Liverpool’s hopes of keeping one particular player at Anfield could rest on whether they land a reported transfer target.
The Reds are believed to have taken an interest in Johan Bakayoko (Liverpool Echo), and the PSV Eindhoven forward – who could be available for around £43m (HLN Nieuws) – recently hinted that he’d be open to a new challenge.
According to Eindhovens Dagblad (via Soccernews.nl), the Eredivisie champions have Sepp van den Berg on their wish list, and although they’ve spent most of their existing budget, the prospective €50m (£42.1m) sale of the Belgium winger would enable them to push hard for targets such as the LFC defender.
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Is there scope for Liverpool and PSV to strike a mutually beneficial agreement which’d see Van den Berg and Bakayoko swap clubs in a prospective cash-plus-player deal?
In terms of ensuring an ideal balance throughout Arne Slot’s squad, it could make sense – the Belgian would fill the niche of a natural right-winger alternative (and potential long-term successor) to Mo Salah, while selling the Dutchman would still leave four senior centre-backs at Anfield.
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The Eindhoven-based attacker enjoyed a prolific 2023/24 season in which he scored 14 goals and supplied the same number of assists (Transfermarkt), and many of his underlying performance metrics also compare quite favourably to positional peers across Europe’s top leagues (FBref).
However, Van den Berg has reportedly made a big early impression on his new boss already at Liverpool, and given the injury problems which afflicted our defence last term, it’s not unthinkable that the 22-year-old could get a decent amount of opportunities for the Reds in 2024/25.
Bakayoko could hold the key to whether or not PSV are topped up adequately to push hard for the Reds defender in the final few weeks of the transfer window, and that may leave Richard Hughes with a massive decision to make, one way or the other.
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It wld be wise enough if Slot keep on beefing his front runners with the sealing of Bakoyoko in exchange with Ven….PSV want the defender and the Reds want Bakoyoko,it’s a fair deal,Slot go for it
Is Salah going out or not this window – only LFC and Mo know – if not then Doak is his natural replacement – but if Mo does not wish to enter into another contract hen he MUST BE SOLD – it’s that simple – then they will need a replacement as well as Doak – I would prefer Eze or Kudus to Bukayoko…but anyone that has the talent is preferable to Kubo and money going back to the pockets of that ugly club Real Madrid (crooks) – how dare they encourage TAA to run his contract down and do the dirty on LFC o the ratbags can get him for nothing (I hpe TAA has more loyalty and courage then to ever allow that to happen! If they want you Trent they will buy yu – or they are just playing on your friendship with another player who if he is trying to influence you to do the dirty is also a RATBAG!
agree on wat u said about real madrid, it will depend also our TAA will he do it if tis year he not commit to new contract sorry said tat he not in the squad. no one can treat liverpool tis way not even the owner.