LIVERPOOL FC NEWS Joel Matip Replacement Comfirmed agent confirms interest and $85m Dominik Szoboszlai repeat ‘eyed’

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Liverpool transfer news: The agent of a defender has confirmed the Reds’ admiration, while the club could continue its extensive dealings with the Red Bull network.

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Even after a busy summer transfer window that saw four new players arrive, there arguably remain a couple of holes in the Liverpool squad, but the Reds may be trialing possible solutions before they decide their next steps.

Take defensive midfield for instance — Liverpool lacks a true, top-quality specialist in that position following the departure of Fabinho, but Jürgen Klopp has turned to Alexis Mac Allister as a somewhat unorthodox solution.

As he explained in his press conference before Sunday’s game against Brighton, Mac Allister is a viable answer as long as Liverpool defends effectively as a unit, ensuring he isn’t left with too much defensive work to do.

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Then there’s the center-back position. Liverpool chose not to strengthen that area in the summer, but has been boosted by the emergence of youngster Jarell Quansah, back from a loan spell at League One Bristol Rovers.

Quansah has impressed on all of his first-team outings so far, and Liverpool will be assessing him to see just how big a role he can play from next season onwards.

Here is the Liverpool.com verdict on the transfer gossip to emerge around the Reds today.

Piero Hincapié (Bayer Leverkusen)
The agent of Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapié has told journalist Ben Jacobs that Liverpool ‘like’ the player but stopped short of suggesting the Reds would make an offer in January.

As it stands, the club is a distant admirer of the Ecuadorian center-back, having decided not to make a ‘serious offer’ in the summer transfer window. In hindsight, perhaps the rapid ascent of Jarell Quansah had some part to play in Liverpool’s thinking.

Manuel Sierra, the 21-year-old’s representative, adds that Liverpool would face plenty of competition, with ‘lots of clubs looking’, but insists his client is focused on Leverkusen for now.

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Liverpool.com says: Leverkusen has made an excellent start to the season under Reds icon Xabi Alonso, winning five and drawing one of its first six matches to spark talk of a potential title bid against Bayern Munich.

It’s worth noting, though, that Hincapié hasn’t really played a part in that, having missed the first three games through suspension and then been named among the substitutes for the next three. If he’s to earn a move to a club of Liverpool’s stature in 2024, then you feel he’ll have to muscle his way back into Alonso’s line-up, or his stock might begin to fall.

Loïs Openda (RB Leipzig)
Liverpool ‘will be keeping an eye’ on RB Leipzig striker Loïs Openda, Bild journalist Christian Falk reports. Openda only arrived from Lens during the summer, but in two years’ time, a release clause in his contract will become active, one worth in excess of $85m (£69m/€80m).

Last summer, the Reds activated a similar clause to sign Dominik Szoboszlai from the Bundesliga outfit, which has previously sold them Naby Keïta and Ibrahima Konaté.

Liverpool.com says: Openda was outstanding for Lens last season as it finished just one point behind PSG in Ligue 1, with the striker placing fourth in the scoring charts after finding the net 21 times. He’s carried that form over to Germany by bagging four goals in his first six Bundesliga outings and finding the target against Manchester City in the Champions League too. He’s still only 23 years old, so that lofty release clause may look pretty reasonable by the time it becomes active.

This is where Liverpool’s decision to let Fábio Carvalho move to Leipzig on loan could come in handy. Given its obvious liking for Red Bull talent, the club needs to cultivate a good relationship, but it’s hard to do that when only one side is benefitting. A mutually beneficial arrangement, though, is more likely to hold long term.

Of course, if Openda ends up going for his $85m release clause, the need for good relations is lessened. Leipzig had no say in the matter when Liverpool decided to meet Szoboszlai’s clause this summer, for instance, a move which is already looking inspired.