the clubs benefit from secure financing (irrevocable commitment of the owners / equity financing).

In the case of Liverpool, they would be entitled to a loss of £15m (£156m wiggle room on addition and valuation under P&S rules) over that period, based on information financial statements for the three-year period covered until the end of the financial year in May 2022.

because the owners did not have to make such a commitment to support the expenses in this way and therefore did not respond. The same goes for Manchester United and Arsenal (allowed £15m) and Manchester City (allowed £30m).

Bottom line, Liverpool have little to worry about potentially breaching P&S rules this summer, even if they have to keep spending big before the new season starts. However, for some of their rivals, the math will be more of a headache.

July 11, 2023
Exclusive Trent Alexander-Arnold Liverpool must be nearly flawless to compete with Man City for the Premier League championship.

Liverpool finished last season 22 points behind champions Manchester City, despite finding form in the closing months of the season to finish fifth; Watch Chelsea vs Liverpool on Super Sunday 13th August live on Sky Sports, kick off 4.30pm.

Trent Alexander-Arnold says it is “needed” for Liverpool to finish higher in the Premier League table next season and admits they need to be “almost perfect” to challenge Manchester City.
Jürgen Klopp’s side missed out on the Champions League, finishing fifth the previous season, 22 points behind Manchester City.

When asked how confident he was in Liverpool as they improve from fifth place, the England international exclusively told Sky Sports News: “I think as a club we need to be honest.

You know, we respect every competition we play in, but if you he asked around this time last year, would you like to finish fifth, we would all say no and same thing again.

“Do we want to finish fifth next season? No. We want to win the league, we want to rise to the challenge and be in the hunt for the title and in Champions League football, so it’s disappointing not to be there next season.”

“We know how to win the league, we know how to challenge and match City and you have to be close to perfection all season, so that’s our target.”

To be close to perfection, Liverpool need to improve their away form. Defeats like Wolves and Bournemouth have cost them dearly.

“It’s consistency,” Alexander-Arnold said. “Throughout the season we’ve had good results against the big teams, but we’ve lost points and lost points, especially away from home. So those are the things that we all naturally thought about and that we have to correct.

The 24-year-old impressed in a hybrid role for his club in the latter stages of the previous season, playing as an inverted right-back pushing through midfield.
He then played in forward midfield for England in the recent Euro 2024 qualifiers, brilliant against Malta and North Macedonia.

Asked about the prospect of playing a similar role next season, a smile breaks out and his eyes sparkle.

“It’s not my decision,” Alexander-Arnold said. “I only play where I’m told so all I can say is I love playing football, I love playing at right-back and I love playing at centre-back over a large part of the playing field.”

“It’s a place where I find joy and I like the challenge of both. So you know I would love to play there next season, but it’s not up to me to choose where to play.”

Upon his return to Liverpool pre-season training, Alexander-Arnold will work alongside new midfield signings Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, a pair he describes as a “dream player” as they can use his skills to increase his number of assists.

Liverpool’s preparatory training methods are notoriously difficult and Alexander-Arnold recently returned from a week-long preparatory training camp in Oregon, USA, to help his body prepare: “They are really difficult, I would say.” They last. I would say that some pre-seasons are longer than others.
“Overall, I like them.

You know, I love being with the team, traveling, staying in hotels and being together like a base camp where you can socialize and get to know each other.

“You are growing together and you are all working for the coming season. It’s exciting because nobody knows how it’s going to go, but you go to work hoping for the best and making sure you understand.”

Liverpool start the new Premier League season at Chelsea on Sunday August 13 live on Sky Sports. The west Londoners have a new head coach in Mauricio Pochettino but the Reds defender is aiming for a fast start to the season: “They struggled last season.

I’m sure they brought in a good coach, they brought in. “I lost a few players and got rid of a lot. I’m sure they’re just trying to find stability and work from there.

“Under the new manager they will have time to work on that and hopefully find stability, but for us and myself right now my focus is just on Liverpool and making sure we let’s get off to a good start.”

Liverpool’s 2023/24 Premier League fixtures

Sky Sports News spoke to Trent Alexander-Arnold at Under Armor’s Human Performance Center in Portland, where he was attending a pre-season training camp.

Liverpool open the 2023/24 Premier League season with a match against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, which will be shown live on Sky Sports on Sunday August 13. This weekend opener will be Mauricio Pochettino’s first game as Blues manager while Everton travel to Anfield in the first Merseyside derby of the season on October 21.

Jurgen Klopp’s side will meet champions Man City at the Etihad on November 25 and in December Liverpool will face Man Utd and Arsenal in back-to-back home matches on December 16 and 23.

On January 31 and February 3, respectively, and March 9 and 17, respectively, Man City visit Anfield before Liverpool travels across Stanley Park to play Everton the following week, the Reds also have challenging-looking matches against Chelsea at home and away, respectively.

On April 6, Klopp’s team travels to Old Trafford, where on the final day of the season, the Reds play Wolves.

July 11, 2023
Mauricio Pochettino holds important Chelsea transfer talks for $87m deal amid Moises Caicedo concern

Chelsea transfer news: The Blues’ latest media briefing reacts to stories surrounding Dusan Vlahovic and Moises Caicedo, with the pair strongly linked with a move to Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea talks to Vlahovic

Chelsea are moving forward with plans to speak to Juventus about striker Dusan Vlahovic as they look for a new first-choice striker for Mauricio Pochettino.
The Blues have already signed new Senegalese signing Nicolas Jackson and versatile striker Christopher Nkunku, but are really looking for a surefire answer to their goal-scoring problem.

Now Italian journalist Rudy Galetti writes that Chelsea will hold talks with the player and a price of £68m ($87m) has been set.

He writes: “Vlahovic, talks between Chelsea and Juventus are about to begin. The Italian club – without UCL – must sell and has already set its price: around 80 million euros to let him go. Pochettino wants the Serbian striker: the situation is evolving”.

“Everything has been confirmed since mid-June: Chelsea are interested in Vlahovic and are negotiating with Juventus. There will be discussions in the coming days. Pochettino considers Dusan the ideal striker.”

football.london says: We’ve seen it before. Chelsea are looking for a proven striker in Italy as their scoring problem continues to worsen. Romelu Lukaku is among the terrible transfers alongside Alvaro Morata and Gonzalo Higuain.

Juventus have a good winning record when Chelsea meet them and although Vlahovic has shown immense skill and quality, it’s hard to shake the feeling that they could do it again here.

The Blues will be hoping he’s just 23 and still has his prime ahead of him, and he certainly fulfills the traits of a potential Pochettino signing. We only fear that every big-name striker will come to the club.

Realistically, however, Jackson is an unknown quantity and unlikely to immediately fill a void that needs to be filled immediately to succeed under Pochettino in season one.

In Vlahovic, he would certainly find a player who would become unbeatable and immensely important; it’s much harder to predict how well that would translate to goals.

Reports have it that Chelsea transfer target Moises Caicedo fears he could be denied a move to Stamford Bridge this summer. The 21-year-old has given the green light to join the Blues but now has to wait for an agreement between the clubs.

The Seagulls are demanding £100m ($128m) for the player after Declan Rice’s Arsenal move fee shapes the midfielder’s market and Caicedo now fears Chelsea won’t match the valuation of Brighton and let it be unchanged.

football.london says: Caicedo has already shown he is willing to stray for a transfer, having in fact submitted an exit request in January.

However, after Chelsea agreed to him being sold in the summer, he has more power than meets the eye. Brighton themselves have proven with Alexis Mac Allister that signing a new deal, as Caicedo did, does not necessarily mean an easy deal is out of the question.

Chelsea now have carte blanche at Caicedo, with Manchester United and Arsenal doing business elsewhere in midfield and the player keen on a move to London.

Everything indicates that a deal is in the works and that should really get things going. Whether the stalemate lasts long enough for a side to concede ahead of pre-season remains to be seen.

What is clear, however, is that it is in the interest of all parties at this time to find common ground in this window to cross the finish line.

More news…….

Mauricio Pochettino dismisses Premier League attack on Manchester City in first Chelsea interview

Mauricio Pochettino has spoken for the first time since being confirmed as Chelsea’s new manager ahead of the 2023-24 season

Mauricio Pochettino took aim at Manchester City in his first interview as Chelsea manager. The Argentinian signed a two-year contract – with an option for a third – with the club last month and officially began his new role on Saturday 1 July.

Chelsea hope Pochettino can lead the club back into the Champions League and constantly compete for trophies.

The Blues boss has already welcomed Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku to Stamford Bridge as Chelsea finalize transfer matters this summer.

Edouard Mendy, Kalidou Koulibaly, N’Golo Kante, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Mateo Kovacic and Kai Havertz set out for new challenges. More signings and departures are expected as Pochettino looks to freshen up the squad ahead of his crucial first season as manager.

City have set the standard in the Premier League over the past six years, winning five titles and dominating domestic competition. Pep Guardiola’s side scored a historic treble last season and eventually won the Champions League.

Chelsea finished 45 points behind City last Premier League season and Pochettino was tasked with closing the gap early on.

The Argentine is clearly delighted with his chance at Stamford Bridge and has already said everything fans have been dying to hear from his new manager.

In his first Cobham interview, Pochettino delivered a scathing dig at City with some big claims about Chelsea’s history and achievements over the past decade. The 51-year-old said:

“I think it’s important and it’s a winning culture. Chelsea have been the best team in England for 10, 12, 15 years.

“I know the Premier League very well and what the culture of Chelsea means. I think our fans are looking forward to getting back on track and trying to win.”

The Blues are clearly planning a quick return to the top of the Premier League.

Pochettino is pushing to bring in Moises Caicedo from Brighton following the arrivals of Jackson and Nkunku – and Chelsea are hoping the new signings can make a bigger impact than some of their previous signings in the past 12 months.

July 11, 2023
An additional “phenomenal” player is what Liverpool is currently concentrating on.

Romeo Lavia of Southampton is reportedly the midfielder that Liverpool is most interested in signing.

Club officials are huge admirers of the young player’s resume.

According to the Daily Mail+, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have already been replaced by Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, and 32-year-old Thiago Alcantara has also been linked with a transfer away from Anfield. This summer, Liverpool are eager to lower the average age of their squad.

Lavia, a 19-year-old who had a breakthrough season in the Premier League last year with the Saints despite their relegation back to the Championship, is the player who Liverpool may choose to sign next. But there is stiff competition for the youngster that the Reds must deal with.

Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester United are reportedly all interested in Lavia, and with Liverpool looking to sell before they can spend again, the Anfield club could miss out on the Belgian international if they are overly cautious.

Given that Liverpool needs Lavia to complete their midfield, this would be a fantastic signing for them. And since club insiders are now convinced that signing the Southampton star is a good idea, something needs to be done quickly to make a deal happen.

Liverpool cannot afford to hold out for a Lavia deal.

Lavia, hailed as a “phenomenal” talent by Total Football Analysis, is undoubtedly one of England’s most promising young players. The Reds must make sure they outbid Liverpool for the midfielder in the upcoming weeks given that the Reds are now interested in signing the 19-year-old.

As far as we are aware, Liverpool has the standing and resources necessary to execute such a deal. Although the Reds are taking their time, other teams may soon catch up to Liverpool in the race to sign Lavia, who might not want to hold out all summer for a transfer.

More news……..

Arsenal’s $49 million transfer could cause Liverpool to fall behind, but Jürgen Klopp’s next move may offer a solution.

Liverpool must retaliate after agreeing to a significant $50 million transfer with Arsenal, but the Reds have already found a player who can put them back on top.

The best and most complete center-back depth in all of football may have been Liverpool’s entering the previous two seasons.

The Reds had an all-time great in Virgil van Dijk, one of the top young defensive players in Ibrahima Konaté, and one of the most underrated players in Jol Matip, who was a major part of the team’s 2019 season.
victory in the Champions League.

Because of his inconsistency, it’s probably fair to say that Joe Gomez was the weakest of the four, but at his best, he was at the very least a match for any English center-back.

But in 2022/23, Konaté was the only player who truly delivered, and even then, he missed so much time due to injury (roughly three months in total) that his replacements’ shortcomings became apparent.

While Gomez violently oscillated between strong performances and error-filled nightmares, Matip struggled and appeared as though his own injury issues had finally caught up with him.

Of course, Van Dijk’s sudden decline after being virtually unbeatable for so long gave his opponents renewed vigor.

You could make the case that Arsenal, who finished second in the 22/23 season, currently has the advantage when it comes to center-halves.

William Saliba is on the path to becoming a world-class player, and many have blamed Arsenal’s collapse at the end of last season on his injury-enforced absence.
Konaté may be his long-term partner in the France XI.

Mikel Arteta will center his team around Saliba, who just signed a new, long-term contract after an outstanding debut season.

Ben White, who played right back for the majority of last season but can also play as the ideal modern center-half, Gabriel, who does make the occasional mistake but is still better than Gomez and Matip at this point, Jakub Kiwior, the $26 million (£20 million/€23 million) 23-year-old who should be much more prominent in his second season, and Gabriel.

Importantly, according to Sky Sports, Arsenal has reached an agreement with Ajax to pay the Dutch powerhouse $49 million (£39 million/€45 million) for Jurri Timber. Arsenal’s defense is elevated by Timber, a former Eredivisie player of the year.

The Gunners currently appear to be in a position to compete with Manchester City in this area, though it’s unclear how Pep Guardiola’s roster will look given that Aymeric Laporte is reportedly “almost certain” to leave, according to The Athletic.

Joko Gvardiol is available at RB Leipzig, and Manchester City wants to acquire him (per BBC Sport), giving Guardiola an unmatched array of options. However, it is unclear whether the club will be successful in closing the deal.

Meanwhile, Liverpool will try to reclaim the top spot on the list by bringing in a fresh face; if a spot opens up, Chelsea’s Levi Colwill might be the ideal candidate (via David Lynch/The Redmen TV). It should be a priority to add another defender after already adding two midfielders (to strengthen the team rather than just to compete with Arsenal, although the two can occur simultaneously).

Even though Chelsea is frantically trying to keep him, Colwill, a crucial member of the England under-21 team that just won the European Championships without conceding a goal, is one of the best long-term additions the Reds could make. Liverpool is also taking into consideration some other options.

Liverpool must not get ahead of itself, however, regardless of who enters. With the addition of Declan Rice, Timber, and Kai Havertz for a total of more than $256 million (£200 million/€233 million), Arsenal may have made sure that its unexpected title challenge won’t be a passing fad.

Liverpool may naturally concentrate on City as the standard, but Arteta’s team, who finished 17 points ahead of them last season, must be passed as the first objective.

Jürgen Klopp will need to be wary of a new rival if, and that’s a big if, he can get his team back into the race for first place.

July 11, 2023
Liverpool willing to pay £25.6 million asking price to sign third player – Report

Liverpool were linked this summer with French international and Nice star Khephren Thuram and once again his name is in the spotlight.

According to a Spanish source, Nacional, the Les Bleus midfielder is wanted by the Reds, Bayern Munich and Barcelona

The Ligue 1 outfit are seeking around £25.6m (€30m) to part ways with the 22-year-old in the current transfer window.

For the Spanish champions, the dilemma is that they cannot afford to pay that price to secure their engagement.

On the other hand, the Catalan news source says Liverpool are willing to pay the £25.6m asking price to secure their third signing of the summer.

German managers, Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel, are reportedly willing to sign Thuram while Xavi is out of the auction. The youngster was Nice’s best player last season and was named in the French league team of the year.

Thuram is a versatile talent, normally playing as a defensive midfielder but also enjoys dribbling and moving around in the penalty area. He directly contributed to ten goals in all tournaments last season.

The £25.6m asking price should be considered a bargain for a player as talented as Southampton who are asking nearly double that of 19-year-old Romeo Lavia.

Liverpool have already strengthened their number 8 and number 10 this summer. Who should Klopp sign to strengthen his defensive midfield position at Anfield?

More news…….

Liverpool signing £77million star would be ‘truly amazing’ at Anfield

While Liverpool cannot be ruled out, it would certainly be a surprise. It would be a big surprise for Liverpool to sign Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde, reporter Dean Jones told GIVEMESPORT.

It’s no secret that the Reds are targeting midfielders, but the Uruguayan can be a bit difficult to get across.
Transfer news Liverpool – Federico Valverde

After failing to qualify for the Champions League last season, Jurgen Klopp will be desperate for reinforcements to ensure the Merseyside club finish in the top four next season

Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai have already arrived at Anfield to strengthen Liverpool’s midfield but remain in the market for another option.

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool are interested in signing Real Madrid star Valverde, which could cost around £77m.

However, it certainly won’t be easy to convince Madrid to let their midfielder leave the club as Carlo Ancelotti describes him as ‘untouchable’.

Valverde recently spoke publicly about his future and the possibility of a Madrid exit, but the former Penarol star seems happy at the club.

He said: “No, no. I’m in Madrid trying to enjoy every moment and leave my mark at the best club in the world. I want to keep winning titles for Real Madrid fans.”

Now Jones has hinted that although Liverpool are known for their surprises in the transfer market, he is not considering this move. What did Jones say about Valverde?

Jones said that while anything could happen, it would be a shock if they could lure Valverde away from the Bernabeu.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said: “Yes, as I said, Liverpool are simply the best at surprising us in the transfer window, so anything can happen.

It would really be a surprise if they could take Valverde out of Real Madrid. One of their most consistent and reliable in that team.”

Would Valverde be a good signing for Liverpool? Absolute.
As unrealistic as that sounds, he would undoubtedly be a great addition to Anfield.

The 24-year-old averaged a Sofascore of 7.25 in La Liga last season, while also notching seven goals and four assists.

The Uruguayan international also contributed 1.3 key passes per game and created eight big chances.

The addition of Jude Bellingham to Madrid could give Liverpool fans a glimmer of hope that Valverde becomes available at the right price, but you’d think he’d be out of their price range. Where should Liverpool strengthen?

Despite the signing of Mac Allister and Szoboszlai in midfield, one more body could be needed in the middle of the park.

Klopp will not be able to call Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, James Milner and Naby Keita for next season, as all three are out of contract.

That’s three midfielders out of goal, so it might make sense to bring one more.
A long-term replacement for Virgil van Dijk could also be on Klopp’s thoughts as the Dutch defender turns 32 this week.

July 10, 2023
The Liverpool defender joins a Premier League opponent after the contract uncertainty was resolved.

Liverpool have confirmed eight players will turn up for the start of pre-season training on Saturday, but the Reds already have more stars at the AXA Training Center

Liverpool’s 2023/24 season has officially begun after The Reds’ first senior stars arrived at the AXA Training Center on Saturday for the start of season preparations.

The club confirmed last week that the eight senior Liverpool players who had not been called up for the international squad would all turn up this weekend.

Naturally, Adrian, Stefan Bajcetic, Fabinho, Joe Gomez, Joel Matip, Darwin Nunez, Nat Phillips and Thiago Alcantara were all photographed at the Reds’ training complex as they began preparations for the season.

And while Thiago hasn’t been photographed in training clothes or taking part in any exercises after his campaign was prematurely ended by hip surgery, the other seven stars were all photographed being vetted by club staff. before going to work at the gym and/or out on the field.

As a result, Bajcetic returned from injury, having missed the end of his breakout campaign with a kidnapper issue, as he was photographed both in the gym and practicing with the ball on the field.

Meanwhile, Calvin Ramsay has also returned from injury following knee surgery, having started pre-season with the Reds as agreed before joining Preston North End on loan on June 15.

The Scotland international was not the only previously unknown player pictured at the AXA training center on Saturday. Academy goalkeeper Jakub Ojrzynski also had his photo taken in the gymnasium after spending last season on loan at Radomiak Radom in his native Poland.

With the exception of Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott, senior Liverpool internationals, including summer signings Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, are due to report for pre-season training on Tuesday July 11.

The two played for England when they won the European Under-21 Championship on Saturday and will therefore be reunited at a later date. Academy goalkeeper Vítezslav Jaros could also return at a later date after representing the Czech Republic in the tournament.

The Reds’ first pre-season friendly will take place in Germany on Wednesday July 19 against Karlsruher SC, with Klopp’s men then meeting Greuther Fürth on July 24.

They will face Leicester City and Bayern Munich 2 in Singapore on July 30 and August, before a final pre-season home friendly against SV Darmstadt 98 at Preston North End’s Deepdale Stadium on August 7.

As always in pre-season, a number of young Liverpoolers are expected to join the first team as they travel to Germany and Singapore.

And while it didn’t feature on Saturday, the Reds’ Under-21 and Under-18 teams showed up at the AXA Training Center earlier in the week to begin their own pre-season preparations, with a number of young club players. present Social media updates following their return to training.

ECHO understands players like Ben Doak and Bobby Clark were both part of the Academy squad before being promoted to the first team in the coming weeks.

Tyler Morton was not in the squad, however, having seen his season loan at Blackburn Rovers end with a broken metatarsal, while the midfielder was believed to still be in rehabilitation.

Despite Morton’s absence, almost enough Academy players were believed to have returned to AXA Training Center last week, including Luke Chambers after a successful mid-season loan spell at Kilmarnock, despite recent links transfer deal with Bayer Leverkusen.

Sources at the club suggest a move to the Bundesliga is nowhere near yet, despite recent reports in Germany, with the Reds traditionally giving younger players a chance to impress in pre-season before deciding whether to be promoted to the first team, remaining with youth level, or leave on loan.

Academy forward Paul Glatzel was also part of the junior squad at the AXA Training Center after three injury-plagued years, despite his contract expiring at the end of last season.

Liverpool confirmed in the club list that the 22-year-old had been offered a new contract, but it is unclear whether he has agreed to an extension at this point.

Adam Lewis is also back at the AXA academy after his loan spell at Newport County in February was cut short with a season-ending hamstring injury.

Despite reports suggesting his contract also expired this summer, the 23-year-old remains at Anfield. In January, he announced that he actually had two years left on his contract, having last signed a contract extension in the summer of 2020. However, club sources believe he will make another move this summer , either on loan or on a permanent basis.

One young player who won’t report to the AXA academy, however, is Kerron Samuels. The 16-year-old, who joined Liverpool from Chelsea as an Under-14 player, made nine appearances for the Reds U18s last season but confirmed on Instagram he had joined another Premier League player this summer in Brentford.

Elijah Gift is another player leaving the club. As ECHO first reported, he has now moved to Athletic Bilbao.

July 10, 2023
‘Concrete’ talks between Liverpool and a £50 million target are terrible news for England U21 hero

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp’s transfer plans won’t be good news for one of England’s Under-21 European Championship heroes.

Liverpool beating Arsenal, Barcelona and Chelsea and signing Romeo Lavia this summer could mean the end of Curtis Jones’ career at Anfield.

The 22-year-old midfielder has reclaimed a starting place for next season with heroic results in recent months, but Jurgen Klopp could rule him out.

According to Sky Germania, Liverpool have had concrete talks with Lavia, although they have yet to agree personal terms on a contract at Anfield.

According to the report, Klopp is keen to get the 19-year-old signed and Southampton are asking for £50m to part ways.

Liverpool have already splashed out over £120m to bring Alexis Mac Allister to Merseyside from Brighton and Hove Albion and Dominik Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig.

And a third top addition to the midfield would be bad news for current members of Klopp’s ranks.

Neither is Jones, who has a promising future under the German coach after an impressive end to last season and the European Under-21 Championship this summer.

Jones scored the winner as England beat Spain 1-0 on Saturday to claim their third European Under-21 title and first since 1984.

He also added goals to his game during the innings and became a crucial part of Liverpool’s ultimately unsuccessful bid for a place in the top four. But Klopp would likely use his entire summer transfer budget for three midfielders if he approves a £50m deal for Lavia.

And dumping so much cash suggests he sees all three as regular starters to reshape the energetic midfield that made his past Liverpool sides so dangerous.

Jones returns to Liverpool for pre-season with a starting position firmly in his sights after showing his abilities for club and country.

But he could very well be seventh in Klopp’s pecking order considering that a new trio would join Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara at Anfield.

Jones signed a new long-term deal in 2022, leaving his future in the hands of Klopp and the Reds. However, if regular appearances cannot be guaranteed next season, he might be tempted to take on a new challenge if there is interest in his services.

More news……..

FSG issued a direct message to Liverpool on the necessary number of signings.

Liverpool fans don’t seem to have full faith in FSG as Jurgen Klopp looks to rebuild his squad after a disappointing 2022/2023 season

More than 4,300 Liverpool fans don’t trust Fenway Sports Group (FSG) to provide enough support for Jurgen Klopp as the German seeks to rebuild his squad after a disappointing 2022/2023 season.

After missing out on Champions League football for the first time since 2016, the Reds have already signed Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai after leaving long-serving stars like Roberto Firmino, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita at the end of the contract.

However, it is reasonably obvious that further additions are needed. But it seems Liverpool fans don’t have complete faith in FSG’s low-cost recruiting style when it comes to signing searches.

53% of supporters who responded to the ECHO Big Liverpool forum, a total of 4,363, told us they don’t trust the FSG to support Klopp enough in his attempts to build a successful squad.

However, it should be noted that 47% (3892) believe the ownership group led by John W. Henry and Tom Werner can help the former Dortmund manager deliver even more silverware to the club.

There was much more support for striker Darwin Nunez from those who took part in the forum.

The Uruguayan, who was signed for a whopping fee by Benfica last summer, was only able to score nine Premier League goals in his debut season and has taken some time to adjust to English football.

Though Nunez has no doubt displayed flashes of immense talent which have suggested why the Portuguese giants demand such a high fee for his services. At just 24, he has plenty of time to repay that belief.

83% of fans who took part in the forum believe the club’s potential record signing will eventually come to fruition at Anfield, meaning Nunez has 6,898 Liverpool fans wishing him success at the Merseyside side. Only a small fraction of 17% think they will fail.

Elsewhere, 7,704 (92%) of fans are delighted with the arrivals of Mac Allister and Szoboszlai after saying the midfield department should be Liverpool’s top priority in the transfer window.

Nevertheless, 76% of fans are still not satisfied. They think the Reds will need to sign between four and seven players this summer. Romeo Lavia, Levi Colwill and Kephram Thuram have recently been linked with a move to Anfield.

Although there was no full trust in the FSG during the investigation, Liverpool fans have faith in the new sporting director Jorg Schmadtke. The 59-year-old recently replaced Julian Ward and is trusted by 80% (6495) of fans to help sort out the Reds’ transfer deal.

July 10, 2023
Young Players to Keep an Eye For During Liverpool’s Preseason

There are several academy players looking to impress during Liverpool’s pre-season

During the preseason, hope comes to life eternally. The list has been cleaned up since the previous year and every club has the chance to once again feel able to do something special.

There is also the eternal hope that an academy player will take the next step to potentially breaking through.

Liverpool have several younger players who can work their way up to the first team.

For the purpose of this discussion, let’s exclude people like Stefan Bajcetic, who should already be part of the established senior squad.

Ben Doak

Probably the player people are most looking forward to is the young Scotsman. Despite being just 17, he was a threat on the right wing in every age group he played in last season.

With very little natural depth behind Mohamed Salah, Doak could get minutes in cup games and potentially find himself on the bench in certain situations throughout the season.

Tyler Morton

While the focus is on the potential signing of Romeo Lavia, Tyler Morton could potentially prove he has what it takes to strengthen the midfield, at least for now. Morton had valuable first-team minutes at Blackburn last season and can play both as a defensive midfielder and a box-to-box player. Marcelo Pitaluga and Vitezlav Jaros

With Caoimhin Kelleher likely to move elsewhere this summer for a deserved starting position, Liverpool have two young goalkeepers with a chance to prove they have enough to replace Alisson Becker. Pitalugia is the most prestigious player but the Brazilian is only 20 and hasn’t made the first team yet.

Jaros, on the other hand, has spent most of his time on loan in recent seasons. The soon-to-be 22-year-old also impressed at the European U21 Championships earlier this month.

Billy Koumetio and Jarell Quansah
Liverpool are reportedly looking for another centre-back, with Rhys Williams back on loan and Nat Phillips likely to join on regular hours. With Joel Matip and Joe Gomez having injury histories, there could be a path for one or both of the two highly regarded defenders to step up into the senior squad.

Conor Bradley

The young right-back impressed on loan at Bolton last season. Best known for his attacking prowess, he played more at fullback last season. However, Joe Gomez is currently the only other player who could be considered back on the roster.

Bradley gets a chance to prove that he can step in and give Trent Alexander-Arnold a break from time to time, albeit in a very different role. Which young player are you most looking forward to this pre-season?

More news……

Liverpool is accelerating their efforts to sign ‘excellent’ 22-year-old after Szoboszlai.

Liverpool are accelerating efforts to reach an agreement with OGC Nice over the signing of Khephren Thuram.
The Reds have apparently been pursuing Thuram for the past month, with talks with agents in early June.

But despite Liverpool doing business over the next few weeks, nothing progressed under Thuram.

However, according to journalist Rudy Galetti, things could change. Galetti took to Twitter on Saturday night suggesting Liverpool are doing everything they can to get a deal over the edge.

“Liverpool are stepping things up for Khephren Thuram,” wrote the Italian journalist.

“LFC would like to close the gap with OGC Nice soon in order to get ahead of the competition from Newcastle, who are starting to move concretely for the player: the situation is changing.”

With the Reds already close to overtaking Newcastle ahead of Dominik Szoboszlai, they will be in the market for another win.
When they can’t get things done, the Magpies seem ready to attack.

Heading into Thursday, Thuram looked like the next signing at Anfield. However, after learning that Liverpool were interested in Szoboszlai, things quickly turned away from that notion. Now, it seems clear that the Hungarian will be Jürgen Klopp’s number two this summer.

The move is expected to be completed and announced later this week.

So where is Thuram? Well, early reports seem to suggest that Liverpool are still interested in signing the Frenchman. Szoboszlai’s upcoming arrival doesn’t seem to have changed that. If so, Reds fans have every reason to be happy.

The 22-year-old has been described as a “fantastic” player by former Nice coach Didier Digard [RMC Sport]. Thuram seems to have all the qualities of a modern midfielder.

But Newcastle are not to be taken lightly here. After missing out on Szoboszlai, they reportedly wanted to sign Thuram instead. With a lot of background work already done, Liverpool need to keep their foot firmly on the pedal. Let’s make another one!

July 10, 2023
After a $217 million “bid” from Liverpool and a “offer” from West Ham, Kylian Mbappé’s guarantee was made.

Latest from the Liverpool rivals: Kylian Mbappé’s future is the subject of new rumors, and West Ham reportedly received a summer offer for a Liverpool failure.

Despite the fact that Liverpool and other clubs have resumed training, this summer still has a lot of transfer activity to be completed.

The Reds have begun their preseason training. The first group of players returned to the AXA Training Center on Saturday, and the rest of the group will join them starting on Tuesday.

New signings Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai are among those expected to return to training this week, and Jürgen Klopp will undoubtedly hope that at least one more newcomer will be joining them soon.

The manager of Liverpool still has some work to do this summer, but he will need to navigate a market that is heating up across Europe.

Given that Kylian Mbappé’s time at Paris Saint-Germain appears to be winding down, his future will undoubtedly dominate news stories this summer. Naturally, Liverpool comes up frequently whenever Mbappé is discussed.

Following Liverpool’s “bid,” Kylian Mbappé made a guarantee.

Fabrizio Romano reports that PSG believes Kylian Mbappé has an agreement in place to join Real Madrid in 2024 and is certain he won’t join Liverpool.

A sensational claim that Liverpool had made a $217 million (£171 million/€200 million) offer for Mbappé was made this week by journalist Edu Aguirre on El Chiringuito TV. This has now been rejected by Romano, who insists PSG can ‘guarantee’ it hasn’t received any bids from English clubs.

Nobody really thought Liverpool had made such a bid, according to Liverpool . com. It always seemed too good to be true, and it was inevitable that someone would eventually deny the claim. Real Madrid is most likely Mbappé’s destination if he moves at all, though it would be extremely upsetting for PSG to lose him for nothing the following season.

This summer, West Ham has reportedly received an offer to acquire Juventus’ Arthur Melo.

According to the Italian publication, Juve is trying to get the midfielder out of the team because of his unsuccessful loan stint at Liverpool the previous year. During discussions about Denis Zakaria, a fellow Juventus midfielder, Hammers manager David Moyes reportedly received an offer for the 26-year-old.

After his time at Liverpool, it’s difficult to imagine any Premier League club wanting to sign Arthur. It’s fair to say that his loan at Anfield was a complete failure given that he only saw 13 minutes of action for the Reds’ first team. West Ham would be taking a significant risk by signing the Brazilian this summer.

More news……..

reporter claims Liverpool will not sign a third midfielder unless one leaves first

Following Dominik Szoboszlai’s arrival at the weekend, latest reports suggest the Hungarian could be Liverpool’s last midfield signing of the summer, barring that from Anfield.

The Reds moved quickly to secure Szoboszlai’s services by including a £60million release clause in his contract well before the June 30 deadline.

Fans’ attention quickly focused on a potential new addition to the third midfielder, with Romeo Lavia heavily linked with the appointment of the next member of Jurgen Klopp’s summer rebuild.

The Southampton teenager appears to have become the Reds’ next priority with talks between the player and the club ‘making good progress’.

However, more recent suggestions suggest Liverpool will have to sell one of their current midfield options to make way for a third signing like Lavia.

James Pearce and Raphael Honigstein reported for The Athletic on Wednesday morning that one of the “current players” had to leave to make way for another midfield takeover.

The report read: “Liverpool could still sign a young centre-back if the right option presents itself, but they will not sign a third midfielder unless one of the current players leaves the club.”

While that may be the club’s public opinion, as we saw with Szoboszlai last week, things can change very quickly if the right deal becomes available.

Last Wednesday, Liverpool described the deal to sign the Hungarian as “complicated”, but he was pictured wearing the red shirt at the AXA academy on Sunday.

It comes after recent reports tentatively linked both Jordan Henderson and Thiago with a move from Anfield this summer, with the pair allegedly being targeted by parties in Saudi Arabia.

Henderson has reportedly attracted interest from new Al-Ettifaq boss Steven Gerrard, while Thiago has just one year left on his contract and there will be no renewal, while the Reds will listen to “appropriate” offers.

It remains to be seen whether the departures will really have an impact on the pursuit of Lavia or players with a similar profile. So far, Liverpool have made good progress in their summer activities, but there is still work to be done to get back to the heights we have seen them capable of.

July 10, 2023