Uncertainties continue to mount over the fate of football in England every single day. The EFL in a statement earlier this week informed the clubs below the first division that a return to training should not take place anytime before 25th May. Whether the FA now follows suit remains to be seen. Countries such as France, Belgium and the Netherlands have already drawn curtains over the season and the possibilities are there for that pattern to be followed in England.
If the Premier League indeed is decided on a points-per-game basis and Liverpool are declared the champions of England, the Reds will pocket a significant amount of money that can go a long way in fattening their purse for the transfer market.
Jurgen Klopp prefers to have a squad with significant depth, and given the four competitions Liverpool have to take part in, the German manager’s choices are well justified. However, in the process, a few players may crave for more first-team action.
The situation at Anfield right now makes it essential for some of the fringe players to leave the club, while a few are expected to come in to restore the balance. So, here is a list of five realistic signings Liverpool can make when the transfer window opens.
#1 Timo Werner
Mohamed Salah started his career as a winger until his spell at Italian side Roma, where he was first deployed as a striker. His success in Serie A prompted Liverpool to snap him up, and he proved to be an instant hit at Anfield, scoring as many as 44 goals in 52 outings for the Reds in his very first season back in England.
However, a declining curve has meant that the Reds have returned to the market in search of an out-and-out striker, with RB Leipzig’s Timo Werner fitting the bill. The German international has time and again spoken about his desire to ply his trade in England, and the prospect of playing under his countryman, Jurgen Klopp at Anfield entices him.
In a recent interview with German daily Bild the 24-year-old said:
“Bayern are a great club, we don’t need to talk about it, and Hansi Flick has proven this season he is a really good head coach. But if a move were to become an issue at some point, I would be more tempted by a move abroad than a move to Bayern.”
Timo Werner
The striker has a £50 million release clause in his RB Leipzig contract and there is no reason to believe that the Reds will not have enough financial powers to pay that amount. However, Liverpool are going to face competition from fellow Premier League side Chelsea for Werner’s signature.
#2 Kalidou Koulibaly
Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly is another player who could enter through the Anfield door this summer. Last year’s PFA Players’ Player of the Year, Virgil van Dijk has been a constant figure at the heart of Liverpool’s defence but they still need another mercurial player in that position to complement the Dutch.
Dejan Lovren is almost certain to leave the club in the summer, and Koulibaly could be an ideal fit for Jurgen Klopp’s men. Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis rejected a bid in the region of £90 million from an unnamed Premier League club last summer for the Senegalese international.
However, his resolve is certainly going to be tested yet again this year. De Laurentiis certainly knows that he wouldn’t get anything near the bid amount they received last year but he will look for nothing less than £70 million.
But with Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United also showing keen interest, Liverpool need to act quick to secure Koulibaly’s signature.
#3 Kai Havertz
Liverpool are among the clubs who are keen on signing Kai Havertz. Bayer Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes had admitted last month that it was only logical for a player of Havertz’s qualities to leave the club at some point in time.
“It’s a logical development that Kai will leave Leverkusen at some point. I’m not surprised that he’s attracted to other countries.”
Simon Rolfes
Havertz is a two-footed passer, a quality which makes him a natural replacement for Adam Lallana, who is almost certain to leave Liverpool at the end of the season.
If Liverpool have Timo Werner up front, the Reds might look to deploy Havertz in the number ten role as Jurgen Klopp is then likely to change from his usual 4-3-3 formation to the more popular 4-2-3-1.
# 4 Victor Osimhen
21-year-old Lille forward Victor Osimhen can be yet another player Jurgen Klopp might target this summer as he looks to reinforce his attacking line-up. While Timo Werner is one who looks to be a favourite to make Anfield his home next season, Liverpool’s buying spree isn’t likely going to stop there.
Osimhen has been interesting a number of Premier League clubs with reports suggesting that Tottenham had tabled a bid in the region of £75 million for the player earlier. However, the current uncertainties would obviously have an impact on any possible fee for the striker.
French daily, Le 10 Sport, though have reported that Liverpool are the club who have gone ahead in the race for the youngster lately.
Osimhen has scored a total of 18 goals for Lille this season, having featured in 38 games overall.
#5 Boubakary Soumare
Naby Keita arrived from RB Leipzig with a lot of reputation back in the summer of 2018. However, the 25-year-old has proven to be a huge disappointment at Liverpool. Things, as they are at Anfield right now, suggest Keita’s stint at Anfield might well be over. And Lille’s Boubakary Soumare has been linked with a move to replace the Guinea international on Merseyside.
The defensive midfielder has been a subject of interest for Newcastle United but it is believed that the Reds have made contact with the player’s agent over a big-money move.
Soumare has represented France at the various youth levels with his most recent involvement being with the Under-21s.
Any possible dealings though will be impacted by the transfer budgets the clubs are assigned at the start of the transfer window post the COVID-19 crisis. The recent uncertainties will certainly have an impact and Jurgen Klopp and his Liverpool team won’t be immune to it as a lot of other clubs. Only time will now tell what happens when the season ends.
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