Ornstein confirms Liverpool are ‘exploring transfer deal’ for Newcastle target with meeting taking place
Liverpool are looking at a potential deal to sign RB Leipzig attacking midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai this summer, according to reports.
The Reds are looking to improve their midfield this summer after allowing James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita leave on free transfers.
Jurgen Klopp has already moved to land Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton for £35m after demonstrating his ability at the World Cup during the winter and in the Premier League.
Klopp’s midfield came in for a lot of stick last season as the Reds struggled in the first two thirds of the season with Liverpool lacking energy.
And now The Athletic journalist David Ornstein claims Liverpool are ‘exploring transfer deal’ for RB Leipzig’s Szoboszlai and ‘met with 22-year-old’s representatives this week with a view to a transfer this summer’.
That comes after a report in German publication Bild claimed that Leipzig’s demands have so far proved ‘too much for Newcastle’ to meet with the Bundesliga side looking for his €70m (£60m) release clause.
READ MORE: The most expensive midfielders ever: Liverpool flop sixth and Rice set for runner-up spot
Ornstein adds that Liverpool acknowledge that a ‘potential deal is complicated’ and ‘will be a very difficult deal to get done’ with it involving ‘a significant financial outlay’.
Klopp had one of his most difficult seasons as Liverpool manager last term but he still has three years to run on his deal at Anfield and there are no signs of him stopping.
When asked if Klopp was happy with Liverpool ownership and whether he could see the German staying at Anfield beyond his current deal, The Athletic’s James Pearce said: “Klopp has a close relationship with FSG president Mike Gordon, who is hands-on once again in the running of the club after taking some time off in the first half of last season.
“The manager admitted towards the end of last summer’s window that there are times when he would like to take “more risks” in the transfer market, but he has always accepted having to operate within the parameters of the club’s self-sustaining business model.
“He’s never had more money to spend than Liverpool’s rivals, but that didn’t stop him winning the biggest prizes. He firmly believes he can scale those heights again.
“In terms of Klopp potentially staying beyond 2026, I think it’s unlikely. He had previously been pretty adamant he would leave in 2024 and take a sabbatical, so it was a welcome surprise for the owners when he penned that two-year extension last year.
“By the summer of 2026, he will be 59 and he will have been in the job for over a decade. A lot can change in three years, but I’d expect him to take a break at the end of his current deal.”
