Liverpool in contract talks with Arsenal and Manchester United targets

It’s been a strange season for Liverpool, whose Premier League title defense has been in tatters for some time, but who remain among the favorites to win the FA Cup and Champions League.

At the very least, this is evidence of the immense quality spread throughout Arne Slott’s squad, but without the right balance and consistency over the months of the campaign, Liverpool will fall apart.

There’s nothing sporting director Richard Hughes can do right now, but he will be looking to strike a balance this summer as he looks to sign more players.

Liverpool move to sign new top candidate

Liverpool are set to make a push to sign several big-money stars this summer. Jeremy Jacquet is already set to strengthen Liverpool’s backline after agreeing a £51m deal with Rennes in January, and a winger is certainly needed.

While Kodi Gakpo and Mohamed Salah are deceiving with flattery, Rio Ngmoha has shown new talent in recent games and has emerged as one of Europe’s future superstars this season.

While the 17-year-old forward is a key part of Liverpool’s young squad, Hughes and others have indeed set their sights on a young right-back who could rival Ngmoha in pride of place as the Reds’ top talent.

According to TEAMtalk, Liverpool have joined Arsenal and Manchester United in talks to sign Benfica’s 18-year-old talent Daniel Bajaki, who has impressed under Jose Mourinho this season.

The 17-year-old only made his senior debut in December but has quickly established himself as one of Europe’s most promising right-backs, and if he continues to do so, Liverpool, Arsenal and United are sure to be in a dogfight over his signature this summer.

Why Liverpool must beat Arsenal and United in the race

When you’re ready, you’re ready. Slott was reluctant to overwhelm the young Gumoha for too long. There is no question that he is one of the most talented teenagers in Europe, but a player like Banyaki could be his rival.

It has taken time, but Rio has been prominent in both of Liverpool’s recent games against Wolves, and his rise could mean the slot becomes more open to the rise of young players like Bajaki.

The Portuguese prospect has been praised for his athletic dribbling, with analyst Ben Mattinson stating in 2025 that his “ball-running is very strong”. These comments were before his senior debut and he has gone from strength to strength since then.

In fact, he has only made three appearances for Benfica’s first team, but the shallow data pool of two games in Portuguese Liga tells a deep story about his potential, winning 14 duels, completing 67% of his dribbles in two games, and also creating two chances.

Additionally, he doesn’t have half-hearted crosses and can force the ball into dangerous areas with such ferocity as to break the touchline.

Although Banyaki has only played a small amount of senior football, there is no denying that he is one of the most talented young right-backs. After all, Arsenal and Manchester United are also keen, and these Premier League stalwarts boast two of the best academies not just in England but around the world.

For Liverpool, the idea of ​​signing a phenomenal wide defender on par with Jeremy Frimpong (who could feature in a senior role next year) or Conor Bradley is too much to resist and could even usurp Gumoha’s place as Liverpool’s top youngster.

In the end, Banjaki will probably be chosen among them. Arsenal and the Red Devils are both sure to present attractive projects, but Liverpool have proven they have a real skill at developing elite up-and-comers, and Merseyside could be the perfect place for him to develop his superstar potential.