Liverpool have received permission from their club to sign their star for £57 million, according to reports, after suggestions that Man United were also in talks for the player.
Liverpool prepare for a crucial summer of signings
Last summer’s financial ambitions were unmistakable.
Having spent more than £440m on new players, the club’s record amount, the squad has been overhauled from top to bottom and expectations have been reset accordingly.
But almost a year on, Liverpool are in fifth place, competing for Champions League qualification rather than the title itself, and are facing the loss of their most important player in the club’s recent history.
This summer is shaping up to be the most momentous in Anfield’s recent past.
Mohamed Salah’s departure was confirmed on March 24, bringing the Egyptian player’s nine-year relationship with the club to a mutually premature end, with Saudi professional league leaders understood to be confident of clinching a deal to take him east.
Sporting director Richard Hughes needs to identify a new winger who can take on the attacking burden left by Salah.
RB Leipzig’s 19-year-old Ivorian winger Yann Diomande remains Liverpool’s main target, with talks continuing between the players ahead of June.
Liverpool identify new star as “top three” to replace Salah, “negotiations underway”
The Egyptian King will leave Anfield on a free transfer.
However, Leipzig are reportedly sticking with their asking price of more than £87m, which will deter some rivals and Liverpool are thought to be hoping their long-standing pursuit and established relationship with the German club will seal the deal.
That relationship, built through the recent signings of Dominik Szoboszlai, Ibrahima Konate and Naby Keita, and further strengthened by Jurgen Klopp’s senior role in the Red Bull network, has now opened a second door at the same club.
Liverpool given the green light to sign Castello Lucaba
Sky Germany reporter Philipp Hinze has today come to the conclusion that Leipzig and the 22-year-old French centre-back may have ended their three-year partnership, confirming that Castello Lukeva is available this summer.
Hinze reported that the club would be willing to sell him for less than the £69m release clause in his contract, with a benchmark valuation of around £57m to £61m.
Lukba is exactly the profile Liverpool need.
The composed 6ft tall, ball-playing defender is still on the upward curve of his career and brings the technical quality and physical presence needed to begin to fill the huge void that will eventually be left by Virgil van Dijk.
Now, according to TEAMtalk, Liverpool have been given the ‘green light’ to sign Lukba, and it is thought that they could also sign team-mate Diomande.
If Liverpool were able to sign both Diomande and Lukaba, the total price tag could reach around £140m. This is a significant amount of money, but it speaks to the scale of the rebuilding this club urgently needs.
Interestingly, this follows other reports that Man United have also held initial talks with Lukaba’s camp, with the battle for his signature now heating up in earnest.
Liverpool and Man United were both prepared to offer the Real Madrid star a £192,000-a-week contract.
His position has become clear.
