Premier League Champions Liverpool have agreed a deal to sign teenage midfielder Gabriel Schluter from League One Blackpool.
The title winners have taken the summer transfer window by storm having spent in the region of £219 million according to some reports on several targets. The high profile addition of Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for a fee that was over £100m will take the headlines, but the additions of Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong and Armin Pecsi as well as new deals for Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk can all be seen as clever business for a team that were already impressive.
Now the Reds are reportedly turning their attention to the future, by picking up a talented 16-year-old from the EFL.
Liverpool Transfer Swoop for Blackpool Talent
Blackpool are rebuilding their squad in their first full summer transfer window under former Premier League manager Steve Bruce as they look to potentially push for a promotion spot in a much more open division than in previous seasons. However, they may now be set for a small boost to their transfer kitty with the unexpected departure of a player that is yet to make his league debut for the club.
Gabriel Schluter is an academy star, that to date has only made one appearance for the senior side. This came in the form of an eight minute cameo in the EFL Trophy against Liverpool U21s replacing Ryan Finnigan in the 82nd minute of the tie. The game ended in a draw but with the competition’s extra point rule they carried out a penalty shootout, which Liverpool won.
This will have given Barry Lewtas and the Liverpool academy staff a good chance to look at the player, before making the move this summer.
According to transfer guru Pete O’Rourke a deal has already been agreed between the two clubs, with a medical set for next week.
Liverpool Strengthening for the Future and the Present
Liverpool are not content with just winning the title last season, they have already more than strengthened their side as Arne Slot continues his full rebuild of the squad that was left to him by club legend Jurgen Klopp. Convincing players such as Salah and van Dijk to stay ensures continued quality in the squad in the short term as they continue to build the foundations of the club for the future. Schluter is another example of this, we are unlikely to see him near the first team squad for a number of years, but at 16 years old his potential and value will continue to rise with another nine years before he hits his “peak” age.
What the club are doing is not only clever, but should place them near the top of the table for the foreseeable future.
Football Journalist’s View
Liverpool are strengthening when they are at the top, which must send fear down the spines of the other clubs in the Premier League. Arsenal, Man City and the other clubs already had a mountainous task to reach the heights their rival, but they know the task is getting even harder.