Liverpool transfer news – Palhinha claim, Gravenberch snub
Liverpool transfer news – Palhinha claim, Gravenberch snub
Follow all of this afternoon’s build-up
Theo Squires and Ian Doyle will be at Anfield this afternoon for all the build-up, reaction and analysis to Liverpool’s game with Bournemouth. Follow all of the action, here.
RB Leipzig to beat Reds in swoop for defender
According to Sacha Tavolier, RB Leipzig have made contact with Liverpool-linked defender Stade Rennais. At 23 years old, the Belgium international seems like he could be a fine addition to the Anfield ranks.
Joao Palhinha claim
According to Football Insider, Liverpool have cooled their interest in Fulham’s Joao Palhinha after the midfielder suffered a serious shoulder injury in pre-season.
Would you take the 28-year-old at Anfield this summer?
Joao Palhinha battles Mathias Jensen for the ball in the second half during a Premier League Summer Series match between Brentford and Fulham at Lincoln Financial Field on July 23, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania(Image: Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
Liverpool to eye Piero Hincapie?
According to Fussball Transfers, Liverpool, West Ham United and RB Leipzig are eyeing a move for Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Piero Hincapie.
As reported by the ECHO earlier this year, Liverpool are looking for a left-sided centre-back and Piero appears to fit that mould. However, in February he signed a new contract with the Bundesliga outfit until 2027.
Piero Hincapie of Bayer 04 Leverkusen(Image: Joris Verwijst/Orange Pictures/BSR Agency/Getty Images)
Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool squad pay tribute to Michael Jones at Bramley-Moore
Jurgen Klopp and his Liverpool squad have paid tribute to a construction worker who died while working on Everton’s new stadium.
The Liverpool FC manager and his team turned out at Bramley Moore Dock this morning to pay their respects to Michael Jones, 26, who tragically lost his life on Monday. The lifelong Everton fan, from Kirkby, had been rushed to Aintree hospital after being injured on the site but sadly died shortly afterwards.
Photos taken by the ECHO this morning show Jurgen Klopp laying a wreath of flowers at the site with a tribute that reads: “Condolences from everyone at Liverpool Football Club. YNWA.”
In a video, Jurgen can be seen holding a black cap in his hand as he stands back to look at the flowers that have been left. The team also held a minute’s silence in Michael’s memory.
On Monday, Everton took to social media to express their sadness at Michael’s passing, saying: “The loss of Michael Jones, a lifelong Evertonian who followed the Blues home and away, has left us all devastated.
“The thoughts of everyone at Everton remain with Michael’s family, friends and colleagues. We will now be working with Michael’s family on an appropriate and lasting tribute. Michael Jones, forever in our hearts.”
Jurgen Klopp wants Jordan Henderson and Fabinho send-offs
Jurgen Klopp wants Jordan Henderson and Fabinho to one day have the opportunity to enjoy an emotional Anfield send-off after the pair’s Liverpool careers ended unexpectedly over the summer.
Fabinho, 29, and Henderson, 33, ended their glittering Liverpool careers suddenly last month when they became the latest high-profile figures to move to Saudi Pro League, with the Brazilian joining Al Ittihad. At the same time, Henderson sealed a controversial move to Al-Ettifaq.
As a result, Saturday’s Premier League home game against Bournemouth will mark the first Anfield occasion without either individual since 2018. And Klopp believes his former midfielders, who won the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and more during their stellar careers on Merseyside, should one day be offered an Anfield send-off that departing heroes James Milner, Roberto Firmino, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita received at the end of last season.
“As well as the incomings, the other big change has been the players who have left the club during the summer,” wrote Klopp in Saturday’s matchday programme. “I will always be grateful for the farewell that Naby, Ox, Millie and Bobby were given at the end of last season, but the timings of the departures of Hendo and Fabinho means this has not yet been possible for them.
“When the time is right, this is something that we should look to put right because one of the things that this club is really, really good at is acknowledging the contributions of those who have made a difference.
“In the case of Hendo and Fab, they both made a big, big difference and were a crucial part of everything that we have achieved so although I always want us to be looking ahead, we should also find an opportunity to show our appreciation for those who helped us in the past.”
Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images(Image: Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Pep Guardiola takes Saudi Pro League stance
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has suggested that there is a sense of hypocrisy from Premier League clubs when complaining about the recent lure of Saudi Arabia.
Clubs across Europe have felt the full effect of the new-found riches of the Saudi Pro League, with the likes of Neymar Jr, Karim Benzema, N’golo Kante and Ruben Neves among some of the most high-profile names to move to the Gulf State.
Meanwhile, Liverpool saw Roberto Firmino end his eight-year Anfield stay to join Al Ahli, though that came before the shock departures of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho – who left Anfield for a combined fee of £53m to join Al Ettifaq and Al Ittihad respectively.
Reds boss Jurgen Klopp has been one of the Premier League’s more outspoken managers on the influence of the rising Saudi Pro League, with the German using numerous press conferences in recent weeks to express his concern about the Middle Eastern transfer market not closing until six days after most European markets close on September 1.
Though, Guardiola used his press conference on Friday afternoon to offer an alternative view of the Pro League’s rise to prominence and insisted teams across the continent have been quick to roll out the “red carpet” in the hope of receiving inflated fees for some of their over-the-hill performers.
“Everyone complains about Saudi Arabia, but when Saudi Arabia knocks on the door, all clubs open the door, red carpet…,” said Guardiola. “They say ‘What do you want my friend? I’ll sell everything!’… So happy! Ah… complain for everything, but everyone opens the door!”
Premier League title odds
Liverpool are back in action later this afternoon as they look to claim their first Premier League win of the season against Bournemouth.
And ahead of the first Anfield outing of the season, let’s take a look at where the Reds are being tipped to finish by the Betway, shall we?
Man City 8/11
Arsenal 5/1
Liverpool 10/1
Man United 11/1
Would you take a third-place finish, Reds?
Jurgen Klopp of Liverpool
Liverpool U21s held to draw at Derby County
eventeen-year-old Trent Kone-Doherty scored his first goal in the Premier League 2 as Liverpool played out a 1-1 draw with Derby County in the absence of Ben Doak and Bobby Clark on Friday night.
Manager Barry Lewtas made four changes to the side that thrashed local rivals Everton earlier in the week, with Clark, James McConnell and captain Jarrell Quansah not involved ahead of Bournemouth’s visit to Anfield on Saturday.
In their place came Kone-Doherty, Melkamu Frauendorf and Tom Hill while Fabian Mrozek replaced Marcelo Pitaluge between the sticks.
Following a tentative first half at Alfreton Town’s Impact Arena, the young Reds broke the deadlock 11 minutes after the interval when Kone-Doherty, who signed from Derry City last summer and was making his first start at this level, timed his run to perfection to beat the offside trap and fire a low effort past Harry Evans.
In search of an elusive second goal, Lewtas handed debuts to midfielder Kieran Morrison and defender Josh Davidson, who impressed for the under-18s during last weekend’s opening-day victory against Nottingham Forest.
But after a late surge from the Rams in the final plays of the contest, striker Dajaune Brown found himself well-placed to seize on 36-year-old Bradley Johnson’s header, which cannoned off the woodwork, to restore parity 10 minutes from time.
Barry Lewtas of Liverpool FC before the start of the Quarter Final – UEFA Youth League match between Sporting CP and Liverpool FC at Academia Cristiano Ronaldo – Sporting CP on March 14, 2023 (Image: Photo by Gualter Fatia/Getty Images)
Get your hands on the new Liverpool third kit
Liverpool ‘won’t give up’ on Ryan Gravenberch
Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp are refusing to give up on signing Bayern Munich midfielder Ryan Gravenberch, according to German publication Bild.
The 21-year-old midfielder has been long linked with a move to Anfield after weathering a frustrating first year with the Bundesliga champions. According to Bild, the Reds are willing to pay up to £20m for the midfielder, who made the move to the Allianz Arena just last summer.
Gravenberch was an unused substitute for Bayern’s 4-0 win over Werder Bremen on Friday night.
Ryan Gravenberch of Bayern Munich has re-emerged as a Liverpool target (Photo by Harry Langer/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)(Image: Harry Langer/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
Back at Anfield
Back at Anfield, then.
More than three months on from their last Premier League outing on home soil, Liverpool will return to L4 this afternoon to host Bournemouth.
Much has changed since that outing against Aston Villa in late May when Roberto Firmino, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlian, Naby Keita and James Milner said their goodbyes at an emotionally-charged stadium, which closed Chapter One of Jurgen Klopp’s first great Reds side.
But it wasn’t just the aforementioned quartet who saw their Anfield careers concluded with the 1-1 draw against the Midlanders, with Jordan Henderson and Fabinho later choosing to call time on their glittering Liverpool spells by sealing switches to the new-found riches of the Saudi Pro League.
As explained by Klopp prior to last week’s tie against Chelsea, such departures have opened the door for the likes of Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott, Ben Doak, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and more to stake their claims for a starring role in the “reloaded” Liverpool
And even with such significant upheaval at Anfield during the months of June, July and August, Saturday’s encounter against the Cherries will go some way to foreshadowing how successful the next nine months will be. Because after failing by the wayside of Europe’s elite for the first time since 2017 last time out, this summer’s post-mortem cited such issues as a direct result of an unconvincing home record.
Read the full story, here.
Jurgen Klopp of Liverpool
Wataru Endo round-up
Wataru Endo was announced as Liverpool’s third signing of the summer on Friday. The Japan captain joins on a four-year deal for £16m from VfB Stuttgart.