Latest news with #ArneSlot
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Liverpool have £200m transfer plan that could ensure more signings this summer
Liverpool may have dominated the Premier League this season to win a record-equalling 20th championship. But there was one accolade they had willingly surrendered just weeks into the new campaign. The failure to strengthen the first-team squad for the campaign, save the late addition of Federico Chiesa, saw the Reds well out of the running for the prize of winning the transfer window, the award so cherished by a particular section of the football fanbase. That Liverpool went on to such success under new boss Arne Slot - a season during which Chiesa totalled just 104 minutes of Premier League action - suggests the club were right not to overly tinker with the playing staff given the tumult happening behind the scenes in the wake of Jurgen Klopp's departure. READ MORE: Liverpool coach could leave after one season as exit talks set to be held READ MORE: Toni Kroos did not believe Florian Wirtz Liverpool reports as he makes 'excited' transfer claim But there was some significant transfer business completed by the Reds in terms of outgoings. And that continued a trend that will almost certainly remain this summer. Fabio Carvalho, Sepp van den Berg, Bobby Clark and Harvey Blair were sold for a combined outlay that could ultimately net Liverpool more than £62million. That represents a profit of around £50m on a quartet of players who managed 40 senior appearances between them with the Reds, more than half of which were accrued by Carvalho during 2022/23. While Blair came through the youth rank,s the other three were bought for relatively small amounts, Clark initially for the Academy. And acquiring or developing young talent who, even if they don't quite make the grade at Liverpool, can attain sizeable resale value has long been a staple of the Fenway Sports Group transfer model. Of the more notable such departures, Neco Williams went to Nottingham Forest for £17m, Dominic Solanke was £24m to Bournemouth, Harry Wilson £12m to Fulham, Taiwo Awoniyi to Union Berlin for £6.5m, Rhian Brewster was sold to Sheffield United in a £23.5m agreement, Ki-Jana Hoever switched to Wolves for £13.5m, Danny Ward cost Leicester City £12.5m, Jordan Ibe moved to Bournemouth for £15m and Ryan Kent was sold to Rangers for £7.5m. In addition, the likes of Kamil Grabara, Liam Millar, Ovie Ejaria, Bobby Duncan, Allan Rodrigues de Souza, Rafael Camacho, Herbie Kane, Kevin Stewart, Andre Wisdom, Brad Smith and Sergi Canos have all commanded seven-figure fees during the last decade. All told, that's more than £200m of income. Of course, Liverpool aren't the only club to utilise the market in such a manner, with Manchester City and Chelsea also major proponents of the approach. Indeed, incoming right-back Jeremie Frimpong spent almost a decade at City's academy before moving to Celtic for £350,000, although City were handed £3.5m due to a contract clause when Frimpong later joined Bayer Leverkusen. And Liverpool are poised to be given the opportunity to further bolster their transfer coffers this summer with bids likely for a number of players. True, both Harvey Elliott and Caoimhin Kelleher technically fit the mould having been been brought in for £4.3m and nothing respectively and likely to command a combined total of more than £45m should they depart. The duo, though, have long been considered good enough to be first-team squad regulars. Instead, the most intriguing potential departure this summer among players who haven't yet made an emphatic step up to the senior side is Ben Doak. The teenage Scottish winger had an impressive spell on loan at Middlesbrough in the Championship until his season was ended by injury earlier in the year. And Everton, now back under the tutelage of Doak's compatriot David Moyes, are considering a bid for the youngster, with Liverpool having rejected a £15m offer from Crystal Palace in January. Doak is valued nearer the £30m mark. Tyler Morton saw limited game time this campaign due to injury and the form of others, and was close to a season-long loan move to Bayer Leverkusen last summer. The Academy graduate can expect potential suitors. And Sheffield United have long been rumoured to be looking at forward Lewis Koumas and left-back Owen Beck, who impressed on loan in the Championship this season with Stoke City and Blackburn Rovers respectively. Stefan Bajcetic will be given an opportunity in pre-season under Slot before any decision is made over his future after an encouraging few months with Las Palmas, while Luca Stephenson is open to a permanent switch to Dundee United after an excellent campaign on loan in Scotland. As with FSG policy, any funds generated from player sales will be made available to the recruitment team. Liverpool have already been busy working on incomings before the transfer window even opens on Sunday. And the extent of the exits from Academy and loan players will determine just how much will be spent on reinforcements over the next few months.
Malay Mail
3 hours ago
- General
- Malay Mail
Ex-Liverpool manager Klopp mourns after 65 injured in post-parade tragedy, says ‘more serious things' than football
LIVERPOOL, May 29 — Liverpool's beloved former manager Jurgen Klopp said there are more 'serious things in the world than football' after a car ploughed into supporters at the end of a parade to celebrate the club's Premier League title triumph. A 53-year-old man from the Liverpool area has been held by police on suspicion of attempted murder and taking drugs after 65 people were injured in Monday's shocking scenes. Klopp, who left the English giants a year ago, was in attendance for the parade. It was the first chance the club and supporters had to celebrate a title triumph together for 35 years as the 2019/20 league won by Klopp's side came during a period of restrictions on public gatherings due to Covid-19. 'The mood was incredible and from one second to the other, everything changed because we then learned again there are more serious things in the world than football,' Klopp said when being presented with an award by the League Managers' Association. 'Thoughts and prayers go definitely to the, as far as I know right now, to the injured people, but to the families, of course, as well. 'It should have been one of the greatest days in the history of the city, after a long, long time, because we didn't have the opportunity to do that the last time.' Liverpool boss Arne Slot withdrew from the same event, where he was due to pick up a manager of the year award, out of respect for the victims. In the shock that followed the incident, even Liverpool's fiercest rivals Everton, Manchester United and Manchester City were among the clubs to offer their support to the Premier League champions and their fans. Police said in a press conference on Tuesday 11 of the injured remained in hospital in a stable condition. 'Football is and always should be a game built on rivalry, but it is also a great source of comradeship, especially at times like this,' Slot said in a statement. 'I would also like to pay tribute to the emergency services and other authorities in Liverpool who swung into action as soon as the incident happened. 'Along with the supporters and bystanders who helped one another in an hour of need, I think everyone involved in the aftermath deserves the gratitude of all of us.' Everton manager David Moyes said the solidarity between Liverpool's two major clubs is what makes the city special. 'On behalf of all my players and staff, I'd like to pass on my heartfelt best wishes to all those who were injured and affected, as well as their families and friends,' Moyes said in a statement posted on Everton's social media. 'One of things that makes this city special is the solidarity between the people, who always come together in times of hardship. 'We always stand together in the most difficult times.' — AFP
Forbes
6 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
Could Hugo Ekitike Fit Liverpool's Summer Transfer Window Rebuild?
Eintracht Frankfurt's French striker #11 Hugo Ekitike celebrates scoring the opening goal during the ... More UEFA Europa League quarter-final football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Eintracht Frankfurt at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, on April 10, 2025. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP) (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images) Liverpool has been linked with a transfer move for the Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike, who became the latest of numerous names to be linked with a move to the Premier League champions this summer. Arne Slot's side will be in the transfer market for reinforcements as it looks to defend its title, but though there are a number of deals in the works, none have been officially confirmed as yet. Despite winning the Premier League with four games to spare, there are still obvious areas for improvement in this Liverpool team. It might seem like nitpicking to point out weaknesses in a team that performed so well in a tough Premier League this season, but the areas for improvement can be easily identified. This in itself puts Liverpool in a good position, as it means the club is building from a position of strength. LEVERKUSEN, GERMANY - FEBRUARY 15: (L-R) Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong of Leverkusen during the ... More Bundesliga match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and FC Bayern München at BayArena on February 15, 2025 in Leverkusen, Germany. (Photo by Jörg Schüler/Bayer 04 Leverkusen via Getty Images) The obvious position where a new signing is needed is right-back. Trent Alexander-Arnold will leave the club on a free transfer to Real Madrid this summer, now that his contract is up, and a new right-back is clearly needed. The club has moved quickly to identify potential replacements in this area and is expected to announce the signing of Bayer Leverkusen's right-sided wing-back Jeremie Frimpong in due course. On the other side of the back four, left-back has also looked like an area that could be improved. Though Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas are not bad players, and Robertson in his prime was one of the best around, a team challenging on multiple fronts at the top level in the Premier League and Champions League could do use some extra quality in this area. This is why there are strong links with Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez, who at 21 years old could be seen as a long-term replacement for Robertson. This is another deal Liverpool is expected to get done sooner rather than later this summer. The biggest transfer news for Liverpool so far this summer is the potential big-money acquisition of another Bayer Leverkusen star, Florian Wirtz. The 22-year-old German is considered one of the best young players in the game right now and, having played regularly at senior level since the age of 17, is already approaching his peak. The transfer fee for Wirtz will likely set Liverpool back around $160 million, but they will believe that such a rare talent is worth the money. Wirtz would add plenty to Liverpool's attack as he's able to drive a team forward using his pace on the ball and his passing ability. LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 14: Diogo Jota of Liverpool celebrates scoring his team's second goal ... More with Darwin Nunez during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Fulham FC at Anfield on December 14, 2024 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) Wirtz's arrival might even allow Liverpool to get the most from existing attacking players who might not have had the best seasons in 2024/25 despite the title win. Diogo Jota and Darwin Núñez would fall into that category, though you get the impression the club would be open to selling any attacker not named Mohamed Salah if a reasonable offer came in. The arrival of Wirtz, however, means it is under no pressure to do so. If offers do come in, and players are sold, it would open the door for Liverpool to sign a striker. The Núñez experiment brought plenty of unpredictability to the team's attack, and though this sometimes helped them, it sometimes didn't, so there is the option for the club to try something else in this area. It is here that other players for the central forward position can be considered. The rangy Eintracht Frankfurt striker Ekitiké will be one of the targets for Europe's top teams this summer, and Liverpool has thrown its hat into the ring along with fellow Premier League side Chelsea as one of the teams interested. Sky's Florian Plettenberg reported on Wednesday that Liverpool has joined the race for the striker who scored 15 goals in the Bundesliga this season, and that the Liverpool hierarchy, including sporting director Richard Hughes, is keen to bring him to the club. Liverpool made no notable signings in Arne Slot's first season, so should have plenty of room to maneuver financially, but adding another player who would likely cost over $100 million would mean sales are needed. There will be interest in Núñez and Jota. Even though they have not set the Premier League alight in 2024/25, teams will know of their ability from previous seasons. Maybe a team will think they can do what Liverpool couldn't quite manage and convert Núñez's elite chance-getting into goals. This ability to get into positions to score is what persuaded Liverpool to part with a record transfer fee for the Uruguayan in the first place, and another team might see similar potential. Ekitiké is an all-round striker who, like Wirtz, has created chances as well as scored goals in the Bundesliga in 24/25, but unlike Wirtz is obviously a forward rather than an attacking midfielder. It's worth noting that this past season is only the Frenchman's second campaign where he has reached double figures for goals, but both those returns came in the seasons he was established in a team and playing regularly—the other being for Reims in Ligue 1 in 2021/22 prior to a move to Paris Saint-Germain. Another important asset Ekitiké brings is height. Many managers and coaches like to have a certain number of tall players in their teams simply for defending set pieces. It's an under-reported part of the game that can often explain lineup decisions that might otherwise seem unusual. One of Núñez's strengths is clearing the ball at defensive set-pieces, and regardless of heading technique, simply winning the ball in such situations is important. The players Liverpool has been linked with so far this summer are all under 6 feet tall and not noted for their aerial ability, but at 6 foot 3, Ekitiké would offer something in this area on top of his other attributes. 06 October 2024, Hesse, Frankfurt/M.: Soccer: Bundesliga, Eintracht Frankfurt - Bayern Munich, ... More Matchday 6, Deutsche Bank Park, Frankfurt's Hugo Ekitike (l) celebrates the 2:1 goal with Omar Marmoush. Photo: Uwe Anspach/dpa (Photo by Uwe Anspach/picture alliance via Getty Images) Manchester City has already signed one of the outstanding players from Eintracht Frankfurt in Omar Marmoush; now Liverpool has joined Chelsea in the race for another. Despite Marmoush's exit halfway through the season, the four goals he assisted for Ekitiké made them one of the most common combinations in the Bundesliga in 2024/25. Liverpool has plenty of players who can provide chances similarly, with Salah's additional creativity in recent seasons and the potential addition of Wirtz. Incidentally, the most common assister to goalscorer combination in the Bundesliga this season was Wirtz to Patrik Schick with seven. One could easily see that becoming Wirtz to Ekitiké in the Premier League. The more the numbers and the fit are considered, and if the potential for selling existing players turns into concrete bids, the more a move for Ekitiké makes sense for Liverpool. It is an area of the field where the club has plenty of options to fund a new purchase through sales, and one where, once that money is available, it makes sense to try something new. Ekitiké could be that player.
Daily Mail
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Trent Alexander-Arnold pens emotional 15-word tribute to Liverpool fans as he bids farewell after 'perfect send-off' in title parade
Trent Alexander-Arnold has paid tribute to Liverpool fans ahead of his departure from the club at the end of the season as a free agent. Taking to X, formerly Twitter, Alexander-Arnold, 26, wrote: 'Perfect send off. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, I love my city'. The right-back has had a farewell campaign to remember as he played an influential part in Liverpool's run to the title in Arne Slot 's first season at the helm. However, he has opted not to renew his contract on Merseyside and is set for a new challenge elsewhere having been on the Reds' books since the age of six. While his next destination has not yet been officially confirmed, he has been linked continuously with Real Madrid. Los Blancos are hopeful of signing him early in time for the Club World Cup, which begins on June 14. Liverpool are set to replace Alexander-Arnold with Bayer Leverkusen's Jeremie Frimpong, who has agreed a five-year deal with the Reds. However, the deal has not been confirmed as Slot side's must first activate his £29.5million release clause and announce the completion of his medical. When asked if Frimpong had already undergone a medical after Liverpool's defeat to Brighton on May 19, Slot responded: 'What do you think? 'I think what we all know is the moment we announce it, that is the moment to talk about it in general. We haven't announced anything so no need to talk about anyone.' Alexander-Arnold would be another big addition to Real's backline, after the club triggered the £50million release clause of Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen. In addition to landing Frimpong, Liverpool also remain keen on Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez and a centre back after missing out on his former team-mate Huijsen. During Liverpool's title celebrations, he failed to hold it together, first breaking down during the rendition of You'll Never Walk Alone. He then sat along on the pitch, before crying more as he embraced his family. It was a far cry from the boos he received when he was substituted on against Arsenal, and Slot thanked the fans for sticking together. Slot said: 'It went brilliant when our fans are together. I don't think you see many celebrations like we had them today. It's no surprise to me that the fans were brilliant again today as they were throughout the whole season, as they were towards Trent. 'He deserved it. I am very happy for him and everyone in and around the club that things worked out the way they did. 'Everybody could see how difficult he had it after the game. That tells you how hard it is to leave a club like this. That's all we can try to do, to make it so hard for the players to leave. 'Many of them stay. Trent made a decision to go, unfortunately for us. But it was great for him to have a farewell as he had today.' .
Daily Mail
9 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Revealed: Florian Wirtz's 'key concern over Pep Guardiola that led him to snub Man City for Liverpool'
A key factor behind Florian Wirtz's decision to choose a move to Liverpool over Manchester City has been revealed by a report in Germany. Wirtz, 22, has become one of the most sought-after players in world football in recent months, with Liverpool, City and Bayern Munich all interested in signing the £126m-rated star. City identified Wirtz as their top summer target and held talks with his representatives, but it emerged over the weekend that the attacking midfielder is set to join Liverpool instead. According to Bild, Wirtz opted against a move to City due to concerns over the long-term future of Pep Guardiola. Guardiola is widely regarded as the best manager of his generation and Wirtz had been keen to play under him, but the Spaniard only has two years remaining on his City contract. He signed a new deal earlier this season to commit his future to City until 2027, but has since hinted that he will leave when his current contract ends to take a break from the game. With this in mind, Wirtz has decided that he wants to join a club with a more stable management structure. Arne Slot only arrived at Anfield last summer and delivered the Premier League title in his first season. His contract is also due to expire in 2027, but is likely to be extended following his stunning first campaign on Merseyside. Bild's report also states that Wirtz has given the green light to Liverpool due to the unique atmosphere created by the fans and the club's stature. Liverpool's Premier League triumph was their 20th top-flight title, drawing them level with Manchester United. The Reds have also won six European Cups to United's three. Liverpool are expected to proceed swiftly with wrapping up a deal for Wirtz, with the transfer window due to open on Sunday. They are closing in on signing Wirtz's Bayer Leverkusen team-mate Jeremie Frimpong for £29.5m to provide competition for Conor Bradley following Trent Alexander-Arnold's departure, while Liverpool are also keen on Bournemouth left back Milos Kerkez.
