Liverpool are reportedly making plans to follow up the signing of Florian Wirtz by gazumping Premier League rivals Chelsea to the capture of Hugo Ekitike – while the Reds have also cleared the path for seven stars to depart Anfield in the coming weeks.
The Premier League champions have wasted no time in moving to strengthen Arne Slot’s title-winning squad, with Jeremie Frimpong signing on the dotted line before the transfer window officially opened. And while no new names have been added since, a deal for Milos Kerkez should soon be ratified in a move that will potentially give Liverpool not one, but two new full-back additions this summer.
However, it is the imminent signing of Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen that has really got supporters excited, with the 22-year-old playmaker on course to shatter numerous transfer records once the deal finally crosses the line.
Talks over his signing have continued on Tuesday between the Reds and the Bundesliga side, and there remains optimism a deal will be struck despite doubts creeping in suggesting an impasse has been reached over Liverpool’s point-blank refusal to meet Wirtz’s asking price.
While the Reds are not yet at the stage where they can park negotiations, the club are busy working behind the scenes on a number of other deals – and the next one of which is likely to be fueled by a number of high-profile departures.
And according to reports from Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, Liverpool very much remain active in the hunt for Ekitike.
And while Eintracht Frankfurt have been locked in talks with Chelsea over a deal to sell the striker to the Blues, their refusal to meet the Bundesliga side’s asking price appears to have put their chances of a move on ice.
Indeed, per Plettenberg, Chelsea now have zero chance of landing the France Under-21 striker before Tuesday’s 7pm deadline ahead of the Club World Cup, backing up claims made by our man Fraser Fletcher earlier in the day.
And Chelsea’s delay could open the door again for Liverpool, with Plettenberg posting on X: ‘No agreement yet between Hugo Ekitike and Chelsea. Eintracht Frankfurt have also not received an official offer.
‘A participation in the Club World Cup is currently ruled out. Unclear how things will progress with Chelsea.
‘A deal in the next transfer window is still possible, but Liverpool remain in the race and have also held concrete talks with the player’s camp, as Nunez, Jota and Chiesa are all candidates to leave.’
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And while Chelsea appear unwilling to meet the £84.6m (€100m, $114.5m) asking price on the striker’s head, it’s understood Liverpool would be willing to go nearer that figure if it ensures they can get the deal done.
To help the possible double arrival, Liverpool will allow a number of players to depart this summer to both free up space in their squad and ensure some money is brought back into the Anfield coffers.
And as Plettenberg has touched upon, Liverpool are very much open to the exits of Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota – as exclusively first revealed by TEAMtalk – and Federico Chiesa this summer.
Per the Daily Mail, Liverpool have set a £70m (€82.7m, $95m) fee on Nunez’s head as he continues to attract attention from the Saudi Pro League.
However, the Uruguayan is unlikely to be the only forward to leave, with the Reds open to the exits of both Jota and Chiesa too.
Per The Athletic, the trio could be just three of seven players destined to leave over the coming weeks.
And they write that Harvey Elliott, Nat Phillips, Kostas Tsimikas and Tyler Morton could all be available to leave as well, while Czech goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros could be set to leave Anfield on loan.
As for Ekitike, a potential move to bring the 22-year-old to Anfield would also be backed by Jamie Carragher.
Speaking on The Overlap, Carragher stated: “The one every club would like is Isak. I’m not sure we’re in a position where there are absolutely great centre forwards around that you can take your pick.
“Do I think Liverpool can buy Isak? I don’t know. I’m not sure Liverpool would want to pay that type of money for that player, it’s not the model, the model is ‘we’ll get the next Isak’. Liverpool will be probably kicking itself thinking, ‘why didn’t we get Isak from Real Sociedad?’ I don’t think Liverpool will go break the bank for him.
“There’s the lad at Eintracht Frankfurt who scored against Tottenham, that smacks to me the type of player Liverpool would sign.
“He’s 22, he’s at a club who’d be a selling club, done very well there, went to PSG as a very young boy after lighting up the French league, but it didn’t quite work out for him. He’s got great numbers and the type of player that Liverpool would sign rather than maybe going for an Isak.”
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Meanwhile, Liverpool have been offered the chance to finally land Aurelien Tchouameni after reports in Spain named the Frenchman as one of three players told they have no future under new Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso.
Despite that offer, Slot is reported to have come to a very rapid verdict on the long-term Reds target.
Elsewhere on the outgoing front, Cody Gakpo, though, looks likely to stay after delivering a 24-word rebuttal to Bayern Munich rumours.
And finally, Alisson Becker has clarified his immediate future at Anfield and having also come clean on the potential next move, he’s already gathering information about.
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Florian Wirtz Leverkusen stats this season