Liverpool have received a big boost in their pursuit of a mega money transfer target but the Reds have also had some terrible news for Andoni Iraola
Andoni Iraola may be getting closer to signing a huge Mohamed Salah replacement to galvanise his Liverpool squad.
Liverpool’s pre-season kicked off on Saturday with a 4-2 win over Sunderland in a goalfest out in the United States. And following that victory, which featured strikes from Kieran Morrison, Dominik Szoboszlai, Federico Chiesa and Lewis Koumas, the rampant Reds may have have also had a big boost in the summer transfer market.
The Merseyside giants are yet to find a successor to talisman Mohamed Salah following his departure in June, but there have been major developments when it comes to a huge transfer target said to have a price tag of £140m. Here’s all the latest news from Anfield.
Barcola ‘won’t force PSG exit’
Despite the allure of a Premier League switch, French winger Bradley Barcola seemingly won’t push his boundaries at Paris Saint-Germain.
It came to light on Sunday that the 23-year-old has informed his current club he has no plans to sign a new contract at the Parc des Princes.
This stance apparently extends beyond this summer after he turned down PSG’s most recent proposal for contract renewal talks. This has sparked speculation that a £140m exit may be on the cards.
The current situation certainly heightens the pressure on his club to contemplate a sale if they wish to maximise his value.
However, Le Parisien has reported Barcola “will not force a move” from his home of the past three years. Beyond that, it’s not even certain if he’s determined to depart this summer.
It’s also claimed Barcola has already rejected an overture from Chelsea earlier this summer. That suggests Barcola has a particular destination in mind – with Liverpool fans hoping he wants to join England’s most successful football club instead.
Barcola has bagged 39 goals and 25 assists in 152 games in all competitions for the reigning back-to-back European champions.
Ndukwe can’t feature for Liverpool
Following the blow of Joe Gomez’s latest injury problem in pre-season, Liverpool’s defence has taken another knock, reports the Mirror.
Summer signing Ifeanyi Ndukwe won’t be eligible to feature for Iraola this campaign. The 18-year-old’s £2.6m transfer from Austria Wien was announced in January, but didn’t formally complete until July.
Nevertheless, it may not be much longer before the 6ft 6in Austrian centre-back is departing through the exit door if he’s prevented from representing the Reds.
It’s been verified Ndukwe hasn’t reached the required level to secure a work permit in the UK. As a result, a loan move elsewhere seems almost certain for the young player, so he can gain the necessary experience and become a feasible choice in the near future.
This development is particularly detrimental given Gomez’s injury, with fellow newcomer Jeremy Jacquet yet to make his first appearance and young talent Giovanni Leoni recovering from a severe knee injury.
The update also follows Ibrahima Konate’s free transfer to Real Madrid, as Iraola aims to restructure Liverpool’s defence this summer.