Liverpool transfer news LIVE: Follow below for updates on the latest moves at Anfield
Friday August 25
Sanches boost
19:15: Bayern Munich manager Carlo Ancelotti has admitted that Renato Sanches is free to leave the club this summer, according to reports.
“He knows his position in the team, he knows there is much competition. If he stays, I am satisfied. If he wants to leave it’s okay as well. No problem,” Ancelotti explained.
Liverpool have been linked with a move for Sanches with Philippe Coutinho’s future uncertain.
Liverpool could sell Can
18:07: Liverpool could sell Emre Can if they sign Real Madrid midfielder Mateo Kovacic.
That’s according to Italian journalist Claudio Raimondi.
Raimondi believes the Croatian’s possible arrival could spell the end of Can’s time on Merseyside with Juventus keen to bring him to Turin.
“If Liverpool were to sign Kovacic they could sell Emre Can,” Raimondi told Premium Sport.
“Juventus are always in pole [position to sign him].”
Coutinho worried about Dembele
16:48: Philippe Coutinho is worried Ousmane Dembele’s move to Barcelona will hit his own chances of a transfer this summer, according to Kaveh Solhekol.
Barcelona have just announced the signing on Dembele from Borussia Dortmund for £96.8m (€105m) plus add-ons.
And reporter Solhekol said on Sky Sports’ Transfer Centre this afternoon: “Where does that leave Philippe Coutinho? Our information is that nothing has changed as far as he’s concerned, he still wants to go to Barcelona.
“But he is worried the Dembele move could affect his own future. We are told that Coutinho’s mood at the moment is very, very low.
“Coutinho is out of Liverpool’s game with Arsenal on Sunday, but Jurgen Klopp says he could still join up with the Brazil squad next week.”
Klopp says players could leave
15:52: Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp insists anything is possible in the last week of the transfer window, even outgoings.
“Until August 31st, a lot of things are really possible, in and out. If the transfer window closed tomorrow I’m happy with it.”
Coutinho mood low
14.00: Philippe Coutinho still hopes to seal a move to Barcelona this summer, according to Sky Sports presenter Kaveh Solhekol.
Coutinho handed in a transfer request two weeks ago following a £90m bid from Barcelona.
Liverpool have maintained their stance that he will not be sold and are set to reject the fourth bid of £138m.
And Barcelona have now moved on to seal the Ousmane Dembele deal and he is expected to be announced as a Barcelona player this weekend.
But Coutinho hopes that that isn’t the end of his dream to play for the club this season.
“Coutinho hoping Barcelona signing Dembele doesn’t mean they’re giving up on him,” Solhekol tweeted today.
“Still wants Barcelona move. Told his “mood is very low”
Klopp wants more deals
12.30: Jurgen Klopp is still working on last minute transfers but says he is happy with his squad as it is.
Liverpool have signed three players this summer with Dominic Solanke, Mohamed Salah and Andrew Robertson coming in.
But deals for top targets Naby Keita and Virgl Van Dijk have proven difficult to get over the line.
And now Klopp is also dealing with Barcelona’s interest in Philippe Coutinho.
“If and I said it a few times, the transfer window closes tomorrow, I am happy with it,” Klopp said.
“We work on it, as you can imagine. But this transfer window is different to all other transfer windows.”
Klopp’s Barca demands
10:00: Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has requested Barcelona give him Sergi Roberto or Ivan Rakitic if they want to sign Philippe Coutinho.
And Spanish publication Diario Gol claim Jurgen Klopp will not give up his star man without getting a player in return.
The likes of Rafinha, Arda Turan and Andre Gomes are all said to have been offered to the Reds as part of a deal for Coutinho but the German boss is not interested.
Instead, Diario Gol claim Klopp wants Rakitic or Roberto.
Marseille want Origi
09:00: Marseille are considering a swoop for Liverpool forward Divock Origi, reports claim.
It’s believed Origi, 22, is fearful of losing his place in Belgium’s World Cup squad having been reduced to a bit-part player at Anfield.
And he’s seriously considering his options.
According to Marseille Mercato, Origi is firmly on the Ligue 1 club’s radar with a bid worth £13.8million expected in the coming days.
Coutinho still on Barca radar
08.00: Philippe Coutinho remains on Barcelona’s radar even though they have agreed to pay £138million for Borussia Dortmund forward Ousmane Dembele.
Liverpool are desperate to keep Coutinho and have rejected Barca’s third bid of £118m for the Brazilian.
Dortmund yesterday accepted Barca’s big-money offer for their attacking gem Dembele, who had gone on strike in the hope of securing a move to the Nou Camp.
There were claims suggesting Dembele’s arrival as a replacement for Neymar would end Barca’s interest in Coutinho.
But Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo report that is not the case.
In fact, Barca are now ready to push hard to land Coutinho with just seven days of the transfer window remaining.
Aquilani on the move
07.00: Alberto Aquilani is set to sign for Las Palmas.
The former Liverpool midfielder, now 33, will leave Sassuolo on a free after and sign a two-year deal.
Aquilani struggled at Liverpool after moving for around £20m and was hampered by injuries and homesickness.
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Gerard Pique believes Philippe Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele want to join Barcelona
Benedikt Howedes blow
03:15: Benedikt Howedes looks set to join Juventus instead of Liverpool, according to the club’s chief executive Giuseppe Marotta.
Howedes knows Liverpool centre-back Joel Matip well from their days spent together at Schalke.
But Marotta has confirmed Howedes is a serious target for the Bianconeri.
“We are looking for a defender who may play both to the centre and as wing-back,” he said.
“Howedes is an option. Actually, he’s a little more than an option.”
Liverpool Ox hunt
01:00: Arsenal could be forced to sell Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain before the transfer window closes, with the player reportedly set to reject their latest contract offer.
The 24-year-old is currently out of contract at the end of the season along with team-mates Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez.
Chelsea are eager to land him before next Thursday’s 11pm deadline and the club are considering raising their offer to £35million in order to land the England international.
And according to the Daily Mail, a new contract offer by the Gunners worth £180,000 a week has been proposed to Oxlade-Chamberlain, but he is set to rebuff it.
Liverpool, the report adds, are still in the hunt with Jurgen Klopp a long-term admirer.
Thursday August 24
Coutinho power play
21:30: Philippe Coutinho may release a statement or give an interview in order to seal his transfer from Liverpool to Barcelona.
“Philippe Coutinho’s heart remains set on a move to Barcelona but Liverpool will not budge,” reporter Dharmesh Sheth said on Sky Sports’ Transfer Centre this evening.
“It is thought Barca will go back in with a bid worth £138m but Liverpool are expected to stand firm.
“One option that has been discussed is for Coutinho to release a statement or give an interview making it clear he wants to leave.
“The hope is to put pressure on Liverpool to sell. Good luck.”
Pique talks Coutinho and Dembele
19:42: Gerard Pique believes Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho and Borussia Dortmund’s Ousmane Dembele are both doing everything they can to join Barcelona.
“I think players still want to join Barcelona, and they are showing that as is the case with Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele,” Pique told the Daily Mail.
“One by putting in a transfer request and the other with his actions at Dortmund.
“It suggests that they are both delighted about the idea of coming; they want to come.”
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Liverpool Transfer News: Arsenal are thought to have spoken with Virgil van Dijk
Coutinho staying put
18:07: Liverpool will not sell Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona even for £150million, according to Sky Sports presenter Kaveh Solhekol
“We’ve been told Liverpool would not even sell him for £150million,” he said. “Liverpool are standing firm.”
Rafinha won’t join Liverpool
16:16: Rafinha has agreed to leave Barcelona – but he isn’t heading to Liverpool.
Calciomercato claim Liverpool, as well as Arsenal, want to sign Rafinha.
But reports in Italy claim the player has agreed in principle to move to AC Milan.
Milan now have to work with Barcelona over a fee for the player.
Reds ‘can afford’ Van Dijk and Coutinho
14.30: Liverpool can afford to sign a central defender AND keep Philippe Coutinho at the club beyond the transfer window, according to Reds legend and pundit Steve Nicol.
Liverpool maintain they will not sell Coutinho to Barcelona before the window shuts a week today.
Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk is a long-term target of manager Jurgen Klopp and Nicol firmly believes his former side can afford the Dutchman and keep Coutinho.
“Liverpool have money, forget Coutinho, forget there was ever any money offered for Coutinho,” he said on ESPN FC.
“That shouldn’t and wouldn’t have stopped Liverpool going and buying a defender if they saw one, if there was one they wanted.
“According to them nobody other than Van Dijk. They obviously want him.”
Klopp told to sign three more
14:00: Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has been told he needs to buy three more players before the transfer window shuts a week today by former Arsenal midfielder Adrian Clarke.
Clarke believes Klopp needs to bring in a new defensive midfielder and a goalkeeper, as well as replacing centre-back Dejan Lovren.
“Dejan Lovren, again a mistake for a goal. I think his place has got to be in jeopardy,” he said on talkSPORT.
“For me they need a centre-half, probably a defensive midfielder and still a goalie in my opinion.
“But we will wait and see on that.”
Liverpool transfers: Which stars are most likely to sign?
Mon, August 21, 2017
Which stars are most likely to sign for Liverpool in the summer transfer window according to Football Whispers (1 = less likely, 5 = most likely)
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Which players are most likely to sign for Liverpool this summer?
Two more signings – Gerrard
13.20: Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp should look to sign a defender and a central midfielder before the transfer window shuts a week today, according to former Reds captain Steven Gerrard.
Liverpool have been linked with the likes of Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk, who Gerrard has previously claimed would be a great signing.
But he refused to name who he would like to join, saying: “I don’t want to name any names, not naming names.
“Maybe one in defence and maybe a centre midfielder as well just to give you two good players in every position.”
Parlour: Offer Sakho for VVD!
13:10: Former Arsenal star Ray Parlour reckons Liverpool should offer Mamadou Sakho to Southampton as part of a deal to sign Virgil van Dijk.
“You look at the situation, Sakho went to Crystal Palace last year. He’s a defender who you could maybe throw in (to a deal),” Parlour said on talkSPORT.
“You could say ‘Saints we could have a swap deal’, Sakho for Van Dijk with a bit of money on top.
“This week there will be so may deals go through because people start panicking.
“Plenty of clubs want their business done early but others do it at the last minute. People give in. Selling players and bidding for players.”
Sakho not VVD – Allardyce
13.05: Liverpool already have the answer to their defensive problems at the club, according to former England boss Sam Allardyce.
Liverpool have been on the market for a new defender throughout the summer, with Southampton’s Virgil van Dijk the No 1 target.
But Allardyce does not think they need the Dutchman and in Mamadou Sakho they have a player who can help out their leaky defence.
“Your first job is defending, get the ball and keep it simple,” Allardyce said on talkSPORT.
“It’s very effective and Mama is very effective because he can get it down and play simple, play it into midfield.”
‘Van Dijk in talks with Arsenal’ claim
12:30: Arsenal have met Virgil van Dijk to discuss a switch to the Emirates, it’s been claimed today.
James Dodd, a journalist from Fox Sports News, says conversations have been held between Arsenal, Van Dijk and his representatives over a possible move.
Dodd, who follows Arsenal, tweeted: “#AFC have met with Van Dijk & his reps but I’m fairly sure all the big PL clubs have. I guess Saints would rather sell to us than Liverpool.”
The news will be a hammer blow to Liverpool who have been chasing the Dutchman all summer.
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Naby Keita holds a Liverpool shirt in a Photshopped Twitter picture
Wenger: Arsenal MUST keep Ox
11:45: Liverpool and Chelsea have suffered a KO blow in their pursuit of Arsenal star Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Premier League champions Chelsea are believed to be the front-runners in the battle for his services, and will reportedly submit a £35million offer later this week.
But Arsene Wenger has reiterated his desire to keep Oxlade-Chamberlain at the Emirates.
Asked whether Oxlade-Chamberlain has told him he wants to stay at the Emirates, Wenger said: “I want him to stay and be one of the big players of the future of this club.
“He is one of the players this team has to be built around in the future. Personally I want him to commit to the club and to be one of the carrier of the values of our team.
“I want to keep my best players. I only have one target: to keep everybody on board. I think we invested a lot of time, confidence and money on players like Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who we bought at a young age.
“For me, they have a responsibility for the future of this club because Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will be one of the big English players in the coming years. I personally am highly determined to keep him here at the club and I hope he will commit.”
Champions League: Who could Liverpool draw?
11:00: Liverpool will discover their Champions League opponents in Monaco today. Below is a list of their possible opponents.
Seeds: Real Madrid, Bayern, Juventus, Benfica, Shakhtar Donetsk, Monaco, Spartak Moscow
Pot two: Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, PSG, Borussia Dortmund, Sevilla, Porto
Pot four: Celtic, CSKA Moscow, Sporting, APOEL, Feyenoord, Maribor, Qarabag, RB Leipzig
Wenger unsure whether Barca want Coutinho
10:00: Arsene Wenger isn’t sure whether Barcelona want Philippe Coutinho.
The Arsenal boss was asked about Coutinho’s situation today with Barca having had three bids rejected by Liverpool.
Coutinho has handed in a transfer request, which Liverpool have knocked back, and his future remains up in the air with seven days left until the end of the transfer window.
But Wenger said: “I don’t know where he stands with Liverpool or they stand with him.
“I’m not even sure Barcelona are in for him, I don’t know.”
Coutinho talks today
09:00: Barcelona representatives will hold talks with Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund in Monaco, reports claim.
According to Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo, Barca officials are using today’s Champions League draw to discuss a double swoop for Ousmane Dembele and Philippe Coutinho.
The newspaper have pictures of the attacking duo on their front page, along with the headline: “Double meeting”.
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Virgil van Dijk smiles in a mocked up pic circulating on Twitter
Coutinho to go public
08:00: Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho is poised to make a public statement in a bid to force through a move to Barcelona, reports claim.
The Reds have rejected three separate offers for their Brazilian magician, with the latest worth £118million also declined.
But now, according to Yahoo Sport, Coutinho will go public with his dissatisfaction to force Liverpool to sell.
A source close to Coutinho told Yahoo Sport: “Coutinho is willing to say that Liverpool is making his life miserable and that he wants to leave.
“He has been very patient, but at the end of the day it is his option as a player to leave the club – and he wants to do exactly that.”
Keita & van Dijk Photoshop excitement
07:45: There’s been some Photoshop wizardry going on at Anfield folks.
Some scarily realistic pictures of Naby Keita and Virgil van Dijk holding Liverpool shirts circulated on Twitter last night.
The mocked-up images were released after Liverpool’s emphatic Champions League victory over Hoffenheim last night.
Keita is seen smiling and holding a number 8 shirt with his name on the back in front of Liverpool advertising boards.
Van Dijk, meanwhile, holds the number 4 aloft with his first name – ‘Virgil’ – written on the back.
Klopp wants Ox
07:30: Liverpool remain interested in signing Arsenal star Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
That’s according to the Liverpool Echo’s James Pearce, who revealed Jurgen Klopp “defiantly” wants the 24-year-old contract rebel.
Speaking on The Redmen TV, Pearce said: “They definitely still want him, if they could get him.
“I think the problem is, they did make an approach to Arsenal, probably was around the start of pre-season. But they were told then: ‘Forget it, he’s not going anywhere.’
“We don’t know whether Arsenal are going to keep to that stance or, the closer we get to next Thursday, whether suddenly they’ll get itchy feet and think they do have to listen to offers rather than risk losing those players for nothing the following summer.”