One could be forgiven for thinking that Liverpool’s summer transfer business has already concluded. The £70m arrival of Darwin Nunez, as well as youngsters Fabio Carvalho and Calvin Ramsay already represent a significant outlay from a club that has famously needed to sell in order to buy in recent years.
Add to that the January addition of Luis Diaz, and Jurgen Klopp’s squad rebuild doesn’t look far from completion. But the departures of both Sadio Mane and Takumi Minamino have left a minor gap that the German manager may feel needs filling.
As well as Anfield potentially having another couple of new arrivals, there may also be further departures. Should that be the case, Liverpool will most definitely need to strengthen in certain areas, primarily due to the huge amount of games played throughout the English footballing calendar.
The rumours are still well and truly swirling, however, so let’s take a look at three deals that could still take place on the red half of Merseyside this summer.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – Out
It’s hard to believe that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is still just 28 years of age. The Englishman burst onto the scene back in 2010 as a 16-year-old and has been a staple in the Premier League since his big-money move to Arsenal the following season. When Liverpool forked out £35m for his services five years ago, the club were well aware of his injury woes and thought it was a risk worth taking.
Perhaps it has worked out, perhaps it hasn’t. Chamberlain had some immense performances during his earlier years, with the 3-0 victory over Manchester City in the 2017/18 UEFA Champions League quarter-final springing to mind. And it’s evident that he remains a player that Klopp trusts implicitly, as proven by his selection during the early stages of last season before more injury worries curtailed his season.
Perhaps it is the right time for The Reds to cash in on the midfield man. He is still on the right side of thirty and the club should be able to demand a reasonable transfer fee. And, if there is one position where Jurgen Klopp needs to strengthen more than others, it’s central midfield. Both Leicester City and Aston Villa seem like the favourites to seal the former Southampton trainee’s signature.
Roberto Firmino – Out
In years gone by, the dismemberment of Liverpool’s feared front three was unfathomable. In five seasons together Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane bagged a mighty 338 goals between them. They led The Reds to their first Premier League title in three decades, as well as three Champions League finals. But the arrival of Diogo Jota two summers ago was the beginning of the end and now, with Mane leaving for Bayern Munich, as well as Darwin Nunez’s arrival from Benfica, it seems that Firmino has been pushed further down the pecking order.
The Brazilian striker has a number of potential suitors, with Juventus being touted as a potential destination for the 30-year-old. It would be sad to see Bobby leave Anfield, but perhaps the time is right for both parties to seek a clean break.
Jude Bellingham – In
Minus the scoring sensations Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, is there a brighter prospect in Europe today than Jude Bellingham? The young Englishman has already made over 130 senior appearances for Borussia Dortmund and Birmingham City, and following a disappointing campaign on the European stage as well as domestically, he may feel that he needs to leave Signal Iduna Park if he wants to win trophies.
A move to Anfield has been rumoured and would be beneficial to the 19-year-old. Despite being a crucial part of Gareth Southgate’s plans, the England manager has tended to select a trio of Mason Mount, Declan Rice and Kalvin Phillips in the centre of the park. With the World Cup around the corner, playing consistently in the Premier League would help his chances of a starting berth no end.
