Liverpool have made an early move as they prepare for life without Jürgen Klopp and are lining up a potentially massive transfer this summer, it has been claimed.
FSG preparing for post-Klopp Liverpool
A summer of change awaits Anfield at the end of this season. Long-time boss Klopp is calling time on his stint in the technical area after nine years in the Premier League, leaving the Merseyside outfit on the hunt for a new manager.
Having transformed the Reds from also-rans to a Premier League powerhouse during his time at Anfield, the legacy of the German will be hard to live up to, and he could yet end his final season with three trophies.
Michael Edwards is returning to the club, but in a new CEO role rather than as sporting director, with Richard Hughes having been recruited from Bournemouth to take up that position.
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The Reds are in pole position to complete the move.
There promises to be serious change on the pitch too, with both Joel Matip and Thiago Alcantara out of contract and likely to leave as free agents, while the core players remaining from Klopp’s greatest successes (namely Andy Robertson, Virgil van Dijk, Alisson and Mo Salah) are all the wrong side of 30 years old.
Salah in particular has been the subject of heavy interest from Saudi Arabia, and Al-Ittihad could re-ignite their interest in the Egyptian as he heads into the final 12 months of his contract in north-west England, having seen a £150m offer turned down last summer. But it isn’t all doom and gloom at Anfield.
Liverpool eyeing new poster boy
Now, it has been reported that Liverpool are among the clubs to have ‘requested information’ on young Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Heorhij (Georgiy) Sudakov, making the first move ahead of a potential summer deal for the 21-year-old.
Sudakov is expected to be the next big thing out of the Ukrainian giants, with Mykhaylo Mudryk having joined Chelsea in January 2022 from the same outfit.
According to TuttoJuve’s Mirko Di Natale, five Premier League clubs including Liverpool have been keeping tabs on Sudakov, who has grabbed three goals and an assist in 14 top flight outings and has featured in each of Shakhtar’s Europa League and Champions League games.
Also thought to be keen are Arsenal, Manchester CIty, Manchester United and Newcastle United, but any club that signs him will be willing to fork out an eyewatering 100m euros (£85m), which is reportedly where his release clause stands.
For that money, scout Ben Mattinson believes that any club would be getting one of the best talents that the Ukrainian club have ever produced, claiming that the midfielder is ‘the latest top talent they’ve produced and he may be one of their best’, armed with ‘quality ball-striking’, ‘technical ability’ and ‘press resistance’.
Any move for Sudakov would likely be reliant on departures, with the centre of the pitch clogged up as things stand with all of Ryan Gravenberch, Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szobozslai fighting it out for spots either side of Wataru Endo.
It would also likely require a major sale given the hefty asking price. However, at just 21-years-old he could be shrewd investment as the Reds gear up for another period of dominance under a new boss.
