Liverpool became just one of five teams who are yet to record their first win of the new Premier League season with Monday’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester United and, coupled with the news of Naby Keita’s latest injury, are now being backed to re-enter the transfer market.
With four midfielders out through injury, the Reds’ midfield depth is wearing thin and reports in Greece believe that Liverpool will now ‘move forward’ with a new midfield signing, while rumoured target Federico Valverde is said to be the subject of a £75million offer from an unknown Premier League side.
Mirror Football takes a look at all the latest transfer stories coming out of Anfield…
Federico Valverde subject of £75m offer
One of the many midfielders who Liverpool have been linked with this summer is Real Madrid ’s Valverde, who has been the subject of a £75m offer from an unnamed Premier League side, according to Spanish publication El Debate.
The report states that a Premier League team has come forward with a £75m (€90m) offer for Valverde and, although it doesn’t reveal which English club sent the proposal, it can be assumed that it is most likely one of the so-called ‘Big Six’, or Newcastle, who could afford such a fee.
However, it is also revealed that Real rejected the offer as they view Valverde as being ‘untouchable’, having extended his current deal until 2027 last year, meaning he has five years left to run and will therefore require a substantial fee to be sold.
Could Liverpool be the unnamed club who have bid for Valverde? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
Reds to ‘move forward’ with new midfielder
Keita joined fellow midfielders Thiago, Curtis Jones and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on the injury list for Jurgen Klopp’s side ahead of Monday’s clash with United, leaving the German to start a midfield three of James Milner, Jordan Henderson and Harvey Elliot, while Fabinho was on the bench.
And following the 2-1 defeat in the north west derby, Sportime journalist Giannis Chorianopoulos has said that Liverpool will now move into the market for a new midfielder, amid the growing pressure on Klopp and FSG to spend more money to strengthen the squad.
The Reds have been linked with a number of players to provide extra cover in that position in recent times, including Brighton & Hove Albion’s Moises Caicedo, and it now looks as though their hand may have been forced ahead of next week’s deadline day, following yet another injury.
Liverpool ‘studying’ Bennacer signing
AC Milan midfielder Ismael Bennacer is another player who has been mentioned in the same breath as Liverpool in recent times as the Reds long for another midfielder to provide added depth and quality to the side ahead of the remainder of the campaign.
Bennacer is in the process of trying to extend his current terms with Milan this summer but has been demanding a significant pay rise, of which the Serie A champions are yet to agree to, and now Liverpool are said to be closely paying attention to the situation as a result.
That’s according to La Gazzetta Dello Sport, via Paisley Gates, who reveal that Liverpool are studying the opportunity to sign the Algerian international if the Rossoneri take too long to extend his contract, having already been looking at the player for ‘quite some time’.