Liverpool have reportedly made a ‘concrete offer’ for Rennes centre-back Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal as talks progress over deals for Florian Wirtz and Milos Kerkez.
After winning the Premier League having signed just Federico Chiesa and Giorgi Mamardashvili last summer, sporting director Richard Hughes is wasting no time in bolstering Arne Slot’s title-winning squad,
Jeremie Frimpong has already joined as Trent Alexander-Arnold’s replacement in a £30m move from Bayer Leverkusen, and it’s thought the Red are closing in on the signing of teammate Wirtz, while Kerkez is also expected to arrive from Bournemouth.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano revealed earlier this week that Liverpool are ‘optimistic’ that they can get a deal over the line for Wirtz, with more negotiations coming.
Romano wrote on X: ‘Liverpool remain confident to finalize Florian Wirtz deal as new round of talks has been scheduled this week. Club optimistic to get the agreement sealed with Bayer Leverkusen soon.’
German publication Bild claim that Wirtz ‘has already agreed terms’ on a contract until 2030 with Liverpool and that it’s just down to the two clubs to agree a fee.
It is understood that the ‘deal could ultimately amount to a sum between 140 and the 150 million euros (£118m-£127m) demanded by Leverkusen boss Fernando Carro’.
Liverpool are now ‘on the verge’ of a ‘historic’ transfer with the deal set to break the Premier League record set when Chelsea paid £106.8m for Enzo Fernandez in January 2023.
Both Liverpool and Leverkusen ‘want to finalise the transfer as quickly as possible under their desired terms’ and the report gives the German side an ‘advantage’ as they know FSG’s CEO of football, Michael Edwards, ‘has already received approval from the club’s owners in Boston for €150 million (£127m) for Wirtz’.
Meanwhile, journalist Rudy Galetti has claimed that Liverpool are ‘taking the last steps’ to seal a deal for Kerkez, with the Hungary international set to join for €50m (£42m).
Galetti wrote on X: ‘Liverpool are taking the last steps for Milos Kerkez. The deal is almost sealed between Liverpool and Bournemouth for ~€50m plus performance-related bonuses as a final fee. A five-year contract was already agreed upon with the player days ago.’
Alexander Isak remains their ‘dream’ striker signing to replace Darwin Nunez, and according to Morocco’s Le360 Sport, Liverpool have joined Newcastle in attempting to sign Ait Boudlal from Rennes this summer.
The 19-year-old was sent on loan to Ligue 2 side Amiens in January and while the report claims ‘a return to Rennes is possible, his profile is increasingly attracting the European market’.
Ait Boudlal ‘seduces with his quality of recovery, his defensive intelligence and a rare maturity for his age.’
The report claims ‘a well-informed source’ has told them that while ‘Newcastle have met the player’, ‘Liverpool have sent him a concrete offer’.
Nice and Lille are also ‘closely following his evolution’ along with two ‘La Liga teams at the top of the table’.