Offer submitted: Liverpool hope to hijack Man City move for 21y/o who called Reds his ‘dream club’

Offer submitted: Liverpool hope to hijack Man City move for 21y/o who called Reds his ‘dream club’

According to reports from Spain, Liverpool are hoping to beat Manchester City to a big-money signing this summer.

Fichajes named the Reds as one of three Premier League clubs with designs on hijacking the champions’ pursuit of Josko Gvardiol, who’s estimated to cost around €100m (£86m), by submitting offers for him.

Although Pep Guardiola’s side were believed to have agreed a fee for the 21-year-old (The Guardian), RB Leipzig sporting director Max Eberl insisted any agreement isn’t ‘even close’ (Philipp Hinze).

The Bundesliga club are understood to want any deal for the Croatian done before they begin their campaign with the German Super Cup against Bayern Munich on 12 August, by which stage they aim to have Marco Rose’s squad finalised (The Mirror).

Gvardiol had been identified as a possible transfer target for Liverpool earlier this summer (Daily Express), although Fabrizio Romano had ruled out an Anfield swoop for the Leipzig defender as he’d be ‘way too expensive’ for the Reds.

An £86m swoop indeed seems hard to envisage, particularly when we’ve already spent the bones of £100m this summer, with another £40m-£50m potentially going on Romeo Lavia.

It isn’t hard to see why LFC may be interested in a late swoop for the Croatia international, who’s one of the leading exponents of his position in Europe, especially in possession of the ball.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 1% of centre-backs in the continent’s five main leagues for pass completion (87.18%) and the top 4% for successful take-ons (0.63 per game), and he’d also give Liverpool the left-footed option they’re lacking in that part of the squad.

Gvardiol notably called the Reds his ‘dream club’ in a previous interview with RTL Danas (via Daily Mail), but it still seems more improbable than probable that the Anfield hierarchy will steal in and sign him under Man City’s noses, even if an opportunity to do so appears to be opening up.

Liverpool £40 million transfer spotted in transit as squad break unwritten travel rule

The first edition of Ian Doyle’s tour diary from Singapore as Liverpool step up preparations for the new Premier League season

Liverpool £40 million transfer spotted in transit as squad break unwritten travel rule

The first edition of Ian Doyle’s tour diary from Singapore as Liverpool step up preparations for the new Premier League season

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ByIan DoyleChief Liverpool FC Writer

09:48, 29 JUL 2023

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Alisson Becker, Joe Gomez, Virgil van Dijk, Cody Gakpo, Curtis Jones and Trent Alexander-Arnold of Liverpool during a training session on July 28, 2023 in Singapore. (Photo by Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Singapore’s warm welcome

Less than 24 hours into their stay, Liverpool have been given plentiful reminders of their enduring popularity in Singapore.

Around 100 supporters were in attendance to welcome the squad with cheers when they arrived at their base at the plush Ritz-Carlton hotel in the Marina Bay district late on Friday afternoon.

Reds boss Jurgen Klopp then spent 20 minutes chatting with some of the fans while posing for photographs and signing autographs. Virgil van Dijk, too, went across for a brief chat.

The lobby of the hotel has subsequently become a hive of activity, with those fans who haven’t camped outside reception milling around in the hope of a glimpse of their heroes.

The travelling Liverpool party has also included a group of legends, with Gary McAllister and John Barnes among those to have been snapped by the fervent Singaporean Reds.

Lucas Leiva is also involved in the capacity for the first time having had to call time on his playing career with Gremio earlier this year.

And, six years after leaving Anfield, he was invited to the first-team’s training session on Friday evening, after which he declared it was though he had never been away. Clearly, being a Red never truly leaves you.

Reds of a different time

Located just 85 miles north of the equator, the stifling, humid weather of a Singaporean summer is a world away from the damp conditions in which Liverpool’s players trained during their brief return to Kirkby following the training camp in Germany early last week.

And with the country seven hours ahead of UK time, the body clock also requires a little adjustment.

The travelling Reds party, though, aren’t quite following the rules. As has become commonplace on these pre-season tours, Liverpool have their watches and timetables set to what is known as ‘tour time’.

From players through to the backroom staff and security, all are going by clocks that are three hours ahead of UK time – or, more pertinently, four behind Singapore time.

And it can lead to some rather unusual events, with the final meal of the day – and, coming from the north, that’s called tea and not dinner, folks – taking place at around 1am local time.

The ECHO, of course, are obviously tucked up in bed at that time, dedicated professionals that we are.

Bayern game the real draw

Liverpool aren’t just here to make new friends and build up fitness. After all, there’s two pieces of silverware up for grabs.

Having clinched the inaugural Standard Chartered Singapore Trophy by beating Crystal Palace 2-0 last year, the Reds will hope to retain the title when they take on Championship side Leicester City on Sunday.

Then, against Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich on Wednesday, they will be playing for the Singapore Trophy presented by Audi and Standard Chartered.

Both games are being played at the 55,000-capacity National Stadium, with the Bayern clash having proven a huge hit with the locals. Barely 1,000 tickets remain available, the cheapest of which costs £115.

The matches are part of the Singapore Festival of Football, which opened last Wednesday with Tottenham Hotspur beating Lion City Sailors 5-1 to win the Tiger Cup.

Fabinho in flight

There are a few notable absentees on this trip, with Liverpool midfield duo Thiago Alcantara and Stefan Bajcetic back on Merseyside working on their individual fitness programmes and Jordan Henderson having left the club for Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq.

Fabinho is also nearing a move to Saudi Arabia with Liverpool having agreed a £40million fee with Al-Ittihad.

And there was a sign the transfer was close on Friday when it emerged the Brazilian was on the same flight as the ECHO from Manchester to Dubai. No prizes for guessing which one of us was flying economy class, though.

Offer submitted: Liverpool hope to hijack Man City move for 21y/o who called Reds his ‘dream club’

According to reports from Spain, Liverpool are hoping to beat Manchester City to a big-money signing this summer.

Fichajes named the Reds as one of three Premier League clubs with designs on hijacking the champions’ pursuit of Josko Gvardiol, who’s estimated to cost around €100m (£86m), by submitting offers for him.

Although Pep Guardiola’s side were believed to have agreed a fee for the 21-year-old (The Guardian), RB Leipzig sporting director Max Eberl insisted any agreement isn’t ‘even close’ (Philipp Hinze).

The Bundesliga club are understood to want any deal for the Croatian done before they begin their campaign with the German Super Cup against Bayern Munich on 12 August, by which stage they aim to have Marco Rose’s squad finalised (The Mirror).

Gvardiol had been identified as a possible transfer target for Liverpool earlier this summer (Daily Express), although Fabrizio Romano had ruled out an Anfield swoop for the Leipzig defender as he’d be ‘way too expensive’ for the Reds.

An £86m swoop indeed seems hard to envisage, particularly when we’ve already spent the bones of £100m this summer, with another £40m-£50m potentially going on Romeo Lavia.

It isn’t hard to see why LFC may be interested in a late swoop for the Croatia international, who’s one of the leading exponents of his position in Europe, especially in possession of the ball.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 1% of centre-backs in the continent’s five main leagues for pass completion (87.18%) and the top 4% for successful take-ons (0.63 per game), and he’d also give Liverpool the left-footed option they’re lacking in that part of the squad.

Gvardiol notably called the Reds his ‘dream club’ in a previous interview with RTL Danas (via Daily Mail), but it still seems more improbable than probable that the Anfield hierarchy will steal in and sign him under Man City’s noses, even if an opportunity to do so appears to be opening up.