Liverpool’s Loan Stars: Decisions Loom for Bajcetic, Doak and Emerging Talents As Arne Slot prepares for his second campaign in charge of Liverpool, having steered the club to a Premier League title in his debut season, the spotlight shifts to the next phase of development. Beyond big-name targets and high-profile exits, a quiet transformation is […]

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Liverpool’s Summer Surge Continues as Wirtz Deal Agreed and Kerkez Talks Advance Wirtz Win Highlights New Transfer Intent Liverpool are once again making major waves in the summer transfer market, with the Premier League champions wasting little time in reinforcing their squad. Fabrizio Romano, speaking via his YouTube channel, confirmed that the Reds have agreed […]

The post Romano “So Kerkez will go to Liverpool,…‘here we go’, not that long.” appeared first on anfieldindex.com.

Liverpool’s Pursuit of Wirtz Hits Stalemate Despite Clear Intentions Wirtz Deal Has Captivated Liverpool Fans but Remains Incomplete Liverpool’s chase for Florian Wirtz has dominated the summer narrative at Anfield. Touted as one of Europe’s most electrifying midfielders, Wirtz’s name has been inked into headlines for weeks, and yet, no signature has graced the dotted […]

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Wirtz and Liverpool: Time to Close the Deal Liverpool’s persistence faces Leverkusen’s resolve The long-running saga surrounding Florian Wirtz’s proposed move to Liverpool continues to grip attention. A transfer that had all the hallmarks of a statement signing for Arne Slot’s new era is still lacking finality. The Reds remain the only club Wirtz is […]

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Liverpool and Wirtz: David Lynch Clarifies Transfer Situation The swirling speculation around Florian Wirtz and Liverpool has reached fever pitch, with social media erupting in claims of a “done deal”. However, as David Lynch articulates in his latest video on the David Lynch LFC YouTube channel, these claims are premature. In a clear and well-measured […]

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Florian Wirtz Signals Liverpool’s Return to the Top Table Liverpool’s signing of Florian Wirtz is more than a transfer, it is a statement. At £126million, this move has rocked the European market. Liverpool have not only outmanoeuvred Bayern Munich and Manchester City, but secured a player who is already among the best in world football. […]

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As the summer's first transfer window slams shut, Premier League clubs have spent nearly half a billion on new signings - and there is still so much business to be done.

Few knew what to expect from this special window brought in ahead of the Club World Cup - but it has delivered 10 days of transfer drama and set the tone for what promises to be a fascinating summer. And we are just six days away from it re-opening.

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Sky Sports' James Savundra explains why Chelsea's moves for Jamie Gittens and Mike Maignan failed

Manchester City have been the big spenders thus far after doing their business early by bringing in Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki, Rayan Ait Nouri and Marcus Bettinelli - taking their outlay to £116.2m.

Despite three of City's signings being announced on Deadline Day, it was Chelsea, the other Premier League team at the Club World Cup, that were centre of attention once again as they chased potential late deals for Jamie Gittens and Mike Maignan.

Chelsea ended their pursuit of Maignan, the AC Milan goalkeeper, around lunchtime because the Italian club were unwilling to lower their demands for the 29-year-old, who is out of contract in a year and valued at no more than £12m by the Blues.

Their chase for Gittens had more legs but also ended in disappointment - for now at least. Dortmund rejected Chelsea's £42m bid and demanded closer to £55m late in the day and time ran out for the clubs to come to an agreement.

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Here are Gittens' best goals last season in the Bundesliga

Chelsea were happy to wait as they do not want to overpay for Gittens and plan to revisit the deal further down the line. Gittens, who wants to move to Chelsea, appeared frustrated as he sped out of Dortmund's training ground at day's end.

Dortmund were able to get an incoming deal over the line ahead of the tournament as they signed Jobe Bellingham from Sunderland in a club-record sale for the newly-promoted Premier League club, who are receiving an initial £27.8m for the 19-year-old.

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Jobe Bellingham explains why he moved to Borussia Dortmund from Sunderland

Before Bellingham's exit, the Black Cats had confirmed the club-record £20m signing of midfielder Enzo Le Fee after a successful loan spell from Roma.

First summer window in numbers

Sky Sports Data Editor Adam Smith:

Premier League clubs have splashed nearly £500m after only 10 days of the first summer window, which is already close to half the amount spent during the entire 2021/22 summer window.

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Manchester City have been the most spendthrift club as Pep Guardiola's side look to rebuild after a disappointing campaign, spending a table-topping £116.3m so far.

At the other end of the scale, Wolves are nearly £100m in profit after selling star players Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait Nouri.

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Burnley and Chelsea lead the way for total incomings, with both sides signing four players on permanent deals. Only seven sides are yet to secure a signing.

Arsenal have offloaded 17 players, while Wolves (13), Burnley and Spurs (both 10) have also trimmed their squads considerably.

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Cunha's £62.5m switch to Manchester United is the most expensive deal in the window so far, followed by Tijjani Reijnders (£46.3m), Rayan Ait Nouri (£36m), Jean-Clair Todibo (£35m) and Rayan Cherki (£34m).

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In terms of outgoings, Bournemouth cashed in £50m from selling Dean Huijsen to Real Madrid, while Sunderland sold Jobe Bellingham to Borussia Dortmund for £32m and Manchester City sold Yan Couto to Dortmund for £25m.

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Meanwhile, Chelsea bolstered their frontline ahead of the Club World Cup with the £30m arrival of Liam Delap from Ipswich.

The 22-year-old is one of three signings along with Mamadou Sarr and Dario Essugo, who have been recruited in time to play in the USA. Estevao Willian will join from Palmeiras after the Club World Cup - and he could face Chelsea at the tournament playing for the Brazilian side.

Arsenal target Benjamin Sesko emerged as a option for Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal, who have been turned down by Bruno Fernandes and Victor Osimhen in the last week, as they scrambled to make a marquee signing in time for the Club World Cup.

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European football expert Andy Brassell discusses whether Viktor Gyokeres is the answer for Manchester United and if Arsenal are chasing the wrong striker in Benjamin Sesko

However, the RB Leipzig striker's preference to play for a top club in Europe amid talks with Arsenal appeared to stop Al Hilal from taking their interest any further on Deadline Day. They will have to make do with Aleksandar Mitrovic as their striker in the USA.

Sesko will be one of the names to watch for the rest of the summer, with Arsenal seemingly prioritising a move for the 22-year-old ahead of Sporting's Viktor Gyokeres in their hunt for a striker. Adding a left-winger is another priority, with Real Madrid's Rodrygo a top target. At the other end of the pitch, Arsenal are progressing with a deal to sign Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and are expected to trigger the £5m release clause.

Liverpool eyeing club-record signing when window reopens

The Gunners have taken a backseat in the early running of the window, though, with Premier League champions Liverpool making multiple club-record bids for attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen after he turned down Bayern Munich.

Wirtz only wants to move to Anfield but so far the clubs have failed to reach an agreement with Liverpool's latest offer worth £113m - just £2m shy of the British record set by Moises Caicedo's transfer to Chelsea from Brighton in 2023.

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Sky Sports' Nick Wright takes a look at why Florian Wirtz is such a top target this summer

The Germany international's keenness on the move has ensured the lengthy negotiations have not created too much anxiety among Liverpool fans, who have lost key player Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid for £10m and goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher to Brentford in an £18m deal.

But Liverpool, who have goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili joining from Valencia, have already signed a right-sided player following Alexander-Arnold's exit with the £29.5m arrival of Jeremie Frimpong, while on the other side, they are eyeing a move for Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez.

Initial contact has been made with the Cherries, who have already lined up a replacement in Adrien Truffert from Rennes. Andoni Iraola's side face a potential rebuild this summer, having already lost Dean Huijsen to Real Madrid for £50m, while they have received an approach from Paris Saint-Germain for Illia Zabarnyi.

Image: Dean Huijsen joined Real Madrid from Bournemouth in a £50m deal

An offer from Liverpool for Kerkez is the next step in that deal, but how many more incomings there will be at Anfield could depend on the future of Luis Diaz.

The 28-year-old raised doubts about his future when he revealed he was in talks with other clubs while away with Colombia after the Merseyside club rejected an approach from Barcelona.

Diaz is one of two targets Barcelona have for the forward position, along with Marcus Rashford from Manchester United, whose future appears certain to be away from Old Trafford. Interest is expected in the 27-year-old, who will cost £40m this summer.

Man Utd make most expensive signing so far

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Sky Sports News' Dharmesh Sheth explains how Man Utd are able to afford all their top transfer targets

Manchester United have been unusually quick out of the blocks with their business after signing Matheus Cunha from Wolves for £62.5m - the most expensive signing of the summer so far.

Man Utd are already eyeing their second summer signing with an approach for Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo, who is keen on the move.

The Bees have turned down their opening £55m offer, though talks are continuing and United are expected to return with an improved offer for the forward, valued at more than £60m. Once that pursuit has concluded, the plan is to try and sign a striker.

Gyokeres is one of their targets, and approaches have been made for the Sporting striker through intermediaries as United look to ascertain the conditions of a potential deal. It will likely take a few sales to facilitate any further signings after the potential arrival of Mbeumo, though.

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Dharmesh Sheth and Kaveh Solhekol explain the latest on Manchester United's pursuit of Gyokeres and Bryan Mbeumo

Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Antony are among those who could go with plenty of interest anticipated. Rasmus Hojlund is a target for Inter Milan but has said he expects to remain at United despite the club being linked to other strikers.

Man Utd's Europa League final conquerors, Tottenham, are yet to make a fresh addition to their squad as they close in on the managerial appointment of Thomas Frank after sacking Ange Postecoglou. But Spurs have stepped up their interest in Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo, valued at £70m by the south coast club.

Tottenham are one of 12 Premier League clubs yet to make a major summer signing (excluding loans being made permanent, or deals agreed in previous windows), so expect things to really ramp up when the transfer window reopens on Monday before closing on September 1 at 7pm.

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Liverpool Face Crucial Decisions on Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez Transfers Liverpool stand at a significant crossroads this transfer window, highlighted vividly in the latest episode of the Daily Red Podcast hosted by Trev Downey, discussed the future of star forwards Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez amid growing interest from Saudi clubs and ongoing speculation […]

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A loss Thursday would be a devasting blow in an already frustrating 2024/25.

As is the case for any (sobs) 14th-place team, Tottenham Hotspur's season hinges on competitions outside the Premier League. A bye into the Europa League Round of 16 keeps that avenue open, and the FA Cup remains a possibility as well, but the most immediate and realistic path to silverware is the League Cup. Yes, the road is brutal, with a trip to Anfield before a final against Newcastle, but only 180 minutes separate Spurs from ending their long-standing trophy drought.

That makes Thursday the biggest match of the season so far. Tottenham impressed in the semifinal's first leg, grinding out a 1-0 win despite ceding possession, absorbing pressure, and deploying a makeshift backline. Now, the battle shifts to Liverpool, where the country's best team will be confident in its ability to overcome a one-goal deficit. Spurs enter as clear underdogs but must find a way to advance.

Semifinals (2nd Leg): Liverpool (0) vs. Tottenham Hotspur (1)

Date: Thursday, February 6
Time: 3:00 pm ET, 8:00 pm UK
Location: Anfield Stadium, Liverpool
TV: Paramount+ (USA), Sky Sports Main Event (UK)

Since the first leg, Liverpool has gone 5-1-1, with the lone defeat coming in a meaningless Champions League contest with a rotated lineup. With a Premier League title in sight and a strong European campaign underway, one might assume this competition sits lower on the priority list. Unfortunately for Spurs, there are no significant matches on Liverpool's immediate horizon, meaning Arne Slot is likely to field a strong XI at Anfield.

Both teams were relatively cautious in North London, though for different reasons. Tottenham's approach was shaped by a defense missing three of its four preferred starters, alongside a newly introduced Antonin Kinsky. Ange Postecoglou now has the opportunity of choosing from options like Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel, though plenty of important names like Micky van de Ven remain injured.

For Liverpool, the decision to play pragmatically was likely strategic — returning home with just a one-goal deficit seemed an acceptable trade-off. Having made that decision, Slot's side will now bring intensity reminiscent of December's league fixture. Players like Luis Diaz, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Dominik Szoboszlai were all absent from the first leg's starting lineup, but may be called upon Thursday with the objective more clear.

A few moments of greatness

Tottenham will not see much of the ball at Anfield. Liverpool will dominate possession, generate the bulk of the chances, and apply relentless pressure in Spurs' defensive third. That is a daunting prospect for cobbled-together squad; the number one priority is minimizing mistakes, especially with a lead to protect.

That said, Spurs must be willing to attack when opportunities arise and will not need much possession to be dangerous. Both Dominic Solanke's narrowly disallowed goal and Lucas Bergvall's successful strike in the first leg came via direct play over the top. Exploiting Liverpool's high press with quick, vertical attacks could be Tottenham's best path to maintaining the advantage.

If Spurs can capitalize on a pressing opponent and snatch an insurance goal, the tie will come down to their ability to weather the inevitable storm. Recent form does not inspire much confidence in their defensive resilience, but Tottenham has produced surprising performances against top teams this season. Postecoglou will need another one to keep his second-season trophy promise alive.

Liverpool fans will have seen the social media stories circling that both Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk signing a new contract, something Arne Slot was asked to comment on.

Speaking (via 90min.com), our head coach said: "We have some contractual situations that you don't probably don't know about.

"But Trent, Mo and Virgil haven't extended yet. So we are aware of the fact that we have to be sharp and ready for things that can happen.

"My life is mainly short term but we have so many quality people at this club that look at the longer term as well.

"You always have to be prepared for all the new things coming up.

"The players that don't play a big part at the moment; will they be able to do this another year? Will they fight for their place or will they [want to] go somewhere else?

"So we have to be prepared for the next window and what we can do."

The Dutchman doesn't really like to provide a direct answer on these topics, as it's not something he's directly involved in and prefers to allow time to pass.

However, confirmation that contracts have not been signed is a clear indication of the current situation and does debunk Robbie Fowler's theory.

Salah, Van Dijk and Trent have not yet signed a new contract Pictures via @MoSalah on X

John Barnes has stated that if he were in charge of the new deals, he would select our captain as the most important of the trio.

Many fans have their own opinions as to who they would or wouldn't allow to leave the club but it does feel that the overwhelming majority want all three to commit their future to staying on Merseyside.

You would assume the club can afford to do this but whether the financial model allows it is another question.

It's the same situation we've been in all campaign but we can take from this that no deals have yet been signed and it doesn't feel like we're close to them being done either.

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Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold are all out of contract in the summer, with Liverpool at risk of losing all three of their stars for nothing

Liverpool are set to face Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield in the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg tonight.

The Reds lost the away first leg 1-0 controversially courtesy of Lucas Bergvall's late goal but he really should’ve been sent off earlier.

Newcastle United have reached the final by beating Arsenal in the other semi-final so the winner of this tie will take on the Magpies at Wembley on 16th March.

As per team news, Joe Gomez and Diogo Jota have returned to full fitness after recovering from their injury problems but Trent Alexander-Arnold has sustained an issue since featuring against the Cherries. So, he has been ruled out.

Predicted Liverpool lineup vs Tottenham

Caoimhin Kelleher has been playing in the cup competitions but Alisson Becker started in the previous leg at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and the Brazilian may continue in goal for the hosts tonight.

Jarell Quansah has started all the Carabao Cup matches thus far this season but considering the importance of the fixture tonight, Ibrahima Konate is expected to be called upon to feature alongside Virgil van Dijk in the CB position.

Conor Bradley would replace injured Alexander-Arnold and Kostas Tsimikas might get the nod to start in the left-back position ahead of Andy Robertson.

Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister are likely to continue in the engine room with Dominik Szoboszlai in the CAM role. Therefore, Wataru Endo and Curtis Jones could be among the substitutes.

Cody Gakpo has also played all the League Cup games and should continue in his preferred left-wing position, while Mohamed Salah would be on the opposite side.

Luis Diaz may start again in the CF role, therefore, Darwin Nunez and Jota could feature off the bench if needed. Here is how Liverpool could line up vs Tottenham:

The post 4-2-3-1: How Liverpool could line up against Tottenham – Carabao Cup appeared first on Paisley Gates.

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