Liverpool FC Thread #156 :- We Are Liverpool

[NI KI]

Wilson Wanted

Fulham and Huddersfield are ready to test Liverpool’s resolve over Wales forward Harry Wilson, David Maddock believes.

The Mirror reporter says that Wilson feels he needs to play regularly after a successful loan spell with Hull during the second half of last season.

Wilson is “in demand,” according to Maddock, who claims the Reds could be tempted to cash in on Wales’ youngest ever debutant if Jurgen Klopp does not see him as part of his first-team squad next year.

[NI KI]

Fee Confusion

Sky Sports believe Liverpool have enquired for Alisson this summer - but talks have broken down due to a disagreement over the Brazilian’s price.

Roma are believed to want a fee in the region of £80m for their goalkeeper, while other sources suggest the player is more likely to join Real Madrid.

Further complicating matters, however, is that Madrid are reported to still hold an interest in Thibaut Courtois.

Should Courtois end up in Spain, it is said that Chelsea will then turn their attentions to Alisson.

[NI KI]

How to Stop Salah

Russia take on Egypt in their second game of the World Cup this summer - and defender Ilya Kutepov has promised to stop Mohamed Salah by any means possible.

Salah is currently recovering from a shoulder injury sustained in the Champions League final against Real Madrid, and Kutepov admitted it will help his game by facing such esteemed opposition.

“Does Salah’s game worry me? No,” the Spartak Moscow man said. “How can you stop him? Like Sergio Ramos did for instance. He showed us one way.

“I will not say that I was upset when Salah got injured in the final, but I wish him a quick recovery.

“I will be happy if he plays at the World Cup. When you play against such a genius, you grow.”

Kutepov also has a special plan of how to deal with former Red Luis Suarez when Russia face Uruguay to close out their Group A campaign on the 25th June.

“Am I afraid of Suarez? Of course not. If needs be, I can bite him myself!”

[NI KI]

Alisson move made, Marko Grujic a wanted man and other Liverpool transfer rumours rated

As the fallout to the Nabil Fekir saga continues, so does the Liverpool transfer gossip from all around the world.

Here are the latest rumours.

Alisson

Who? The Roma goalkeeper who is very much interesting Liverpool this summer.

Where? Over in Brazil, with newspaper Terra claiming the Reds have bid 65million euros (£57million) for the World Cup star. They claim Liverpool are pushing ahead with a big-money move for the 25-year-old, who recently said he wanted his future sorted before the tournament in Russia started.

What? Alisson is an evident target for Liverpool but had previously informed the player's representatives not to expect a bid, with Roma's price tag far exceeding the record fee for a goalkeeper. The Reds remain intent on bringing a new goalkeeper to Anfield this summer.



Marko Grujic

Who? Liverpool's young Serbian midfielder, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Cardiff.

Where? The Daily Mirror. They claim Lazio will prepare a £5million bid for the former Red Star Belgrade prodigy, with the Rome club keen to add him to their growing ex-Liverpool ranks.

What? Grujic is expected to be given pre-season to prove himself, but the midfield is becoming congested even after the Fekir collapse, so decisions from both club and player would have to be made.



Malcolm

Who? The Bordeaux winger who has been linked with Liverpool in the past.

Where? According to RMC Sport, the Ligue 1 club have blocked negotiations with Inter Milan, which seemingly serve as a blow to both Liverpool and Tottenham.

What? He fits into the kind of player Liverpool might need, but they are currently looking at Xherdan Shaqiri and Moses Simon, amongst others.

[NI KI]

Liverpool may have been given another option in their pursuit of attacking reinforcements for next season.

Sporting Lisbon winger Gelson Martins was among several names being considered last summer before the Reds completed their £36.9million move for Mohamed Salah from Roma.



And now Martins could be available on a free transfer following a remarkable series of events at his Portuguese club.

The 23-year-old is one of four players to have filed notice with the Portuguese Securities Market Commission on Monday they were breaking their contracts with Sporting.

Their move comes after a difficult few weeks in Lisbon, notably last month when 50 fans forced their way into the team's training camp and assaulted players and staff.

Das Bost, who suffered a head injury in the incident, William Carvalho and Bruno Fernandes have joined Martins in rescinding their contracts, citing “just cause” in their explanation.

Sporting coach Jorge Jesus, goalkeeper Rui Patricio and forward Daniel Podence have already quit the club.

Latest reports in Portugal claim Martins and his team-mates could back down should Sporting president Bruno De Carvalho leave the club.

It has been alleged De Carvalho, a controversial figure, used to belong to a radical fan group similar to those who attacked the players. He denies the accusations.

[NI KI]

Reds are looking to bolster their attacking options – but the answer could come from within

It's the equivalent of twitching nervously at the back of the classroom, hand thrust high in the air, reaching for the sky, eager for the opportunity to answer the question.

When Liverpool have been mulling over how best to bolster their attacking options for next season, a number of names have been mentioned.

And that's before the collapse of a potential deal for Lyon playmaker Nabil Fekir.

Stoke City winger Xherdan Shaqiri and Gent's Nigeria international Moses Simon are among several players under consideration by Jurgen Klopp and his recruitment team.

Yet there's one already on the books desperate to show he can save Liverpool a small fortune this summer.

When Harry Wilson resumes pre-season with the Reds next month, it will be with the determination of proving he can make the grade at Anfield.

He'll be bolstered by the confidence of an impressive stint in the Championship with Hull City during the second half of last season when, in 13 games, he scored seven goals and contributed four assists for a side towards the bottom of the table.

“I felt that it was massive for me,” Wilson said last month. “The goals and assists were great for me and I was delighted to contribute there.



“I've taken a lot of confidence from the loan and also from scoring on my full debut for Wales this season.”

That international strike came in a 6-0 win in China in March, his second appearance for his country coming four-and-a-half years after his record-breaking Wales bow as a 16-year-old substitute.

Wilson has been similarly patient at Anfield, his only first-team appearance coming from the bench in the FA Cup third round replay win at Plymouth Argyle in January 2017.

But having turned 21 in March, the Welsh winger is in the strange limbo of being evidently too good for the Academy side but still untested in the Premier League.

Indeed, despite having only played half-a-season with the under-23s, he still scooped the Academy Player of the Season at Liverpool's annual awards bash in May.

Wilson's progress hasn't gone unnoticed elsewhere, with reports suggesting both Huddersfield Town and newly-promoted Fulham are willing to pay £7million for his services.

He will be given his chance by Liverpool during pre-season, opportunities more likely early on with the late arrival of the Reds' World Cup contingent.



One of those will be Trent Alexander-Arnold, the shining example of how Klopp is willing to put faith in youngsters if the talent is there.

“It's great to see what Trent has achieved this season,” continued Wilson. “He's a lad who has come along the same path as me at the Academy and hopefully that will be me playing for the first team next season.

“I want to come back here after the summer, have a strong pre-season and show what I can do. I've got belief in my own ability.”

There's every chance Liverpool will have further bolstered their attacking ranks by then.

Wilson, though, will be a man in demand. Where that is, however, remains to be seen.

[NI KI]

Rumours: Reds expected to make their move for Stoke City player after Switzerland's World Cup is over

Liverpool will step up their efforts to land Xherdan Shaqiri following the World Cup after receiving initial encouragement report the Mirror .

However, the Switzerland international winger is NOT an alternative buy for Nabil Fekir after the Lyon player's proposed transfer to Anfield collapsed.



Shaqiri is keen to join the Reds following Stoke City's relegation to the Championship and he is believed to be available for around £12million due to a supposed clause in his contract at the bet365 Stadium.

Liverpool would not be willing to pay more anyway as despite Jurgen Klopp being an admirer of the 26-year-old, his potential role on Merseyside would be one as an alternative to his first choice attacking trio of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane rather than being one of this summer's marquee signings.

The Reds are now poised to take a step back from the transfer market as the World Cup begins but could make their move for the ex-Bayern Munich and Inter man once the Swiss team's interest in the competition is over.

[NI KI]

The goalkeeper issues

The failed transfer of Nabil Fekir is a subject that has dominated the Liverpool-related headlines these past few days.

Beneath the furore of the failure to land the £50million-rated Lyon captain however, is the topic of goalkeeper at Anfield.

Liverpool still have a big decision to make over this next season, and Chris Beesley has written his take on it.



He argues that the time has come to invest big on a top-class shot-stopper this summer.

He writes:

"Think of the spine of Liverpool’s team from front to back.

The Premier League and Europe’s in-form player of last season Mohamed Salah ably assisted by Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane in what is now regarded as possibly football’s most devastating forward lines; the prospect of new boy Naby Keita covering every blade of grass in the centre of the park and behind him the world’s most expensive defender, the colossal figure of Virgil van Dijk.

Then in goal, an uncapped player who wasn’t even among Germany’s best three keepers chosen to go to the World Cup.

That seems like something of a discrepancy.”

[NI KI]

Liverpool FC's new away kit for the 2018-19 season was launched today and is available to buy from official club stores and online now.

The New Balance design comes in a deep violet shade, which last featured on the team’s third strip for 2012-13, and provides a striking alternative to the traditional home kit.

The kit adopts the same jacquard linear graphic as on the front of next term’s home shirt, which takes inspiration from the architecture of Anfield’s Main Stand.

It is also accentuated by orange branding that highlights key details throughout the strip, in a nod to last season’s hugely successful New Balance third kit.

The goalkeeper away shirt - as seen below - has been designed in line with the outfield players’ jerseys, with black patterned sleeves, embroidered logo and crest.



“We have the best travelling support in football and I’m excited to run out in front of our fans wearing this strip,” said defender Virgil van Dijk.

This season, a new name and number style is available exclusively from LFC Retail, with fonts designed to embody iconic characteristics of Anfield and the surrounding area.

And you can add orange name and number printing to your 2018-19 away kit at a reduced price of £10 at LFC stores.

Purchase an adult shirt, junior shirt, mini kit or baby kit before July 1 and you will also receive a £10 LFC Retail voucher to spend in store or online from July 1 to 31.

Season ticket holders and Members can also claim 10 per cent discount when purchasing the away kit directly from the club.

[NI KI]

Liverpool FC's brand new away kit was launched today - and you can now take a close-up look at the team's second strip for next season.

The deep violet strip, designed by New Balance, features orange branding to highlight key areas of the striking alternative for 2018-19.

Fans can buy the kit from club stores and our online store immediately, with exclusive name and number printing available for £10 too.

Plus, purchase the away strip directly from the club before July 1 and you'll receive a £10 LFC Retail voucher to use between July 1 and 31.

See the kit up close below...