Liverpool and Manchester United are keen on RB Leipzig captain David Raum having been impressed with the 27-year-old Germany left-back during scouting missions this season. (Teamtalk) Liverpool are set to evaluate handing a new contract to 33-year-old Brazil goalkeeper Alisson next season. (Football Insider) Former Liverpool and Paris St-Germain midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum is keen to make a return to the Premier League next season, with the 35-year-old Dutchman's contract with Saudi Arabian club Al-Ettifaq expiring this summer. (Sky Sports)
Liverpool are searching for wide talent to replace Mohamed Salah, and 20-year-old winger Bazoumana Toure is someone they are pursuing with intent. The Hoffenheim winger has been mentioned in Liverpool transfer rumours for the past few days, and there seems to be progress being made in discussions. Toure is an exciting Bundesliga winger who has exploded into life this season, registering three goals and 11 assists in 25 games. Liverpool make official contact to sign Bazoumana Toure with asking price set
If we're selling Gomez this move makes sense. I would prefer to see us moving for Marco Senesi - can play CB/LB, is free, and understands the league. But VvD, Konate, Jacquet, and Leoni means we probably won't be bringing in any top of the pile CB's this summer.
Liverpool want Bazoumana Toure in the summer. The 20-year-old Ivory Coast winger has excelled for Hoffenheim this season and could spark the Anfield club's attack back into life. (Teamtalk) Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate is close to agreeing a new contract to stay at Anfield. The 26-year-old France international was expected to leave this summer but could now sign a four-year extension. (RMC - in French) Borussia Dortmund and Germany centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck, 26, has a release clause of about £43m-£52m which only applies to three clubs - including Liverpool and Real Madrid, but not Bayern Munich. (Bild - in German)
Liverpool are leading the race for 28-year-old Bournemouth and Argentina defender Marcos Sensi, who is out of contract this summer. (i paper) Liverpool are interested in Newcastle's England winger Anthony Gordon, 25, and Everton and Senegal forward Iliman Ndiaye, 26, as they seek to bolster their attacking options for next season. (Teamtalk)
With Ekitike gone until at least the second half of the season, if not the entirety of it (and who knows how he'll come back... Achille's injuries are notoriously hard to rehab), we really probably need three attacking players now. We have to replace Jota, Salah, and probably Gakpo and Chiesa. I'd expect that Harvey Elliott probably comes back in for Chiesa at this point. He's at least as serviceable as Chiesa, and is home-grown. Either that or he says "F-it" sell me to whoever wants me, and we try to get 15-20M for him. I'd actually like to see Frimpong moved forward and play as a winger. I think he's better suited to this position in a 4-3-3, or a 4-2-3-1 in the EPL. In midfield, we probably sell MacAllister if we get a good offer for him. I don't know what exactly is up with him this year, but he seems to get gassed super easy, and just doesn't seem to have the touch and vision he showed in prior seasons. We probably replace him with someone who can sit in and cover in front of the defense. Hopefully Gravenberch can play effectively in a more advanced position, and we have Szoboszlai and Wirtz in there as well as more attacking minded MF. I'd like to see Jones kept, if we can hold onto him. So probably we just need one MF. On defense, I honestly think we need both a RB and a LB that are at least of equal quality to what we have now in Bradley and Kerkez. If we get a new manager and we switch to a 3-CB with wingbacks style (e.g. Alonso comes in), then I think we can probably make due with Frimpong on the right along with Bradley. We probably will see Gomez shown the door, and probably also see Konate with a new contract. That means at least one new CB so that we have Leoni, VvD, and Konate, with at least one new CB to round out the rotation. Preferrably, I'd like to see someone who can slot in for VvD on the left and/or play out wide on either side in a 3-CB backline, or as a defensive FB in a 4-CB backline. So, three attackers, one midfielder, and three defenders. That is probably an even bigger outlay than last summer. Hope we qualify for the CL, or we won't get all those positions filled with quality players. Even with CL qualification I'm not sure FSG are ready to spend quite that much.
I really worry that with Slot likely remaining in charge and the huge issues across the squad (and holes to fill) - next year will be as poor as this year.
I think there was talk of last summer being Year 1 of a 3-year rebuild. Is that accurate or am I dreaming?
I suppose it’s possible we could have as bad luck with injuries as we have had this season, but this season has to be an outlier. Off the top of my head, and I’d appreciate help in filling in any missing players, but the list is quite extensive and overall made it impossible to experiment with kids or have any degree of consistency and forced him to play the likes of VVD for waaay more minutes than I expect Slot wanted. Some of these were only missing a few games, others for months. Leoni Alisson Ekitike Isak Bradley Wirtz Bajcetic Endo Danns Frimpong Gomez MacAllister Ramsay And some of these - Ekitike, Bradley - we won’t be seeing until 2027.
Maybe Bajcetic. he is proven at this level, like Endo. Frankly, I don;t see Danns making it at this level. Maybe I'm wrong, but he kind of gives me that same vibe I had about Neil Mellor
Could be but I'll always remember Mellor's stoppage time winner against Arsenal, the looks on Vieira's and Campbell's faces were priceless.