Liverpool will need “huge offers” to prise two Newcastle players away from St James’ Park this summer but came “really close” with their first bid to sign one of them.
Reds sporting director Richard Hughes isn’t wasting any time in bolstering Arne Slot’s title-winning squad this summer, with the British-record signing of Florian Wirtz for £116m imminently expected to follow the £29.7m addition of Jeremie Frimpong, with both arriving from Bayer Leverkusen.
And the door has now been opened for Milos Kerkez to arrive as their third summer signing as Bournemouth announced the transfer of Adrien Truffert from Rennes for £14.5m as his replacement.
It’s not yet clear what Liverpool will have to pay for Kerkez with Bournemouth valuing the Hungary international at £45m, but transfer expert Florian Plettenburg claimed over the weekend that Liverpool are “100% convinced” that they will sign Kerkez this summer.
He tweeted: ‘Liverpool are 100% convinced that the transfer of Milos #Kerkez will go through.
‘It is set to be finalised once Florian Wirtz has signed and been presented. A verbal agreement between #LFC and Kerkez is done.’
talkSPORT’s chief football correspondent Alex Crook says he “always expected Liverpool to go big” this summer.
He explained: “They have got money because they haven’t really spent in the last couple of years.
“They signed (Giorgi) Mamardashvili, he’s going to come in as a backup goalkeeper to Alisson.
“They signed (Federico) Chiesa for a relatively modest sum, again, a move that probably hasn’t particularly worked out. But I always expected Liverpool to go big.”
But Liverpool are widely expected to continue pushing for further additions this summer, with a new centre-back said to be on their wishlist, while Slot also wants to improve his forward options.
A new striker is a priority as Darwin Nunez looks set to leave the club, while doubts over the future of Luis Diaz amid strong interest from Barcelona has also led to links with left wingers.
Alexander Isak is said to be Slot’s first choice striker, while Anthony Gordon remains on their radar having come “really close” to joining the club last summer, according to Crook.
He added: “They are massive admirers of Alexander Isak, no question about that, but it would take a huge offer to prise him away from Newcastle.
“The Gordon one is interesting. It’s one I’ve always kept in my back pocket, as one that could be revisited, because he was very close to joining Liverpool this time last year, really close.
“To the extent where the deal was down to the final stages, and I think Newcastle just decided, we actually can’t part company with this guy.
“So it wouldn’t surprise me if there’s still an itch there on Liverpool’s part that needs to be scratched.
“But I think it would take a big offer, and maybe they’re going to have to get players off the payroll before they would look at that.”