Liverpool ‘in talks’ to make ‘first switch for Andoni Iraola’ as swap deal proposed
Liverpool have reportedly proposed a swap deal to Inter Milan that could prove to be Andoni Iraola’s first piece of transfer business, with the Spaniard the favourite to be named the new Reds boss
Andoni Iraola is favourite to be named the new Liverpool boss
Liverpool are reported to have raised the prospect of signing Denzel Dumfries during discussions which could see Curtis Jones move in the opposite direction to Inter Milan, according to Italian media reports.
Inter have been pursuing Jones ahead of the summer transfer window with the Liverpool midfielder now entering the final 12 months of his deal. However, the Italian heavyweights are struggling to match Liverpool’s asking price for the midfielder, who has established himself as a first-team regular after coming through the Anfield academy.
Reports emerged last week suggesting there was a significant gap between the two parties in negotiations, with Inter hoping to secure additional funding before potentially attempting to resurrect a deal in July.
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Gazzetta dello Sport, via Sportwitness, suggest that Liverpool then floated the idea of including Dumfries in discussions for Jones given the contrasting valuations between the clubs.
It’s believed Liverpool value the 25-year-old midfielder at €30million (£25.9m) – roughly €10m (£8.6m) beyond Inter’s budget. Dumfries has been linked with Liverpool before and it appears their interest in the Dutch wing-back remains strong despite Arne Slot’s exit on Saturday.
The report claims the 30-year-old has a €25m (£21.6m) release clause inserted into his deal, though it remains unclear whether either club intends to advance with negotiations for the respective players. If Liverpool decide to pursue Dumfries and bring him to Anfield in the coming weeks, he could potentially be the first signing of the Andoni Iraola era.
The departing Bournemouth boss has rapidly become the front-runner to replace Arne Slot, putting discussions with Crystal Palace on hold. He is set to enter talks with Liverpool this week, with the Reds eager to secure a new manager before the World Cup starts on 11 June.
Iraola has earned widespread praise for his remarkable achievements on the south coast and departs Bournemouth having clinched European football thanks to a sixth-place finish in the Premier League: the highest in the club’s history.
Should Liverpool opt to cast their net wider in their hunt for a new head coach, Sebastian Hoeness is another potential successor to Slot after making waves at Stuttgart, as is Lens manager Pierre Sage.
