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Liverpool are now closing in on the signing of an international player, who could become Arne Slot’s first signing at the football club.

The Reds have had to be patient this summer, as it’s been a struggle for the club to get players into the club. However, their lack of transfers didn’t affect the club’s start to the new Premier League season, as they secured a 2-0 win on the opening weekend against Ipswich Town.

Liverpool hit gold on "special" talent worth more than Branthwaite & Guehi

He’ll be hoping to explode under Slot’s leadership this season…

ByAngus Sinclair Aug 21, 2024 Liverpool transfer news

There has been a lot of change at Anfield in the last few months, as the club is now getting on with life after Jurgen Klopp, and they are also under a new regime in terms of people at the sporting director level, as Richard Hughes has joined the club from Bournemouth.

So, changes in the dugout and higher up have seen the club take their time to adapt, and that has potentially affected them in the transfer market, as the club has yet to get a new player on board. However, that is without a lack of trying, as Liverpool were very keen on signing midfielder Martin Zubimendi, but it was revealed last week that he will not be moving to the Premier League and instead staying with Real Sociedad.

Liverpool have also been mentioned with a possible move for Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi in recent days. It has been claimed that the England defender has admirers at Anfield, despite Newcastle United heavily chasing the centre-back.

But while the Merseyside club has been looking at potential arrivals, they have been busy in terms of departures. The club decided to let Joel Matip leave at the end of last season following the end of his contract, while Thiago Alcantara left and retired from football. Since then, Liverpool have also let Calvin Ramsey leave on loan, and most recently, they sold Fabio Carvalho to Brentford.

Fabio Carvalho

Brentford

Adrian

Real Betis

Calvin Ramsey

Wigan Athletic (Loan)

Thiago Alcantara

Retired

Joel Matip

Without a club

There could now be another exit on the cards, as midfielder Stefan Bajcetic is wanted on loan for the 2024/25 season by several sides. According to Football Insider, Liverpool have received multiple offers to take Bajcetic on loan, with those offers coming from the Premier League as well as clubs from Europe.

Departures may occur from Liverpool, but the Premier League could now be closing in on their first signing under Slot.

Liverpool are closing in on the signing of Giorgi Mamardashvili

According to reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano, Liverpool are now closing in on the signing of goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili. The move that will see the Valencia goalkeeper join the Reds in June 2025 is “advancing to the final stages.”

Romano states that both Liverpool and Valencia are in contact to agree on the add-ons structure of the deal for Mamardashvili, as the overall transfer is said to be worth €30 million (£25.6 million).

The Georgia international is set to stay on loan with the Spanish side for the remainder of the campaign and then join the Premier League side next summer. This comes as a change, as last week it was stated by Romano that AFC Bournemouth were open to the idea of having the goalkeeper on loan, but it appears as if he'll remain in La Liga.

Arsenal brought the curtain down on their pre-season preparations on Sunday evening fresh in the knowledge that they are well and truly ready to challenge for the Premier League title again.

Results may have been mixed during their tour to the USA but once back on home soil, they dispatched unbeaten Bundesliga Champions Bayer Leverkusen with some aplomb before facing Lyon this weekend.

It was not a happy return to the Emirates Stadium for Granit Xhaka a few days ago whose side were beaten 4-1, goals coming from Oleksandr Zinchenko, Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz.

It was perhaps interesting that Trossard played nearly the full 90 minutes in midweek. The Belgian failed to sparkle at Euro 2024 but had become Mikel Arteta's first-choice option on the left flank at the back end of last term.

A scorer of 17 goals in 2023/24, he has been a brilliant signing and Arsenal could repeat their Trossard trick this summer.

Arsenal want to sign Brighton forward

The Gunners have done plenty of business with the Seagulls in recent years. They signed Ben White for £50m back in 2021 and have since also welcomed the aforementioned Trossard, who signed in the winter window of 2023.

That said, relations were soured a bit when Moises Caicedo tried to force his way out of the Amex in the same transfer window. Caicedo handed in a transfer request but when Arsenal wouldn't cough up the fee required, he remained a Brighton player, at least until the summer.

So, what is the relationship between the two clubs now? Could they do business again? Well, they might have to.

Arsenal insider Teamnewsandtix reported this weekend that the north Londoners are one of the clubs who could make a late move for Ivorian winger Simon Adingra.

Willian (Chelsea)

Cedric (Southampton)

Ben White (Brighton)

Aaron Ramsdale (Sheffield Utd)

Gabriel Jesus (Man City)

Oleksandr Zinchenko (Man City)

Leandro Trossard (Brighton)

Declan Rice (West Ham)

Kai Havertz (Chelsea)

David Raya (Brentford)

It's said that they are monitoring his situation ahead of a possible swoop before the transfer window closes. Transfermarkt currently value the player at £26m but we all know Brighton only sell for a premium price.

Why Adingra would be a good signing

In the winter of 2023, Arsenal were trying their utmost to prise Mykhailo Mudryk away from Shakhtar Donetsk. The player was particularly vocal about his admiration for the club on social media but he ultimately ended up joining Chelsea, the team who were willing to cough up the most money. Now there's a surprise.

As a result, Edu decided to lure Trossard to the Emirates and what a signing he has been.

Certainly not the club's first choice, he was in electric form after signing for the club, registering ten assists in his first 20 league games. Last season he went from provider to goalscorer and ended the campaign as Arsenal's second most prolific player. His haul of 17 goals was only beaten by Bukayo Saka's 20.

So, signing players from Brighton is probably a good idea, right? Their scouting network is particularly impressive at turning the Trossards and Adingras of this world into highly consistent Premier League players.

However, what could he actually bring to the Gunners? Well, first and foremost, Adingra would add depth in an area Arsenal are currently lacking.

Capable of playing on either flank, the 22-year-old would be able to play second fiddle not only to Trossard on the left but vitally to Saka on the right.

The England international is the poster boy of this football club but he plays far too many minutes and the 2023/24 campaign all caught up with him towards the end of last season, ultimately missing the last match through injury.

As a consequence, signing someone like Adingra would be a good idea. As Arsenal podcaster Adam Keys put it, the AFCON winger would not be a "marquee signing" but he has plenty of qualities that would make him an exciting acquisition, notably his "lightning pace".

In the Premier League last season, the Brighton star ranked inside the top 13% of positionally similar players for progressive passes received. In short, he's always an option for a pass. Also ranking among the best 15% for carries into the penalty area, it's clear this is a player who loves to attack his man, just like Saka. This isn't a player without his goals, though. He scored 15 times on loan at Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise in the 2022/23 season.

Prog passes received

Top 13%

Progressive carries

Top 26%

Crosses into penalty area

Top 8%

SCA (take-on)

Top 19%

Successful take-ons

Top 24%

Carries into penalty area

Top 15%

Interceptions

Top 13%

Tackles

Top 21%

On the evidence above, Adingra is certainly no world-beater yet but he does have an interesting set of tools. He can beat a player, he's keen to get into the penalty area and something Arteta will no doubt be fond of, he mucks in defensively too.

Arsenal have been linked with some premium wingers this summer, notably Nico Williams, but in a market where attacking players will cost a fortune, Adingra could be a cost-effective method for the club.

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Celtic begin their defence of the Scottish Premiership title this weekend as they prepare to host Kilmarnock at Parkhead in their opening match on Sunday.

The Hoops will have a new number one between the sticks for the match after Joe Hart left the club at the end of last season, retiring from professional football.

He spent three seasons as the team's number one and Brendan Rodgers dipped into the transfer market to land Kasper Schmeichel and Viljami Sinisalo to compete for the starting spot.

Central midfielder Paulo Bernardo has also been signed to bolster the club's options in the middle of the park, joining on a permanent basis after his loan stint in Glasgow last season.

The Scottish giants still have a few weeks left to complete any more business that they would like to do before the window officially slams shut.

This means that Hoops supporters could look forward to more players coming through the door to improve the squad in order to help the club compete for trophies throughout the 2024/25 campaign.

Celtic's interest in Premier League defender

Fans could be excited by the prospect of a new full-back arriving at Parkhead before the end of August as Celtic are reportedly keen to add a left-back to the group.

According to Mail Sport journalist Lewis Steele, Celtic are in the hunt to sign Liverpool defender Owen Beck to compete with Greg Taylor next season.

The reporter claims that the Hoops are in the market to land the left-back after they failed to sign another, unnamed, player in that position.

However, Steele adds that the Premier League side are hoping to cash in on the former Dundee loanee on a permanent basis this summer, whilst the Bhoys are currently hoping to secure a loan move for the young whiz.

The journalist reveals that this could rule the Premiership champions out of the race at this moment in time, but there is still plenty of time left in the window for either club's stance to change.

Celtic were keen to sign Beck back in January of this year but missed out on him as Liverpool recalled and used him in the Premier League before sending him back to Dundee, who were the only club he could join for the second half of the campaign after playing for the Reds.

If the Hoops can secure a deal for the impressive youngster this summer, though, then they could land an exciting partner for Mikey Johnston down the flank.

Why it is Mikey Johnston's time to shine

The Ireland international only made nine appearances in the Premiership during the first half of last season, three of which came as a starter, and that led to him joining West Bromwich Albion on loan in the winter window.

Johnston could not force his way into the Celtic XI on a regular basis and went down south to play in the Championship to get regular minutes under his belt.

Not only did the 25-year-old star play regularly for the Baggies but he also caught the eye with his fantastic performances at the top end of the pitch.

23/24 Championship

Mikey Johnston

Appearances

18

Goals

7

Assists

1

Big chances created

4

Key passes per game

1.2

Dribbles completed per game

2.2

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Johnston produced 11 goals and 'big chances' created combined in just 18 appearances in the Championship for West Brom.

His electric form earned him an opportunity to push for a place in the Hoops team this season and his performances in pre-season suggest that he has a good chance of doing so.

The right-footed ace scored two goals in his last three appearances in pre-season with the Bhoys, including a composed finish in the 4-1 win over Chelsea.

Johnston scored more goals in five months at West Brom (seven) than Daizen Maeda managed (six) in 28 appearances in the Premiership last term.

The Japan international also failed to produce a goal or an assist during pre-season and his faltering form could see the Irish wizard given an opportunity to impress from the start against Kilmarnock on Sunday, as he has showcased his quality as a scorer and a creator this year.

Why Owen Beck would be an exciting signing

Beck, who was hailed as "spectacular" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, could be an exciting signing for Celtic due to the attacking ability he could provide down the left flank alongside Johnston.

The 21-year-old ace spent the majority of the 2023/24 campaign on loan with Dundee in the Premiership and his performances earned himself a place in the PFA Scotland Team of the Year.

He caught the eye with his contributions in and out of possession in the Scottish top-flight. Firstly, the £2.8k-per-week dynamo made 2.3 key passes per game in the division.

Only Matt O'Riley (2.5) and Luis Palma (2.4) made more key passes per match in the Premiership for Celtic last season, which speaks to how impressive that return was from Beck – given his defensive position.

23/24 Premiership

Owen Beck

Greg Taylor

Appearances

25

35

Assists

4

4

Key passes per game

2.3

1.7

Dribbles completed per game

1.4

0.7

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.9

2.2

Duel success rate

55%

52%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Beck is also a strong defender who can win the majority of his duels whilst almost making four defensive interventions per game.

The Welsh full-back has the potential to come in as an upgrade on Taylor at the back for Celtic, as he outperformed him in and out of possession last season, which is backed up by those statistics and his inclusion in the Team of the Year.

Those statistics also illustrate why Beck would be an exciting player to partner Johnston down the left flank, as they could both provide plenty of attacking quality for the Hoops.

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The Liverpool youngster's ability to drive forward with dribbles and key passes could put the winger in dangerous positions on a regular basis, which would then give him the best possible chance of showing off his quality as a scorer and a creator of goals.

Looking to bolster Julen Lopetegui's squad further before the transfer window slams shut at the end of next month, West Ham United have reportedly tabled a £15m bid to sign an attacking reinforcement.

West Ham transfer rumours

It's the late show at the London Stadium this summer, with their Premier League opener against Aston Villa a matter of weeks away. There is, of course, some irony to the fact that the Hammers are set to square off against Aston Villa on the opening day, given that negotiations could reportedly be ongoing between the two clubs over a deal for Jhon Duran. The forward has certainly made his feelings known too, throwing up the famous Hammers sign on Instagram Live recently.

If West Ham can reach an agreement to sign Duran before that game on August 17, then he may have the chance to deal the Midlands club one last blow in front of the fans at Villa Park. Given his recent antics, it is an opportunity that the forward may love to take with both hands.

Duran may not be the only Premier League player arriving after Max Kilman however. According to The Sunday Mirror via West Ham Zone, West Ham have tabled a £15m bid to sign Reiss Nelson from Arsenal this summer. The winger has reportedly already said yes and agreed to the move earlier this month, but it remains to be seen whether the Hammers' first offer is enough for their London rivals to sanction a move.

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Previous reports suggested that Arsenal's price tag sits at £25m, which would make West Ham's reported bid some way off the mark. With Leicester City also reportedly interested in Nelson, those in London may be left with no choice but to match the Gunners' valuation this summer. As the season approaches, Lopetegui may hope to see any deals wrapped up as soon as possible, be that for Duran or, indeed, Nelson.

"Evolving" Nelson needs move

After a late flurry of form in the 2022/23 campaign led to a new contract, Nelson would have been desperate to pick up where he left off and finally make his mark on Mikel Arteta's side last season. But that was far from the case. The 24-year-old earned just one Premier League start and found himself out of the squad altogether in the final five games in quite the contrast to the previous campaign. Now, as the reality of his game time sets in, he appears to need a fresh start.

That's where West Ham could come in. The Hammers could do with all the depth that they can get and providing cover for Mohammed Kudus could be the key to sustained success in the fast-approaching season. Nelson is hardly an inexperienced option to turn to either, having spent time at Feyenoord and Hoffenheim before breaking through at Arsenal.

His exit, should it take place, will be a shame given his status as an academy graduate and a player Arteta once believed was "evolving", but West Ham may well take full advantage to finally help Nelson realise his potential.

Chelsea are interested in signing a £35m-rated Premier League defender this summer, according to reports.

Chelsea transfer rumours

Chelsea announced Enzo Maresca as their new manager earlier this week, with the Italian putting pen to paper on a five-year deal at Stamford Bridge, which includes the option of a further year.

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The former Leicester City boss takes over an inflated Chelsea squad that was only just beginning to find its feet under Mauricio Pochettino. Maresca must now put his own stamp on the squad, which will likely include a big shift in personnel this summer, both on the incoming and outgoing fronts.

So far, the west Londoners have signed Tosin Adarabioyo to a four-year deal following a free transfer from Fulham and have been linked with plenty others.

Chelsea would reportedly like to sign Dayot Upamecano from Bayern Munich this summer, according to Bundesliga journalist Christian Falk:

"Yes, it's true: Chelsea would like Dayot Upamecano," said Falk. "It's not really clear yet whether he'll have a chance next year. Vincent Kompany is looking at everyone, but would Bayern let him go? That would probably cost a lot of money. At the time, Bayern paid €42.5m to RB Leipzig."

Elsewhere, the capital outfit are also said to be eyeing a move for Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin this summer. In another potentially huge deal, Chelsea are reportedly set to make an offer for Manchester City's Julian Alvarez in the next few days but are expected to face competition for the Argentine from Atletico Madrid and PSG. It has also been claimed that the Blues are plotting a move to sign Benjamin Sesko.

Chelsea chiefs talk about signing £35m Premier League defender

While a lot of the names linked with Chelsea recently have been at the top end of the pitch, a fresh defender has recently been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge.

GiveMeSport recently provided an insight into Chelsea's transfer plans for the summer, mentioning centre-back as an area the club were potentially looking to improve. Left-back is also a priority area for the west Londoners, with Todd Boehly and co. said to be eyeing a young player who can operate in an inverted role. In their search for a full-back, Chelsea have looked at Bournemouth's Milos Kerkez, with the 20-year-old said to have already been discussed by the club.

In terms of a fee for the Cherries star, GiveMeSport states Bournemouth value Kerkez at around £35m – over double the fee they paid AZ Alkmaar for him last year. During his time in England so far, Kerkez has made 33 appearances for Bournemouth, providing one assist in the process.

Despite his limited experience, Kerkez has already been backed to have a great career by former teammate Mat Ryan, who said last year:

“Milos is a great boy. A crazy dude, in a good way. He is always positive and smiling,” Ryan said.

“Hopefully he can develop even further in England and become even more mature. He is aggressive, powerful and has so many qualities.

“A unique skill set. Bournemouth is going to get stronger because of him. Milos still has a great career ahead of him.”

Arsenal slipped to their first Premier League defeat of the season on Saturday as Bournemouth ran out 2-0 winners at the Vitality Stadium.

Mikel Arteta was left to rue his side's defensive mistakes after seeing his side beaten 2-0 at Bournemouth to slip to their first Premier League defeat of the new season.

William Saliba left Arsenal with a mountain to climb after being sent off in the first half. The Frenchman was initially shown a yellow card for a tug on Evanilson but it was upgraded to a red to leave the Gunners down to 10 men.

A well-worked Bournemouth goal then saw the Cherries go ahead when Ryan Christie smashed home from a corner to make it 1-0. Nine minutes later, David Raya conceded a penalty for a foul on Evanilson, allowing Justin Kluivert to finish Arsenal off and secure all three points.

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from the Vitality Stadium…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

David Raya (4/10):

Made a few good stops but was guilty of a few shaky moments too and eventually ended up giving away a penalty.

Ben White (5/10):

Back in the team but struggled to get into the game and looked a little off the pace

William Saliba (3/10):

Picked up the first red card of his Arsenal career with a tug back on Evanilson.

Gabriel (6/10):

Tried his best but found it tough going after Saliba went off.

Riccardo Calafiori (6/10):

Couldn't get forward but did OK defensively.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMidfield

Declan Rice (6/10):

Tried his best to hold Arsenal together after the Gunners had been reduced to 10 men but it was a tough shift.

Thomas Partey (6/10):

Decent performance in the centre of the pitch but found himself bypassed at times.

Mikel Merino (5/10):

Made his first start of the season for Arsenal but gave the ball away far too often.

Getty Images SportAttack

Raheem Sterling (5/10):

Came in for the injured Bukayo Saka but made little impact and was hooked after the sending off as Arteta tweaked his team.

Kai Havertz (6/10):

Worked and battled hard but saw very little of the ball.

Leandro Trossard (4/10):

A poor showing from the Belgian who played a part in Saliba's red card with a poor pass.

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GettySubs & Manager

Jakub Kiwior (4/10):

Came on for Sterling in the first half. His pass put Raya in trouble just before the penalty and he then suffered the ignominy of being taken off.

Gabriel Martinelli (6/10):

Almost scored straight after coming on but put his shot too close to the goalkeeper.

Gabriel Jesus (5/10):

Appealed for a penalty after coming on but the ref wasn't having any of it.

Ethan Nwaneri (N/A):

Overlooked by Arteta once again and no real time to make an impact.

Mikel Arteta (5/10):

Saw his side really struggle without Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and then William Saliba and didn't appear to have too many answers. Must improve his team's disciplinary record too after suffering a third red card of the season already.

A recruitment source with close links to Tottenham has told one outlet that chairman Daniel Levy could receive a "big-money" bid for one of Ange Postecoglou's players this summer.

Spurs tipped for busy summer and to sell many squad members

As per reliable media sources, like club insider Paul O'Keefe, Spurs are open to offers for over a dozen squad members when the window reopens on June 14.

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Fabrizio Romano has also claimed that Spurs are set for a "busy" summer, and they're believed to be eyeing up at least one attacker, with Timo Werner already being sealed for another season after Tottenham reached an agreement with Leipzig to extend his loan deal.

"I think it will be an important summer for Tottenham in terms of midfield," said Romano to GiveMeSport recently.

"And then [there will be] an offensive player, at least one offensive player. We will see if it's going to be more a kind of winger or more a kind of number nine. But they are exploring the offensive players market and I think they will do something also in that position.

Tottenham's top scorers in all competitions last season	Goals
Son Heung-min	17
Richarlison	12
Dejan Kulusevski	8
Brennan Johnson	5
Cristian Romero	5

"So I think it will be a busy summer at Tottenham."

This statement still carries weight, regardless of Werner remaining for another campaign, with football.london correspondent Alasdair Gold backing that Spurs will go for more attacking players after the German.

To fund these moves, the likes of Bryan Gil, Giovani Lo Celso, Troy Parrott, Joe Rodon, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Richarlison, Tanguy Ndombele, Sergio Reguilon, Japhet Tanganga, Manor Solomon and Djed Spence are a few players who could be sold by Tottenham to bolster Postecoglou's transfer kitty – according to rumours in the last few months.

European heavyweights could also test Levy's resolve when it comes to the club's most important players, with Barcelona and Real Madrid keeping tabs on Cristian Romero as one example.

Now, it is believed star £50,000-per-week defender Micky van de Ven isn't excluded from that equation.

Levy could receive "big-money" bid for Tottenham star van de Ven

As per Tottenham News, sharing a claim from one of their recruitment sources who has close links to the club, Levy could receive a "big-money" bid for van de Ven after his excellent debut campaign, and clubs around Europe have already expressed an interest.

The Dutchman, called "world-class", has been imperative at the heart of Postecoglou's high line – with van de Ven's searing pace being an important factor and crucial to the way Tottenham play.

Van de Ven's injury absences were very much noticed, as Spurs often struggled to deal without the Netherlands international when unavailable. Taking this into account, it could take a pretty monstrous offer for Levy to even consider parting company after just one season.

Renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano has shared a "crucial" update regarding the future of Erik ten Hag at Manchester United, following the FA Cup triumph.

Ten Hag's future at Man Utd

The Red Devils' season ended in memorable fashion on Saturday afternoon, as they beat rivals Manchester City to clinch FA Cup glory at Wembley. It means that Ten Hag has won a trophy in each season he has been in charge at Old Trafford, as he did his chances of keeping his job no harm.

Leading up to the game, a strong rumour suggested that the Dutchman would be sacked as United manager after the cup final, but he was in bullish spirits after the game saying: "Two trophies in two years is not bad. Three finals in two years is not bad. I'm not satisfied with it. We have to do better. If they don't want me, then I go somewhere else to win trophies because that is what I do."

Saturday's triumph has now cast doubt over what Sir Jim Ratcliffe's decision will now be with regards to Ten Hag, with his trophy record and post-match remarks potentially doing a lot to sway the part-owner's thinking.

There is also a chance that the billionaire businessman's decision has still already been made in his own head, though, with people of such standing and ruthlessness not exactly famed for changing their minds suddenly at the last minute.

Romano drops fresh Ten Hag update

Taking to X on Monday morning, Romano claimed that a "crucial" period has been reached with Ten Hag at Manchester United, with his future set to be decided this week and internal talks beginning today.

Ten Hag has certainly impressed in recent days, dealing with the rumours well and inspiring his side to FA Cup success, and United's plans may have changed, depending on the truth of the aforementioned rumours of his likely sacking.

In terms of the Red Devils fanbase, opinion could be split, with some wanting the 54-year-old to stay on as manager, feeling he has done enough to warrant it, especially having been plagued by injuries throughout this season.

There are also those who may feel that Ten Hag is still not the man to guide United back to the very top of the English game, however, with too many shocking defeats and woeful performances on show over the past 12 months.

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It will be fascinating to see which way Ratcliffe goes, with the Englishman changing the structure at the club this summer and clearly wanting the right man for the job to work alongside a director of football. The outcome this week is a tough one to predict.

Liverpool owners FSG had scouts in South America to watch an in-demand new transfer target in action this week, according to an intriguing update.

Liverpool transfer news

The Reds will embark on a new era under Arne Slot this summer, once Jurgen Klopp moves on, and the Dutchman will want to sign players who are ideal for his style of play.

Ousmane Diomande is a player who has been constantly linked with a summer move to Liverpool, following a season that has seen him impress greatly for Sporting CP. The young centre-back is seen as a possible long-term heir for Virgil van Dijk at the heart of the defence, with the legendary Dutchman turning 33 in the summer and needing to be replacing one day.

Another report has claimed that the Merseysiders are pushing to sign Napoli striker Victor Osimhen in the summer transfer window, in what would be an audacious move for the Nigerian. He has a huge £111m release clause in his current deal, but it remains to be seen if anyone will stump up that amount of money for him, especially a Reds leadership who are known for their analytical approach in the market.

Meanwhile, there are also a number of exits that could happen at Liverpool this summer, with Joe Gomez one of the best players who is believed to be contemplating his future currently. He may want to be a regular elsewhere, possibly even at centre-back instead of full-back.

The likes of Joel Matip and Thiago are expected to depart when their contracts expire at the end of the season, while there is no guarantee that Mohamed Salah will definitely stay put currently. Liverpool need to plan for the long-term future when it comes to new signings, and a fresh update suggests that they are focusing on that.

Liverpool send scout to watch in-demand Brazil sensation

According to Scouts in Attendance on X, Liverpool had scouts present to watch Brazilian teenager Lorran in action for Flamengo on Thursday: "17yo Flamengo RW Lorran got his first senior start in 1-0 Copa do Brasil win v Amazonas on Thurs. Believe LFC are watching him now as well."

Lorran is a relatively unknown name, considering his age and the fact that he is playing in South America, but this is still an exciting update, nonetheless. There is always an element of intrigue about young Brazilian talents, considering the manner in which the likes of Pele, Ronaldo and Neymar have burst onto the scene down the years, so seeing Liverpool linked with one whets the appetite.

Lorran has already made 11 appearances for Flamengo, despite still only being 17 years of age, scoring once and assisting twice in that time. He is also a 13-cap Brazil Under-17 international, netting once in the process.

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The teenage attacker would come in as a long-term acquisition who could shine in the youth team at Liverpool to begin with, or be loaned out elsewhere, with the hope being that he matures into a formidable player over time.

Everton's awful financial situation has been well documented in recent months, with the club being hit with an eight-point deduction during the current campaign for breaching the Premier League's PSR rules.

Whilst boss Sean Dyche has done a sensational job in leading the Toffees clear of any relegation threats by securing survival with three games to spare despite the deduction, the off-the-field issues have overshadowed his excellent work.

The former Burnley manager has instilled a brilliant defensive foundation, that has made his side tough to break down and doing so on a shoestring budget as the club tries to avoid any further sanctions.

During his time at Goodison Park, Dyche has spent less than £100m, with the Toffees relying on selling key players before any potential new additions.

In recent times, Richarlison and Anthony Gordon have departed the club, for fees of £60m and £45m, respectively – huge figures in the club's battle to undo multiple awful signings from the last decade.

The club have made their fair share of awful signings, with one in particular costing a hefty fee, before departing the club for free just five years after his move to Merseyside.

Yannick Bolasie's stats at Everton

After forking £25m for his signature, winger Yannick Bolasie arrived at Goodison with high hopes of transforming the Toffees' attack under boss Ronald Koeman.

Everton's most expensive signings
Player	From	Fee	Year
1. Gylfi Sigurdsson	Swansea	£42m	2017
2. Richarlison	Watford	£33.5m	2018
3. Romelu Lukaku	Chelsea	£30m	2014
4. Amadou Onana	Lille	£28.2m	2022
5. Alex Iwobi	Arsenal	£26m	2019
6. Yerry Mina	Barcelona	£25.9m	2018
7. Yannick Bolasie	Crystal Palace	£25m	2016
8. Michael Keane	Burnley	£24.3m	2017
= Jordan Pickford	Sunderland	£24.3m	2017
10. Moise Kean	Juventus	£23.5m	2019
Stats via Transfermarkt

However, the move would be a disaster for everyone involved, with the DR Congo attacker failing to justify any of his hefty price tag during his time at the club.

Bolasie started all 13 of the Toffees' opening Premier League fixtures, before suffering an ACL tear that would rule him out of action for 12 months.

The former Crystal Palace was a shadow of his former self after his injury, only managing to make 32 appearances for the club in his two seasons as a first-team member.

In a bid to regain his form, he was sent on various loan spells to the likes of Aston Villa, Anderlecht and Sporting CP, but only managed ten goals over his three stints away from Goodison.

The attacker would subsequently leave the club at the end of the 2020/21 season upon the expiration of his deal on Merseyside, ending his five-year stint at the club.

Despite his horrid luck with injuries, the club made the right call by offloading the winger, with his huge wages bleeding the club dry for many years, putting the club into a mess financially.

Yannick Bolasie's wage at Everton

During his time with the Toffees, the 34-year-old pocketed £71k-per-week, as per Salary Sport, with the misfiring winger receiving full pay despite missing a year with injury.

It's unclear how much of his wage the club were paying during his respective loan moves away from Goodison but during his two campaigns alone on Merseyside, the former Palace attacker bagged himself nearly £7.3m in wages alone.

When combining his extortionate wages with his £25m fee, Bolasie cost the club £32.3m – over £1m per appearance after only featuring 32 times in the blue of Everton.

The "disaster" signing, as described by former boss Sam Allardyce, was once a promising addition, but it's unfortunate that an injury ruined his time at the club.

It's unfair to blame the club's current financial situation on the Congolese attacker, but his huge weekly wage and transfer fee have certainly played a part in Everton's recent setbacks.

Everton were bled dry by Allardyce flop who pocketed £11m in wages

He proved himself to be a huge waste of money.

By
Ethan Lamb

Apr 20, 2024