Liverpool bid £105m to upgrade ‘world-class’ Gakpo

When it grew to become clear that Liverpool could be topped Premier League champions in Arne Slott’s first season on the membership, effectively earlier than the title was rubber-stamped and sealed, sporting director Richard Hughes instructed the summer season switch window could be a major one.

In spite of everything, it is clear that Trent Alexander-Arnold is ready to maneuver to Actual Madrid when his contract expires, and the likes of Darwin Nunez, Harvey Elliott and Luis Diaz have additionally been linked with strikes. Liverpool wanted a left-back.

And Liverpool introduced in a variety of latest expertise, breaking monetary data as FSG added depth to their title-winning squad within the slot.

Nevertheless, it goes with out saying that the Reds have misplaced 9 of their final 12 video games in 2025/26, with back-to-back defeats in opposition to Nottingham Forest at Anfield and PSV Eindhoven.

The stability is totally off and the staff has misplaced confidence. It is no shock that Hughes is gearing up for a return to the switch market.

Liverpool’s winter switch plans

Sky Sports activities’ Jamie Carragher is amongst these advocating for FSG to shell out their wallets and signal a centre-back this January. Nevertheless, Ibrahima Konate’s disastrous scenario has dampened Actual Madrid’s curiosity, with talks persevering with on Merseyside over the French star’s renewal.

The necessity for a top quality winger is much more urgent as he was unable to exchange Dias, who was bought to Bayern Munich in August.

That is why Liverpool have set their sights on Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, who has been in good kind within the Premier League this season and is seen as a prime goal on Merseyside, with a £65m transfer looming giant in January.

Nevertheless, Hughes has drawn up an inventory of a number of targets, and Liverpool may even identify a extra appropriate participant in Rafael Leao, who has an analogous type to the Ghanaian.

Liverpool have reignited their long-standing curiosity in AC Milan star Leo and are able to make a proper winter provide value €120m (about £105m), in response to Spanish sources.

This is able to be a major outlay for Liverpool after their summer season spending spree, however determined occasions name for determined measures and Kodi Gakpo on the left doesn’t look convincing.

Why Liverpool ought to signal Rafael Leao

Leo, 26, is without doubt one of the greatest large forwards on the planet.

This season, he has made a very good begin, scoring 5 objectives and offering one help in all competitions. Though he has not been as dynamic as he has been lately in Serie A, he helps coach Maximiliano Allegri’s easy type of play and has been scientific within the closing third.

At Liverpool, Leo will doubtless be used another way. Slot will want extra width and flexibility on the wing to revive stability to an ailing entrance line.

Probably the most scientific wingers in Serie A this season, Leo maintains such athleticism and creativity in his play. However, Gakpo has at all times been criticized for being too one-dimensional.

It’s attention-grabbing that Gakpo is a bit more aggressive in duel conditions than Leo, whereas additionally working with the ball extra typically. Nevertheless, this season has been an outlier for the Portuguese winger so far as ball-carrying metrics are involved.

The truth is, in addition to being hailed as “among the finest left wingers on the planet” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Leo has additionally been described as “unstoppable” when on the ball by journalist Zach Lowy.

Gakpo could have completed effectively within the Premier League this season and his defensive metrics are spectacular, however his mixture with left-back Milos Kerkes, who joined Liverpool from Bournemouth for £40m this summer season, is a flattering mixture.

Moreover, the Dutchman ranks within the backside 39% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s prime 5 leagues in take-off success fee over the previous yr.

Whereas not a horrible tactical sin in itself, Gakpo’s lack of dynamism has definitely been uncovered since Dias left Liverpool, and has been exacerbated by the decline of his alternative winger, 33-year-old Mohamed Salah.

Provided that Gakpo has solely scored 4 objectives and supplied three assists in 18 video games throughout all competitions this season, it is clear that Liverpool want so as to add depth to their entrance line by signing both Leo or Semenyo.

It was thought that the thrill surrounding Rio Ngmoja, who grew to become one of many youngest ever Premier League scorers after scoring the profitable objective in opposition to Newcastle in August, might need led Liverpool in opposition to signing a alternative of Dias’s caliber in the summertime, however Slott has used the 17-year-old sparingly since then.

Described by Mattinson as “world class”, Leo’s agile and ferocious type of play is strictly what Liverpool want going ahead. He matches the identical mildew carved for Semenyo by the FSG institution.

If Leo is in prime kind, it’s clear that he’ll safe a beginning spot at Anfield and Hughes should make that occur now.