PL RAW: Liverpool back on their perch as champions
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4 minutes ago
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Liverpool ‘agree' Luis Diaz transfer with Bayern Munich
Liverpool have reportedly agreed a deal to sell Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich in the summer transfer window. The left winger has been eager to secure an exit out of Anfield ahead of next season, with the Bundesliga champions chasing his signature in recent weeks. Bayern had their opening offer in the region of £58.5m (€67m) turned down by the Reds, but returned with a second bid, said to be worth around £69m (€80m). Liverpool 'agree' Luis Diaz transfer with Bayern Munich Their persistence has seemingly paid off, with multiple reports claiming Liverpool have accepted the Bavarian outfit's latest approach. The Athletic and Sky Sports News both report that the total fee comes to £65.5m (€75m). Diaz has been given permission to leave Liverpool's pre-season training camp in Tokyo to complete the move and sign a four-year contract, with the option for a further year. Liverpool were unwilling to sell one of their key players, but the Colombia international forced their hand by insisting on a move away. He had two years left to run on his contract. Arne Slot confirmed that Diaz was left out of Saturday's pre-season friendly defeat to AC Milan due to the speculation surrounding his future. 'There's a lot of rumours around him lately and I cannot go into that,' the head coach told LFC TV. 'He's training well with us but we have decided, for now, not to play him yet. 'I'm used to talking to most of my players on a regular basis. Like I said, Lucho is training really well and we've decided that he's not playing at the moment in the games. I cannot comment much more about that.' Barcelona also made an approach for Diaz in June, but Liverpool turned them down. They instead signed Marcus Rashford on loan with an obligation to buy from Manchester United. Read – See Also – Follow The Football Faithful on Social Media: | | | |
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
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Federico Chiesa and 13 players who have played for Liverpool first team left out of Far East squad
Liverpool took a 29-man squad to Asia for their pre-season tour of the Far East. But Arne Slot's ranks will soon be joined by a new addition. Hugo Ekitike is set to fly out to Hong Kong to link up with his soon-to-be new team-mates, after undergoing a medical in London ahead of finalising his move to Anfield. The Reds have agreed a deal worth up to £79m to sign the forward from Eintracht Frankfurt, and personal terms have already been agreed with the Frenchman. It remains to be seen whether Liverpool will sign any further players during their time in Asia, with the Reds set to remain in the Far East until the end of the month. READ MORE: Hugo Ekitike flies in for medical after club statement as Liverpool handed major injury boost READ MORE: Alexander Isak to fly out to Far East after Liverpool interest as Eddie Howe claim speaks volumes Liverpool are due to take on AC Milan at Kai Tak Sports Park on Saturday 26 July. They will then travel to Japan to face Yokohama F. Marinos in the second and final game of their tour at the Nissan Stadium on Wednesday 30 July before returning to Merseyside. While Ekitike is now linking up with the Reds, the futures of a number of his new team-mates also remains unclear. Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez continue to be heavily linked with Liverpool exits, while Ibrahima Konate is now within the final year of his contract. Harvey Elliott also continues to be linked with a move away, having found himself on the fringes of Slot's squad last season. Elsewhere, it would be little surprise if the likes of Ben Doak, Tyler Morton and Luca Stephenson moved on - either on loan or permanently - before the end of the summer. But what of the players who did not travel to the Far East? The ECHO takes a look at some of the players who have previously represented the first team but were left at home… Federico Chiesa Federico Chiesa was left out of the travelling squad to Asia despite having scored in Liverpool's pre-season win over Stoke City only hours earlier. The Italian's absence was put down to a 'minor issue' but he continues to be linked with an Anfield exit after a year on the fringes following his arrival from Juventus. The forward has previously admitted he would be open to a return to Serie A, while he will need to play more regularly if he is to earn an Italy recall ahead of the World Cup. He continues to be linked with a host of clubs, including Napoli, AS Roma, AC Milan, Juventus, Atalanta, Como and Atletico Madrid. Stefan Bajectic Stefan Bajcetic endured mixed fortunes on loan last season, initially struggling at Red Bull Salzburg before finishing the campaign strongly at Las Palmas. However, he would see his season ended prematurely by a hamstring injury as the Spanish outfit suffered relegation, and would later undergo surgery. Yet to feature in pre-season, he is continuing his rehabilitation. Meanwhile, ESPN reports that Real Betis, Valencia and Rayo Vallecano are all interested in signing the Spaniard. James McConnell James McConnell had been due to return from injury this summer, having been pictured in a protective boot during Liverpool's Premier League title celebrations. However, he has been left out of the Reds' tour of the Far East due to a minor injury. The Daily Mail reports that he is close to signing a new long-term deal with the club ahead of leaving on loan. Ipswich Town, West Bromwich Albion and Derby County are credited with interest along with clubs from the Bundesliga. Jayden Danns Having missed the majority of last season with a back injury, including the entirety of his loan spell with Sunderland, Liverpool are understandably treading carefully with Jayden Danns this summer. The striker had been pictured in training with the first team at the AXA Training Centre prior to the Reds' departure to the Far East, but is yet to make an appearance. Left out of the travelling squad, Liverpool took the decision for Danns to instead continue his rehabilitation on Merseyside rather than put him through the physical demands of travelling to Asia. A loan exit could be an option for the striker later in the summer. Owen Beck Owen Beck impressed on loan at Blackburn Rovers last season before his campaign was ended by a hamstring injury. Despite being left out of the first team squad, the left-back has made a full return to fitness and scored twice in last weekend's 8-0 thrashing of Celtic. Left out of the side to face Wigan Athletic on Tuesday, The Telegraph's John Percy reports that the Welshman is set to reunite with his former Rovers manager John Eustace and join Derby County on a season-long loan, with a medical scheduled for later in the week. Kaide Gordon Kaide Gordon struggled on loan at both Norwich City and Portsmouth last season, starting only one of his 16 appearances as he struggled to rediscover form after a lengthy injury lay-off with Liverpool. Working with the Under-21s this summer, the winger claimed a brace and an assist in the young Reds' 8-0 thrashing of Celtic, while he also started the friendly draw with Wigan Athletic. It would be no surprise if the 20-year-old tried his hand out on loan again this season. Lewis Koumas Lewis Koumas impressed on loan at Stoke City last season as the Potters successfully avoided relegation from the Championship, and is once again attracting interest from the English second tier. The Wales international was introduced at half-time in the Liverpool first team's opening pre-season friendly win over Preston North End, but has since featured for the Under-21s against both Celtic and Wigan. Another loan departure could be on the cards for the 19-year-old. Amara Nallo Like Koumas, Amara Nallo was introduced at half-time against Preston before featuring for the Under-21s against Celtic and Wigan. The centre-back made his senior Liverpool debut last season as a late substitute against PSV Eindhoven, only to be sent off moments later for a professional foul. Luke Chambers Luke Chambers is yet to feature in pre-season after seeing a promising loan spell at Wigan Athletic stopped short by a back injury The 21-year-old impressed with the Latics in the second half of the 2023/24 season, before returning last summer. However, he was limited to just 13 appearances because of injury and returned to Liverpool after a reoccurrence of the issue following an attempted comeback. Will be continuing his rehabilitation at the Academy. Calum Scanlon Calum Scanlon endured similar fortunes to Chambers last season as he spent the season on loan at Millwall. The 20-year-old was limited to just four appearances as he suffered a serious hamstring injury shortly after his return following a stress fracture in his back. Yet to feature in pre-season, he will also be continuing his rehabilitation at the Academy. Calvin Ramsay Calvin Ramsay has suffered numerous setbacks since joining Liverpool in the summer of 2022, with his first season at the club curtailed by injury. The 21-year-old has spent the past two seasons on loan at Preston North End, Bolton Wanderers, Wigan Athletic and Kilmarnock, but he has been limited to just 26 appearances - of which only nine came from the start. Injuries, illness and a loss of form have ultimately hindered the Scotland international, but he has featured in both of Liverpool Under-21s' friendlies this summer against Celtic and Wigan. No longer classed as an Under-21s player, and missing out on homegrown status after his loan return to Scotland, his future will likely be away from Liverpool. Rhys Williams Rhys Williams spent last season on loan at Morecambe, scoring two goals from 38 appearances in all competitions as they suffered relegation from League Two. Despite such disappointment, it was at least an encouraging individual campaign for the centre-back after failing to make an appearance for either Aberdeen or Port Vale in 2023/24, and saw switches to both Swansea City and Blackpool terminated in the previous two campaigns. Having not made a senior appearance for Liverpool since 2021, the 24-year-old is not part of the first team plans at Anfield. He has featured for the Under-21s against both Celtic and Wigan. Trent Kone-Doherty Trent Kone-Doherty made his Liverpool debut against Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup last February, but has remained with the Under-21s for pre-season. The 19-year-old was on the scoresheet against Celtic, and also started against Wigan. Isaac Mabaya Like Kone-Doherty, Mabaya also made his debut against Plymouth last season. Having spent pre-season with the Under-21s, he started against both Celtic and Wigan. Some of the rest… Kieran Morrison and Tommy Pilling were unused substitutes for the Liverpool first team earlier in pre-season ahead of the tour of the Far East, but both played for the Under-21s against Celtic and Wigan - with the former scoring in the former. Elsewhere, James Balagizi, who has been in senior matchday squads before without making an appearance, has featured as a substitute in both of the Under-21s' games against Celtic and Wigan. The 21-year-old, who previously had a loan spell at Crawley Town, Wigan Athletic and Kilmarnock, spent time on trial at Swedish side Osters IF earlier this summer. Meanwhile, Ranel Young and Fabian Mrozek, who have also both been unused substitutes for the first team in the past, are yet to make an appearance in pre-season.
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
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Where Liverpool transfer spend is coming from after 'rage' about £300m outlay
Among the many stunned responses from supporters of Liverpool's rivals online this week, one account in particular was moved to ask if oil had been found underneath Anfield. Such has been the incredulity, in fact, over a remarkable window so far that Reds fans are continuing to ironically peddle the theory that this summer's near £300m outlay has been brokered by the 'last of the Coutinho money'. That will be the same Philippe Coutinho, of course, who left for Barcelona in January of 2018 and his £142m switch to Barcelona was spent almost immediately on recruiting Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker. The raging online about Liverpool's apparent new spending prowess, however, has been enough for more than a few of a Reds persuasion to indulge themselves in the meltdown. READ MORE: Dominik Szoboszlai faces new challenge as Liverpool transfer sparks dramatic change READ MORE: Alexander Isak to fly out to Far East after Liverpool interest as Eddie Howe claim speaks volumes The £79m addition of Hugo Ekitike takes the club's spending, inclusive of the £29m agreement for Giorgi Mamardashvili which was agreed last summer with Valencia, to an eye-watering £294m on seven new arrivals. The club-record pursuit of Florian Wirtz, at £116m, came hot on the heels of Jeremie Frimpong's £29m release clause being triggered at the start of June before long-standing target Milos Kerkez joined at £40m from Bournemouth alongside goalkeepers Armin Pecsi at £1.5m and Freddie Woodman, whose free transfer from Preston North End sees him add home-grown competition in goal. On the face of it, this exorbitant, spendthrift summer is a considerable departure from the prudent, risk-averse approach of years gone by under owners Fenway Sports Group, but looking at these transfers through the prism of one single window is a view that is not shared inside Anfield itself. Prior to this summer, Liverpool had bought one first-team player in nearly two years in Federico Chiesa, whose £10m arrival from Juventus last summer was viewed as a low-risk gamble that could give Mohamed Salah the opportunity to rest up at key junctures. Before the Italian's August 2024 addition to the squad, you have to go back to Ryan Gravenberch's signing, 12 months earlier from Bayern Munich, as the most recent senior capture, meaning Liverpool's outlay, for a club of its size, had been minimal prior to this June. It's why Liverpool's powerbrokers will be relaxed at the £300m ballpark figure of 2025, even with the potential for further additions. Supporters may see transfer windows as their own separate and entirely individual entities but the player trading months do not exist in a vacuum where a club's more general financial health is concerned. Perhaps the source of the real consternation is how Liverpool have been able to dip into the market with such ease without having the dubious whiff that follows some of their rivals around when similar splurges are undertaken. The Reds aren't having to sell their women's team or club-owned hotels to show such ambition, nor do they have any historical spending charges hanging over them. They are not bankrolled by the impossible wealth of a nation state and have no issues when it comes to Profit and Sustainability Regulations. Liverpool's ability to finance this history-making spend has been facilitated by their own good practices across all departments. The discipline shown last year has helped, while the bounty that comes from being Premier League champions must also be factored into the mathematics. A new agreement with kit suppliers Adidas, which kicks in on August 1, is worth a reported £60m a year, and the new-look Champions League saw Arne Slot's team finish top of the group stage at a time when the competition has never been so lucrative. A money-spinning tour of Hong Kong and Japan will also boost the bottom line and sales this summer have so far brought in over £60m with more expected to head for the exit door. If some believe this is the end of the age of (relative) Anfield austerity, the more likely scenario is Slot and sporting director Richard Hughes are building a squad that will last, much in the same way Jurgen Klopp and Michael Edwards did all those years ago when the January 2018 capture of Van Dijk was followed in the summer months by Alisson, Fabinho, Naby Keita and Xherdan Shaqiri. That gave Liverpool's squad a new look about it and led to the eventual golden period that saw the club win every top-level trophy available between 2019 and 2022. The same sort of haul will now be the target for Slot and co, but a repeat of this summer's spending won't be desired inside the club itself this time next year. This is a team being built to win now, meaning another eye-watering splurge in 2026 won't be necessary. No, there are no oil reserves underneath the turf at L4, this is simply the result of a well-run club who are more than content to flex their muscle and strengthen while on top.
