LIVERPOOL GET GREEN LIGHT TO SIGN DAZZLING REAL MADRID ATTACKER BUT DOUBLE CAVEAT GIVES SLOT MAJOR HEADACHE
Liverpool have received an extremely-encouraging response from Real Madrid amid claims they are keen to sign Arda Guler – but any move to bring the breakout Euro 2024 star to Anfield is subject to two major clauses, it can be revealed.
A new era at Anfield is underway with Slot stepping into the hotseat vacated by Jurgen Klopp after his glorious near nine-year reign at Anfield came to a close at the end of last season. Having won seven major trophies in his time at Liverpool, Slot will inherit a star-studded squad who are very much used to winning, but have perhaps fallen behind the Premier League’s top clubs in Manchester City and Arsenal in recent times.
With Slot though already ensconced in his new office within the confines of their state-of-the-art Kirkby training complex, work is already underway at how Liverpool can not only claw back that gap but also build upon the rich foundations Klopp put in place.
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Of course, with any new manager comes new ideas and TEAMtalk can confirm, with money at his disposal, Slot has plans to make at least two – and as many as five – exciting new signings this summer.
Their priority focus will line in signing a new centre-half, and preferably one who can cover at left-back too. And while Leny Yoro remains a player of acute interest, Slot and Co will have to play a patient game there with the Lille teenager making it clear his preference lies in a transfer to Real Madrid.
Liverpool, though, could land a more immediate option in Nottingham Forest’s Murillo and it was reported on Tuesday that the Tricky Trees’ PSF concerns could force a cut-price sale to Anfield.
Slot given encouragement to sign Real Madrid sensation Arda Guler
A new midfielder is also on the radar with Slot identifying upon early talks with Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards that the failure to properly replace Fabinho in summer 2023 should be addressed this summer. The departure too of Thiago Alcantara further clears a space – and funds – in the Reds squad.
Slot will also look to bring in a new goalkeeper this summer with Adrian nearing a move back to his first club Real Betis after rejecting Liverpool’s final contract offer. The request of Caiomhin Kelleher to also move on makes that need even greater, though good news has presented itself with TEAMtalk columnist Rudy Galettti making it clear that Alisson at least intends to reject lucrative advances to move to Saudi Arabia.
Perhaps the biggest change though could come in the attack with Slot linked with a number of outstanding options this summer.
In recent weeks that has appeared to focus on Nico Williams and Johan Bakayoko, though a stunning report on Tuesday suggested Atalanta’s former Everton man Ademola Lookman is now on their radar.
Another name strongly linked with a move to Anfield is Guler, with the teenager likely to find game-time hard to come by for Real Madrid in the 2024/25 season.
The 19-year-old underlined his qualities by scoring six times in 12 appearances while breaking into Carlo Ancelotti’s side in the season just gone.
However, with Kylian Mbappe and Endrick both due to arrive at the Bernabeu this summer, there is the very real possibility that Los Blancos will need to consider some departures.
The first of those is already taking shape, with Joselu snubbing the chance to extend his stay and having been lured instead to the Middle East with Qatari side Al Gharafa.
Slot told he can sign Real Madrid teenager on two conditions
But with Mbappe and Endrick set to compete with Rodrygo and Vinicius Jnr for a place in the attack – and with Jude Bellingham having also been deployed as a No 10 for much of last season – another exit looks to be on. As a result, it is Guler who appears to be the player most vulnerable for an exit.
We reported on Tuesday how Los Blancos have given Liverpool encouragement in their initial enquiries for him – and now it has been revealed by Marca that Real are ready to give Guler the green light to make the move to Anfield.
However, the move will not be as quite as simple as initially made out with Real set to insert two major conditions into any move of Guler to Anfield.
Firstly, Los Blancos – at the insistence of both president Florentino Perez and coach Ancelotti – will insist that any deal will be on loan only and intially through to the January window, though the option of an extension through to the season’s end could be considered if the move has gone to plan.
Such an arrangement will give Real the chance to bring the Turkey star back into the fold if Real’s situation requires it.
Secondly, Real are adamant that any loan deal for the 19-year-old will be exactly that: a loan only. As a result, Real will insist that there will be no option for Liverpool to make the move permanent, with the Spanish giants seeing a big future for the attacker at the Bernabeu.
And while they would be happy to grant a temporary switch to Merseyside, the strategy will present Slot with something of a headache. He knows that his side will only benefit from having a player of Guler’s qualities at his disposal. But will Liverpool fall in line with a plan that will mainly benefit Real in the long-term and further improvement a squad and a club that have already enjoyed a strong strangehold on the game’s top prizes?
2024-06-26T09:27:21Z dg43tfdfdgfd