It’s going to be an interesting summer for Liverpool. The team is looking at an overhaul to rebuild their roster and return to consistency after some players left the club at the end of the season. In fact, the English side decided to part ways with some legendary players from their past seasons, including striker Roberto Firmino, and midfielders Naby Keita, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. At the same time, Liverpool have already signed Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton as he was one of the top targets for the summer. Let’s recap all the latest transfer rumors and news:
Fabinho left behind amid Saudi bid
July 16 — Fabinho has not traveled to Germany for Liverpool’s preseason training camp after Al-Ittihad made a £40 million bid for the Brazilian’s services. The anchorman is not the only Anfield veteran to be attracting interest with Al Ettifaq keen on Jordan Henderson, who has made the trip to continental Europe. Fabinho’s deal is closer and the 29-year-old has been given permission to undergo a medical and finalize personal terms that would bring to an end a five-year spell with the Reds, who signed him for £39 million.
Henderson, meanwhile, has been offered terms by Al Ettifaq that will triple his salary of £200,000-a-week on a two-year deal with an option for a further 12 months. The England international would be joining up with former teammate Steven Gerrard, now manager of the Saudi side, but as a vocal proponent of LGBTQ+ rights, his entertaining of a move to a country where homosexuality is illegal has been condemned by supporters.
“Kop Outs have valued the allyship shown by Jordan Henderson,’ said Kop Outs, an LGBTQ+ group of Liverpool fans. “We are appalled and concerned that anyone might consider working for a sportswashing operation for a regime where women & LGBT+ people are oppressed and that regularly tops the world death sentence table.”
Henderson and Fabinho’s possible departures would be mitigated by the signings of Dominik Szoboszlai and Mac Allister but the latter’s move to Al Ittihad is expected to prompt Liverpool to push for an experienced replacement.
Szoboszlai signs
July 2 — Liverpool’s second midfield addition of the summer is signed, sealed and delivered, Szoboszlai joining from RB Leipzig after the Reds activated the €70 million release clause in his contract. An exciting addition for supporters, this might be even more invigorating for Szoboszlai himself, a boyhood Liverpool fan who has a Steven Gerrard quote tattooed on his arm. Now he will be wearing the great man’s No.8 shirt.
“I know how excited he is to be here with us,” said Jurgen Klopp, “so it is important that he understands that we are all just as excited to have him. We already have a little knowledge of Dominik as an opponent because we had a couple of really tough games against Red Bull Salzburg when he was a player there and I think everyone who saw those fixtures will have realised that even at that stage he was a really interesting prospect.
“Everything about this is good news and I am very grateful to everyone at the club who has contributed to making it happen. This is a signing for our present and also for our future and the work that has gone into it could not be more appreciated.”
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Carvalho joins RB Leipzig
June 30 — RB Leipzig have announced the signing of Fabio Carvalho on loan until the end of the season from Liverpool. The Portuguese youngster became a first-team regular in the 2021-22 season at Fulham, appearing 36 times in the Championship. He scored 10 goals and recorded eight assists as Fulham won promotion back to the Premier League at the first attempt. He was then bought by Liverpool in summer 2022. Carvalho played for England from the U15 up to the U18s, but then chose to represent Portugal from 2022 onwards.
