LIVERPOOL: MICHAEL EDWARDS ‘ALREADY WORKING’ TO SECURE ARNE SLOT’S FIRST SIGNING AT ANFIELD
Liverpool are lining up Arne Slot’s first signing as Reds boss with Michael Edwards making Eintracht Frankfurt’s Willian Pacho a key target, according to reports.
The Reds are set for a summer of change after Jurgen Klopp announced earlier this year that he will be leaving Anfield at the end of the season to take a break from football.
Former Liverpool sporting director Michael Edwards has already returned as Fenway Sports Group’s new CEO of football, while Bournemouth’s Richard Hughes is joining as their new sporting director.
Liverpool also look set to appoint Feyenoord boss Slot as their new manager with the Reds currently negotiating a compensation fee in order to confirm the move.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has brought an update on the situation with Slot keen to take over at Liverpool in the summer.
Romano wrote in his Caught Offside column: “It was also an important day in Liverpool’s manager search as they spent all day in negotiations with Arne Slot and Feyenoord.
“In the morning, Liverpool made contact to start the conversations with Feyenoord, and from what I understand, the Dutch club don’t want to say anything about it in public because the talks are going very well.
“Their relationship is good, talks have been very positive, and that’s also the case with Liverpool and their conversations with Slot’s agent Rafaela Pimenta.
“Slot wants the Liverpool job, conversations so far have been super positive, so now it’s about reaching an agreement with Feyenoord. It’s going well and Slot is now the big favourite to become the next Liverpool manager.”
Could Willian Pacho be Arne Slot’s first signing at Liverpool?
Following Ibrahima Konate’s unconvicing performances in recent months, Liverpool are looking to provide Slot or another new manager a left-sided centre-half.
And Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio insists Frankfurt’s Pacho is ‘the target of the Reds to strengthen the rearguard for next season’ with Liverpool ‘already working’ on a deal.
Edwards is ‘looking for a new left-footed central defender’ and has ‘identified the right profile’ of player in Pacho, who has already played 40 times for the Bundesliga side in his first season after moving Belgian side Royal Antwerp.
There have been rumours that some of the Reds’ senior players could follow Klopp out the door in the summer but Virgil van Dijk has already been singing Slot’s praises.
Speaking to ViaPlay, Van Dijk said on Slot: “I think Slot is one of the better Dutch coaches at the moment. With the way he plays and the philosophy he has, he can be a Liverpool coach. But I read and hear that it is far from complete. We shall see. We will focus on that next season, but that is still a long way off.”
Adding more details on the potential deal to sign Slot, former CBS Sports journalist Ben Jacobs wrote on X: “More talks today, with things moving fast. €10m+ compensation required, as revealed. Could be closer to €15m. Liverpool have an good relationship with Feyenoord and Slot wants the move.”
2024-04-25T13:34:07Z dg43tfdfdgfd