Liverpool are interested in RB Leipzig’s Castello Lukeba as an alternative to Marc Guehi in their search for a new centre-back and have been told it’s ‘possible to negotiate’ over his hefty release clause.
The Reds are comfortably this summer’s biggest spenders, with nearly £200m invested to make those five additions so far, with more moves expected from sporting director Richard Hughes to bolster Arne Slot’s title-winning squad.
Slot also wants to add a striker to his ranks to replace Darwin Nunez, who is reportedly nearing a move to Napoli, and have been linked with Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike as an alternative to ‘dream’ target Alexander Isak.
But Liverpool are also facing a something of a centre-back crisis having agreed to let Jarell Quansah leave for Bayer Leverkusen for £35m without agreeing an extension for Ibrahima Konate.
The Frenchman is said to have been ‘disappointed’ with the Reds’ contract offer and has now decided he wants to run down his contract and ‘leave’ when it expires at the end of next season amid interest from Real Madrid.
That’s the nightmare ‘scenario’ for Hughes and Liverpool, with reports suggesting they will look to find a buyer for the 26-year-old this summer to avoid the same fate which saw them lose Trent Alexander-Arnold to Los Blancos for nothing.
That blow appears to have strengthened the club’s resolve to land Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace as reports emerged over the weekend that the Reds are ‘closing in’ on the England international, before Italian journalist Nicolo Schira revealed on Tuesday that Liverpool have sealed an ‘agreement in principle’ with the England international.
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Schira wrote on X: ‘Excl. – Agreement in principle between Marc #Guehi and #Liverpool for a contract until 2030. The centre-back pushing to join #LFC, which are in talks with #CrystalPalace to try to reach a deal. #transfers.’
But there’s work to be done between the two clubs as transfer expert Ben Jacobs revealed that the Premier League champions won’t pay what Palace want for Guehi.
He wrote on X: ‘Liverpool will only advance their interest in Marc Guehi if Crystal Palace’s asking price drops. #LFC have no plans to pay £45m-£50m.
‘Price would need to be well south of this bracket. Liverpool are still assessing whether Guehi is a genuine market opportunity. Palace open to a sale, but Guehi hasn’t ruled out running down his current deal. Game time key for Guehi in a World Cup year.’
Whether as an alternative to Guehi or as well as the Palace defender, Liverpool – along with Bayern Munich and Tottenham – are interested in Lukeba.
It’s claimed the Red have been ‘seduced’ by the 22-year-old, who’s been starring for France at the U21 Euros this summer, and although he has a release clause of €90m [£77m], the report from Foot Mercato claims it’s ‘possible to negotiate’ over that fee, as ‘agreed’ between Leipzig and Lukeba to ease his transfer this summer.