Liverpool will certainly already be outlining transfer plans ahead of the summer. It might not be possible to flesh out the details until a new manager is appointed, with the favored tactics of Jürgen Klopp’s replacement sure to influence recruitment decisions, but Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes will be able to draw up detailed shortlists in the meantime.
A busy summer is not to be expected, with so much flux in other areas of the club. It would make sense for Liverpool to limit itself to one or two transfers, especially given that Klopp is leaving such an excellent squad behind.
Nevertheless, there are always areas to improve. The defense looks like it could do with a freshening-up, while there are a handful of players too good to ignore if they become available on the market.
One of those is surely Jamal Musiala of Bayern Munich. And Liverpool is said to be interested, although there are complicating factors at play. Meanwhile, a former Anfield midfielder could be making his way back to the Premier League, with Arsenal a particularly surprising suitor. Here is the Liverpool.com verdict on the transfer gossip to emerge around the Reds today.
Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich)
Manchester City has taken the lead in the race to sign Jamal Musiala, according to the Independent. There is a belief that he could be attainable either this summer or next, having shown no inclination to extend his current terms at Bayern Munich, which run to 2026.
Having been raised in London, the Germany international is keen to play in the Premier League at some stage. He has also grown frustrated at Bayern, where he looks likely to end the season without any silverware.
Currently, Manchester City is the ‘most interested’ in luring him away. He is seen as one of the next-generation best players in the world, although there may need to be a high-profile exit in order to facilitate a move.
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For its part, Liverpool is also mentioned as holding an interest in Musiala, alongside Barcelona and PSG. But according to the report, ‘all have different budget constraints’.
Liverpool.com says: You’d certainly hope that Liverpool’s ‘budget constraints’ are not in the same league as Barcelona’s. Admittedly, the Catalan side’s struggle to even register players is down to a different system of financial regulation in La Liga, but there can be little doubt that the Reds run a far smoother operation.
That being said, whether it’s financial reasons or something else, it’s very rare for Liverpool to target players who are already marquee names. It was in the race for Jude Bellingham, but that would have been a major departure, with Thiago the only other recent example who even vaguely qualifies.
Sadly, Manchester City does seem like a more likely destination for Musiala. But having seen a record bid for Moisés Caicedo knocked back, it doesn’t appear as though Liverpool has any concerns when it comes to staying within spending rules.
Arthur Melo (Fiorentina, on loan from Juventus)
Arthur Melo could be in for a surprise return to the Premier League this summer. In what would be a particularly eyebrow-raising transfer, Arsenal is said to be among the teams showing an interest.
