Super agent Jorge Mendes has assured Sporting CP that a huge bid from Liverpool is on the way this summer for Francisco Trincao, while the Reds are lining up another three deals after sealing the signing of Osasuna winger Victor Munoz.
Mohamed Salah’s exit and the poor form of Cody Gakpo mean Liverpool will look to sign at least one new winger in the summer transfer window, which opened earlier this week.
RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande, who has been starring at the World Cup for the Ivory Coast, has been on everyone’s lips all summer with rumours that he is Liverpool’s top target as they look to replace Salah.
Huge bid on the way for Diomande alternative?
Sporting CP winger Trincao has also been heavily linked with a move to Anfield in case Liverpool miss out on Diomande or want to sign another winger.
It has recently been claimed that Liverpool are the ‘closest’ to bringing Trincao back to England in the summer after the winger had a poor loan move to Wolves in the 2021-22 season.
The arrival of Andoni Iraola to replace Arne Slot as Liverpool head coach ‘has done nothing to cool interest’ in Trincao, according to reports earlier this month.
And now Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha (via Sport Witness) claim that super agent Mendes ‘has assured both Trincão and Sporting that a major proposal will arrive before the end of the transfer window’.
It is understood that if Liverpool do bid it will be ‘massive’ offer near the €60m (£50.5m) release clause in the Portugal international’s deal at the José Alvalade Stadium.
The newspaper do make a point that Sporting CP ‘have not received a proposal from the Reds’ but that the Premier League team are still at the front of the queue.
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Liverpool announce the signing of Munoz
Liverpool announced on Thursday evening that they had agreed a deal to sign Spain international Munoz from La Liga side Osasuna.
A statement on their official website read: ‘Liverpool FC have agreed a deal to sign Victor Munoz from Osasuna, subject to a successful work permit application and international clearance.
‘The forward, who is currently on World Cup duty with Spain, completed a medical at the country’s base in Tennessee in the USA and has put pen to paper on a long-term contract.
‘Munoz is the first new addition since the arrival of head coach Andoni Iraola and will link up with his new teammates later this summer after his participation in the tournament with his national team has concluded.’
Sources confirmed to TEAMtalk earlier on Thursday that Liverpool had agreed to trigger the player’s £34million release clause and were finalising the final steps of the transfer.
However, the deal for Munoz will not alter Liverpool’s plans to sign a specialist right-winger this summer with Diomande remaining their top target in that position.
A deal for Diomande could be difficult this summer, due to the huge fee that Leipzig want for their star player, while Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola is another player Liverpool continue to do extensive work on.
After Ivory Coast beat Ecuador 1-0 in their opening match of the tournament, head coach Emerse Fae had an update on Diomande’s future.
Fae told reporters on Diomande: “When we were in France, during the preparation, journalists told me he was about to sign with PSG.
“Here, they tell me he’s about to sign with Liverpool!
“I don’t know, but for now, he will focus on the World Cup, and then afterwards, he can think about the rest of his career.
“He’s very talented, but beyond the talent, he’s very young and he’ll improve.
“He’s a kid who works hard, has a real team spirit, laughs with everyone, and he listens, listens to the technical staff whenever he’s given advice, and tries to do his best, as he’s told.
“It’s easy to work with someone like Yan, he’s so talented and has what is needed, plus he can give you the victory and was a real challenge for [Piero] Hincapie, a Champions League finalist.”
The Athletic‘s David Ornstein also revealed on Thursday that Liverpool had submitted an improved proposal to Leipzig for Diomande.
Liverpool ‘interested’ in Juventus midfielder
Midfield is another position that Liverpool are likely to look to improve in the summer transfer window amid rumours that Curtis Jones and Alexis Mac Allister could leave.
Jones is more of a solid link with the Reds seemingly happy to sell the Liverpool midfielder to Inter Milan if the Serie A side can pay their €30m asking price.
One player Liverpool could bring in to give competition for places in midfield at Anfield is Juventus star Thuram, who Corriere dello Sport (via Football Talk) insist could be available for between £35m and £39m this summer.
Saudi Pro League giants Ah-Ahli and Galatasaray have expressed an interest in the France international but Thuram has his heart set on a move to the Premier League with Liverpool ‘interested’ in him.
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