Glen Johnson has claimed that one Manchester City player could be in for a ‘tough’ afternoon against Liverpool on Saturday.

The Premier League’s top two go head-to-head at the Etihad Stadium this coming weekend, with the home side one point clear of Jurgen Klopp’s men.

Although City are currently leading the way in their bid for a fourth successive title, the former Reds defender believes the Merseysiders have one man in particular who can torment his direct opponent.

Johnson told Squawka: “If [Mo] Salah is on form he makes it tough for anybody in the world, so that won’t be the benchmark for Josko Gvardiol.

“He’s obviously a good defender and he’s been trusted straight away to play in these big games by [Pep] Guardiola. Of course he’ll have a tough game defending Salah but he’s a talented player.”

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Gvardiol has been used primarily as a left-back since joining Man City in the summer, although his last couple of appearances have seen him deployed centrally (Transfermarkt).

It remains to be seen if Guardiola will put the Croatian directly up against Salah on Saturday, with a back three setup seeing them concede four times against Chelsea in their previous game.

The Liverpool attacker has been in scintillating form even by his own lofty standards, with seven goals in his last five league matches and 12 overall for the season (Transfermarkt); and whoever’s in direct opposition to him at the weekend, the 31-year-old will fancy his chances of making a telling impact yet again.

City are among the Egyptian’s favourite opponents – across his entire career, Man United are the only team (12) against whom he’s scored more often than the other club from Manchester (11), as per Transfermarkt.

While Gvardiol is a superb defender who’s had a decent start to his time in England, he’s set to face his sternest examination yet in the form of the imperious, free-scoring Salah, who we’re confident will find the net again on Saturday.

10 games in 33 days: Liverpool’s title credentials set to be put to the test during relentless round-off to 2023

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According to Fabrizio Romano, Liverpool had made ‘calls’ in January about the possibility of signing Josko Gvardiol when he was at RB Leipzig.

Despite being linked with the player intermittently for numerous months, the Reds saw him complete a £77.6m move to Manchester City over the weekend (Sky Sports).

It wasn’t for the want of trying from the Merseysiders, but having received a firm hands-off message from the Bundesliga club in the winter, the focus moved to other transfer targets.

As Romano explained on the Here We Go Podcast on Saturday: “Liverpool have always been really interested in Josko Gvardiol.

“In January they did some calls to understand the situation around the player, if there was a possibility to approach Leipzig, maybe to find a creative formula to sign the player. But Leipzig said ‘no way, the player is not for sale in January.’

“Liverpool decided to focus on different targets and to invest their money in different positions, in the midfield especially this summer – we know they changed a lot.”

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Despite Liverpool’s long-standing interest in Gvardiol before his move to Man City, the finances always seemed prohibitive for the Reds, with Leipzig having reportedly been demanding in the region of £80m for the 21-year-old (Football Insider).

The Anfield giants may have been able to go big on the Croatian in different circumstances, but with such a large-scale rebuilding job needed on their midfield this summer, there was never going to be scope for a marquee addition elsewhere.

Aside from the obvious annoyance of seeing a long-time transfer target moving to an already imperious domestic rival, Jurgen Klopp will be frustrated to have missed out on the player for other reasons.

Gvardiol would’ve filled the left-footed centre-back niche in the Liverpool squad and, at just 21, would’ve been regarded as the long-term successor to new captain Virgil van Dijk at the heart of defence.

That’s not to mention his billing as one of the leading players in his position in Europe, having starred for Croatia in last year’s World Cup. Indeed, his national team boss Zlatko Dalic had even dubbed him the world’s best central defender, hailing his maturity and ‘elegance’ (talkSPORT).

It’s a classic case of what could’ve been for the Reds, but with less than a month remaining in the summer transfer window, Jorg Schmadtke and co must press ahead with realistic pursuits rather than wallowing in self-pity over the 21-year-old’s move to the Etihad Stadium.

#Ep83 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Neil Jones

The post Fabrizio Romano: Liverpool had made ‘calls’ in January over 21 y/o who’s just joined EPL rivals appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

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).

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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.

#Ep83 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Neil Jones

The post Offer submitted: Liverpool hope to hijack Man City move for 21y/o who called Reds his ‘dream club’ appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Liverpool and Manchester City may not have played out the closest year in our recent rivalry in the last campaign but the opportunity for us to get one over on our counterparts is certainly still something we would all relish.

Speaking with Sky Germany, RB Leipzig’s director of sport Max Eberl said: “The fact is Man City would like to have him [Gvardiol]. Currently we are still very far apart [in negotiations].

“The transfer of Szoboszlai has secured us financially. We don’t need the money. We would prefer Josko to stay”.

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We were able to secure the signing of Dominik Szoboszlai because we moved quickly before the expiration of his buy-out clause and that now seems to have benefited us in many ways.

Not only did we secure the services of a brilliant player, and for a price that would only have increased once the clause expired, but we seem to have disrupted Pep Guardiola’s team too.

By handing the German side the money they had to accept for the services of the Hungarian, we have decreased their need to sell any more players in this window.

Seeing as Christopher Nkunku has also left the Red Bull side for Chelsea as well, they are understandably reluctant to let a third key talent depart this summer.

This delaying tactic from the champions may have led to them losing a top target, with Josko Gvardiol being one of the highest rated young defenders on the market.

Time will tell if this proves to be the end of negotiations but it’s still quite a funny quote for us to enjoy, for now.

#Ep82 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: Who do Liverpool replace Henderson & Fabinho with?

The post Liverpool may have scuppered Man City’s transfer ambitions with one key deal this summer – report appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Liverpool have been ruthless in the current summer market, exploiting release clauses to land two stellar additions to the squad in Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister.

The Merseysiders can’t always beat their rivals to admired players, of course, as has been made clear by Manchester City’s pursuit of reported target (Florian Plettenberg) Josko Gvardiol.

Fabrizio Romano confirmed on Twitter that talks remain ongoing between RB Leipzig and Pep Guardiola’s outfit, with the club expected to seal a deal for the talented Croatian before the window closes.

Manchester City have scheduled new round of talks to make decisive steps on Joško Gvardiol deal. It’s expected to take place next week. #MCFC

Negotiations continue as initial approach for €75m plus add-ons fee has been rejected. Leipzig want at least €100m. pic.twitter.com/UOFTzWabjG

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 9, 2023

With the midfield requiring major surgery, missing out on the £85.4m-rated centre-back was always going to be an expected casualty.

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That’s not to suggest that another centre-half won’t be brought into the squad this summer, though fans can likely put aside any hope of landing a big-money defender in the same window.

Keeping in mind the need, ideally, for a third midfield signing who can provide cover for the 6 position, however, there’s every possibility that we could conduct something of a revenge mission by nabbing a former City star right under their noses.

Romeo Lavia, formerly of City’s academy setup, is understood to remain the subject of ‘concrete’ talks, with Jurgen Klopp a big fan of the Belgian.

Whether the £50m asking price Southampton are currently keen on can be negotiated down – and whether this will determine Liverpool’s ability to commit to the transfer – however, remains to be seen.

Still, just think of how glorious it would be to snap up a signing with the teenager’s ceiling who the Cityzens willingly let sold!

#Ep79 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: Dominik Szoboszlai – a mix of De Bruyne/Gerrard/Zidane?

The post Man City close in on Liverpool target but Reds have perfect transfer revenge plan appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Fabrizio Romano has claimed that Josko Gvardiol is ‘way too expensive’ for Liverpool despite the Reds ‘loving’ the Croatian defender.

With Jurgen Klopp’s side failing to finish in the top four and pick up any silverware this term the German tactical is eager to bolster his squad this summer.

Although midfield is the main area of concern for the Anfield outfit they were linked with a move for Gvardiol back in January and more recently by the Daily Express, but Romano has admitted he cannot see the RB Leipzig man moving to Anfield.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said: “For Gvardiol, they love him. Already in January, they explored the conditions of the deal. The reality is that this is too expensive. After they left the race for Jude Bellingham because he was too expensive, I don’t see Liverpool going to spend €100m on a centre-back.

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“So, they want a new centre-back, they will explore options for a new centre-back, but Gvardiol is way too expensive.”

Alexis Mac Allister has already been added to our options in the middle of the park and we can expect to see another one or two join him as we look to improve the quality in the engine room.

Adding reinforcements in defence would also make sense, however.

Gvardiol has impressed in the Bundesliga this term and also caught the attention of many during the World Cup in Qatar in December. He’s a towering presence and at 21 years of age he’s only going to get better.

Leipzig are wanting more than £85m for the defender this summer (Daily Mail), though, and that means Klopp’s side have been forced to focus on other defensive targets.

Ibou Konate is Klopp’s preferred central defensive partner for Virgil van Dijk while Joel Matip and Joe Gomez are second and third choice respectively.

Our No. 32 is out of contract next year and is now the wrong side of 30 while Gomez has struggled at times which means it would make sense to sign a experienced yet more youthful defender.

It remans to be seen what further business we complete this summer but we’re not expecting to see Gvardiol at L4 anytime soon.

Exclusive: Jacque Talbot’s Liverpool transfers update: Liverpool & Newcastle in for Kone, Thuram latest, likelihood of Lavia move… and more!

The post ‘Way too expensive’ – Romano rules Liverpool out of race for 21 y/o Bundesliga star appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Fabrizio Romano has indicated that Liverpool are unlikely to pursue a summer move for Josko Gvardiol as they don’t want to ‘do anything crazy’ in terms of the finances required to sign him.

Last month, the Daily Express reported that the Reds could revive their interest in the RB Leipzig defender, but it was also claimed that they could need to shatter their club-record £65m to land the Croatian.

That’s only marginally less than the £88.5m that Real Madrid are set to pay up front for Jude Bellingham (The Guardian), a player who was linked with a possible move to Anfield for several months until LFC pulled out of the race because of the excessive fiscal commitment.

CaughtOffside columnist Fabrizio Romano told the publication regarding potential defensive additions at Liverpool this summer: “A player they always loved is Josko Gvardiol. This is the reality, but they know that he’s too expensive this summer.

“This is the reason why they left the race for Bellingham, so it would make no sense to spend almost the same money on a centre-back. It’s very clear that they are not doing to do anything crazy on that deal, but they were looking and are still looking for that kind of centre-back.”

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As formidable a defender as Gvardiol is, it’s quite understandable why Liverpool would be reluctant to stump up the price RB Leipzig are reportedly seeking for him.

Even with Alexis Mac Allister through the door, the Reds are likely to seek further midfield acquisitions before focusing on other areas of the squad, with Khephren Thuram, Manu Kone and Gabri Veiga among their chief transfer targets.

Even if they sign one more of those and still have a decent budget left over, it’s hard to see Jurgen Klopp committing to the asking price for the Croatia international when other left-footed centre-backs could likely be signed for substantially less.

Levi Colwill and Perr Schuurs have been touted as potential options to explore, and they’d seem more reasonably attainable than Gvardiol.

It’s a shame that Liverpool look set to be priced out of a possible move for the 21-year-old, but as Romano says, it’d seem illogical to spend a king’s ransom on a defender when they abandoned the chase for Bellingham for that very reason.

You can catch the full transfer chat on Fabrizio Romano’s Substack HERE later this evening

The post Fabrizio Romano says Liverpool won’t ‘do anything crazy’ over reported big-money transfer target appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Liverpool have been advised to make RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol their ‘number one target’ this summer.

The Daily Express reported in recent days that the Reds could revive their previous interest in the 21-year-old, for whom they may need to smash their current club-record outlay of £85m.

Paul Machin was speaking to GIVEMESPORT about possible transfer activity at Anfield when he pointed out that the Croatian has a trait which is conspicuous by its absence among Jurgen Klopp’s current squad.

The Redmen TV presenter said: “I think, of all the defenders potentially on the market, Josko Gvardiol is the one and he should be the number one target of any team trying to improve their defence this summer.

“What stands out for me, for him, is he is left-footed. Liverpool are crying out for another left-footer back there.”

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Machin makes a very good point regarding Gvardiol’s status as a defender who’s predominantly left-footed.

As per Transfermarkt, all five of the Reds’ current senior centre-back options are categorised as right-footed, with left-backs Andy Robertson and Kostas Tsimikas our only two defenders deemed to be stronger on their other side.

Not only would the RB Leipzig man give Klopp a left-footed central defensive option, he could also fill in on the left-hand side of the back four if required, having done so on 36 previous occasions in his career (Transfermarkt).

However, the one clear obstacle to possibly landing Gvardiol is his reported £85m+ asking price, which could be beyond Liverpool’s reach depending on how many midfielders are sought and how much they cost.

For the Reds’ recruitment team, it may be a case of keeping their options open regarding possible centre-back signings and seeing how much they can realistically afford to spend in that department amid the overall activity being planned.

EOTK Insider: The two-time gold medalist who is the only man to sign for Liverpool and Everton on two separate occasions

The post ‘What stands out for me…’ – Liverpool urged to sign 21 y/o gem who they’re ‘crying out for’ appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

According to reports from Germany, Jorg Schmadtke could be officially unveiled as Liverpool’s new sporting director on Friday, and he’s already believed to have a list of players he wants to bring in at Anfield.

Sport BILD claimed that the 59-year-old’s impending appointment might be announced as soon as tomorrow, with the Daily Express naming a quartet of Bundesliga players who ‘could emerge on Liverpool’s radar’ as a result.

Their report namechecked Ryan Gravenberch, Josko Gvardiol, Florian Neuhaus and Daichi Kamada as prospective targets the German might seek to attract to Merseyside over the summer.

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Gravenbech’s name has been prominent in LFC transfer speculation in recent weeks, with GOAL‘s Neil Jones claiming over the last 48 hours that the Dutchman ‘would be of interest if Bayern Munich opted to sell’.

Despite his club’s supposed stance of preferring to keep him, the 21-year-old is believed to be keen on moving elsewhere, having started only two Bundesliga games all season (Transfermarkt).

Gvardiol’s name has also resurfaced of late amid reports from the Daily Express that Jurgen Klopp sees him as a player who’d improve Liverpool defensively, although he could cost an eye-watering £85m or more.

Neuhaus and Kamada haven’t been mentioned quite as abundantly, but while the former has seen his stock in Germany plummet in recent times (Daily Express), the latter has excelled at Eintracht Frankfurt, scoring 16 goals from an attacking midfield role this season (Transfermarkt).

Given that Schmadtke has worked with a variety of Bundesliga clubs over the past two decades, it’d no surprise if he looks towards the German top flight for prospective recruits, with the 59-year-old better placed than most to assess the quality of players in the division.

It’s unlikely that all four will be signed, especially with a move for Alexis Mac Allister seemingly far along the tracks and the Argentine potentially costing in the region of £70m, but the early signs are that Liverpool’s incoming sporting director will focus heavily on his homeland for summer transfer targets.

EOTK Insider: The two-time gold medalist who is the only man to sign for Liverpool and Everton on two separate occasions

The post Jorg Schmadtke already has several Bundesliga players in mind that he wants for Liverpool – report appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Liverpool could reignite their interest in one centre-back target with whom they were linked earlier this year, according to reports.

Their pursuit of Josko Gvardiol appeared to be over after Football Insider reported in April that the RB Leipzig defender was ‘no longer considered a top target’ at Anfield.

However, the Daily Express have now claimed that Jurgen Klopp could yet go back in for the 21-year-old, who they described as ‘the kind of signing that could really improve the Reds’ strength in reserve and bolster their quality at the back’.

If Liverpool are to land the Croatian, though, they may need to go beyond their current club-record transfer outlay of the £85m spent on Darwin Nunez last year, with Manchester City and Chelsea also expected to be in the running for the centre-back.

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The primary focus at Anfield this summer will be on midfielders, with Neil Jones of GOAL stating that the club’s hierarchy want to bring in at least two players in that position during the off-season.

Should that happen, there may be insufficient funds in Klopp’s budget to go large on Gvardiol, if indeed RB Leipzig are to demand a fee in the region of £85m for him.

If Liverpool can possibly negotiate that downward, though, it may improve their chances of signing a superb young defender who Rio Ferdinand dubbed ‘the real deal’ after an eye-catching display against Manchester City in the Champions League earlier this season (BT Sport, via Eurosport).

The Croatian stands out for his excellence in possession, ranking among the top 4% of centre-backs in Europe’s five main leagues for passes per game (87.18) and successful take-ons per 90 (0.63), via FBref.

Depending on how much is spent on midfielders, and how much is recouped in potential player sales, the scope may or may not be there to seriously pursue Gvardiol.

He’ll certainly be expensive, but the Reds would be paying for elite quality and, at 21, the likelihood of him getting even better over the coming decade.

EOTK Insider: The two-time gold medalist who is the only man to sign for Liverpool and Everton on two separate occasions

The post Liverpool could pursue possible club-record swoop for 21 y/o dubbed ‘the real deal’ – report appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Liverpool are set to be linked to many names this summer but it appears that another target is now no longer an option for a transfer, reducing our potential pool of players further.

As reported by Football Insider: ‘Red Bull Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol is no longer considered a top target at Liverpool for the summer transfer window’.

This news joins that of Jude Bellingham supposedly no longer being a target and Mason Mount being potentially convinced of a new contract at Chelsea.

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In short, it seems like our options are dwindling and with Giannis Chorianopoulos exclusively revealing that the Reds are set to sign a central defender this summer – it will be interesting to see who we may secure.

With many eyes on our midfield links, the defensive department has been somewhat overlooked but there does seem to be a belief that we will strengthen in this area – despite the presence of Virgil van Dijk, Ibou Konate, Joel Matip, Joe Gomez, Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams.

In Josko Gvardiol, it looked like we had found a tangible target but it did always feel that any fee RB Leipzig would request for player would be above the amount we’d want to spend on this area of the squad.

Although just 21-years-old and looking like a good option, we don’t quite need to splash the cash yet on the Croatian and may feel a higher risk but cheaper player could be the best option in the long-term.

EOTK Insider: The two-time gold medalist who is the only man to sign for Liverpool and Everton on two separate occasions

The post 21-year-old ‘no longer considered’ as summer transfer option for Liverpool – report appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Liverpool are reportedly set to accelerate their pursuit of one Bundesliga defender while abandoning their interest in another.

According to Pete O’Rourke’s latest transfer column for Football Insider, the Reds are preparing a contract offer for Evan Ndicka, who’s set to become a free agent as his deal at Eintracht Frankfurt ends in the summer.

The Frenchman’s ‘impressive physical qualities’ fit Jurgen Klopp’s profile for a centre-back signing, and the Merseyside club ‘could push to get a deal over the line quickly’.

In tandem with stepping up their interest in the 6 foot 4 colossus, Liverpool no longer seem to be in the running for Josko Gvardiol, with RB Leipzig’s £80m asking price forcing FSG to look elsewhere after a lengthy courtship of the Croatian.

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When assessing the two defenders’ statistics over the past 12 months, it’s no wonder the Reds see Ndicka as the far more sensible option of the two to pursue, considering their respective situations.

As per FBref, he and Gvardiol actually post strikingly similar returns across a number of performance metrics.

They’ve posted the same number of goals scored (one), dead ball passes (50), crosses made (four) and touches taken in the attacking penalty area (22) while also being closely matched for tackles made (21 v 22, Ndicka first) and interceptions (30 v 31).

The disparities for pass completion (86.1% v 89.5%) and aerial duel success (63.2% to 56.3%) are slightly larger yet still broadly similar, so it seems there isn’t much to choose between the Bundesliga duo.

With that in mind, it’d be far more prudent to for Liverpool to pursue a free transfer for the Eintracht Frankfurt man than paying £80m+ for a player in Gvardiol who appears to be on a similar level ability-wise.

In turn, FSG could then save a significant chunk of the summer budget to put towards other areas of the squad at Anfield.

EOTK Insider: The two-time gold medalist who is the only man to sign for Liverpool and Everton on two separate occasions

The post Liverpool could make huge saving by pushing to sign 6 ft 4 brute over £80m alternative – report appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Although many eyes are on what Liverpool will be doing in the midfield of our squad this summer, it appears that we also have high hopes of reinforcing the centre-back department – with three targets now being named.

Writing for CaughtOffside, Ben Jacobs said: ‘Liverpool do want a centre-back, though. Frankfurt’s Evan Ndicka (who is available on a free with several clubs looking, including Jose Mourinho’s Roma), Napoli’s Kim Min-jae (who has a release clause active for 15 days this summer) and Josko Gvardiol have all been considered to name but three.

‘With the obvious exception of Leipzig’s Gvardiol, who will command a fee of at least £80-85m, Liverpool could probably get 3-4 of the above players for the same outlay as Bellingham with all costs considered. That’s ultimately why they have decided to exit the race for the Dortmund star’.

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It’s not the first time that any of these three names have been linked with the Reds and after Giannis Chorianopoulos exclusively revealed to Empire of the Kop that he is ‘at least 90% sure that a centre-back will come to Liverpool’ this summer, it seems that the Reds are looking to strengthen our defence.

Evan Ndicka has previously had his links to Anfield ruled out by Neil Jones and so, despite the Eintracht Frankfurt defender being available on a free transfer, it had seemed that this move was already dead in the water.

As for Kim Min-jae, whose short-lived release clause has been revealed as being just £42 million, we could secure an affordable deal but only if we move fast – something Napoli will surely look to block.

Josko Gvardiol is probably the name that has already been most touted as a possible addition but the price tag of up to £85 million, seems out of reach with what we need to spend on central defenders.

With Jurgen Klopp ready to strengthen our midfield, it seems unnecessary to spend too much money in an area of the pitch where we already have Virgil van Dijk, Ibou Konate, Joel Matip, Joe Gomez, Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams.

It will be interesting to see how much we set aside to spend on our defence this summer.

EOTK Insider: The two-time gold medalist who is the only man to sign for Liverpool and Everton on two separate occasions

The post Three centre-backs named as potential summer targets for Liverpool – report appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Liverpool supporters will mainly be waiting for midfielders to be entering the entrance door at Anfield this summer but it also seems that one other area of the pitch could be targeted, ahead of a busy transfer window.

Speaking exclusively to Empire of the Kop, sports journalist Giannis Chorianopoulos said: “A centre-back will come. I’m at least 90% sure that a centre-back will come to Liverpool. Van Dijk and Konate are great players, but Liverpool wants someone after them, or a player that can play with them. So, I think there will be a centre-back.

“Josko Gvardiol is a player that no one can say that he can’t star for Liverpool, he can play for Liverpool. But of course, he’s a player who has a big transfer fee also, around £80 million, which is also a big amount of money.

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Josko Gvardiol has been linked with the Reds on several occasions already this season and it seems like, alongside Virgil van Dijk and Ibou Konate, the Croatian could be viewed as a long-term part of our defence.

Whether we will have the budget for such a high profile player, alongside our public search for several midfield options, it seems that we should still expect the arrival of a defensive alternative in the upcoming window.

You can watch the comments of Chorianopoulos on Gvardiol (from 14:05) via Empire of the Kop on YouTube:

Exclusive: The Jude Bellingham ‘roulette’ is open but the odds are stacked against Liverpool – Jan Aage Fjørtoft

The post (Video) Exclusive: “90% sure” Liverpool will sign a centre-back; one target named – report appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

RB Leipzig are desperate to keep hold of Josko Gvardiol in the face of interest from Liverpool and a few other clubs, according to reporters from Sky Sports Germany.

A report from Football Insider in recent days claimed that the Reds are ‘well placed’ to sign the centre-back, who’s also wanted by the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City and Real Madrid.

The player himself batted off any prospects of a transfer when speaking to Croatian outlet Net.hr earlier this week (via Fabrizio Romano), and his club also seem determined not to let him depart.

Giving credit to his Sky Sports Germany colleague Philipp Hinze, Florian Plettenberg tweeted: “News #Gvardiol: Leipzig bosses definitely want to keep him until 2024! They are not considering a sale in summer.

“We understand that an offer of around €100m wouldn’t change their mind. Many clubs interested: Real Madrid, #CFC, #MCFC, #LFC … @philipphinze24“

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It increasingly seems that, if Liverpool are to get Gvardiol to Anfield in the summer, they’ll need to really push the boat out and come up with an offer that he and Leipzig simply cannot ignore.

The ball is firmly in the Bundesliga club’s court at present, with the 21-year-old’s contract at the Red Bull Arena lasting until 2027 (Transfermarkt), so it’s not as if the clock is ticking rapidly towards its expiry and his employers are being pressed into a decision.

If even an offer of €100m (£88m) won’t sway Die Roten Bullen, FSG may be pondering whether going higher than that would constitute paying over the odds for the player, who’s valued at €70m (£61.5m) by Football Transfers.

There’s a good reason as to why Leipzig are being so steadfast in their determination to keep Gvardiol.

A scout report from Breaking The Lines last year highlighted how he’s comfortable in building play out from the back, one of the most progressive passers in the Bundesliga, adept at exploiting gaps left by the opposition and excels at fundamental defensive traits such as tackling and ball recovery.

Liverpool would undoubtedly be getting a quality all-round centre-back if they can land the Croatian, but it seems as if that feat will be increasingly difficult to pull off.

You can see Plettenberg’s tweet on Gvardiol below, via @Plettigoal on Twitter:

News #Gvardiol: Leipzig bosses definitely want to keep him until 2024! They are not considering a sale in summer. We understand that an offer of around €100m wouldn’t change their mind. Many clubs interested: Real Madrid, #CFC, #MCFC, #LFC … @philipphinze24 @SkySportDE pic.twitter.com/XrEIqB1Wus

— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) March 28, 2023

Ep73 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: Author chat with Chris Roberts on Football, Mental Health… and more!

The post ‘We understand that…’ – Reliable journalist shares update on Liverpool’s pursuit of Gvardiol appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.