Liverpool have had a surprise bid ‘quickly refused’ but can get Keito Nakamura if they more than triple a transfer record, while Arsenal are moving again.
NICK NAK
It seems as though Liverpool are under a transfer ban which specifically limits them to trading only midfielders.
Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai represent their incomings thus far. A bid has been rejected for Romeo Lavia. James Milner, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Roberto Firmino (he dropped deep enough to essentially operate there so shush) have been released. Fabio Carvalho is perhaps their most high-profile departure otherwise, joining Leipzig on loan. And Jordan Henderson and Fabinho are bound for Saudi Arabia – although the latter’s move is apparently on the verge of collapse.
But the Reds are starting to branch out, with LASK forward Keito Nakamura a reported target.
The 22-year-old Japan international, who scored 14 goals in 31 Austrian Bundesliga games last season, has attracted interest from Aston Villa, Borussia Dortmund, Frankfurt and Lille, with the French side ‘in pole position’.
But Liverpool have offered ‘an envelope of €7m’ in a deal which would see Nakamura immediately loaned back to LASK, which was ‘quickly refused’ as the Austrian seek something closer to €11m in a club-record sale.
It should probably be pointed out that LASK’s biggest ever sale seems to be the €3.5m they received from Wolfsburg for Victor Sa in 2019. The rejected €7m offer was already double that; €11m would more than triple it.
HAVE A BIT OF THAT
The assumption might be that Arsenal would slow their transfer investment down with their three biggest targets secured. The Gunners are by far the biggest spenders in Europe so far this summer after bringing in Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber, but one more deal would push them past the £200m mark.
Arsenal ‘awaits’ for Gremio ‘first team staple’ Bitello, according to Tuttomercatoweb. The 23-year-old midfielder is thought to be on the brink of a move to the Emirates after a breakthrough in negotiations between the two teams.
The Gunners have even ‘obtained a slight discount on the initial request of €10m’, instead arranging a move worth €8m. Those talks were presumably a little more straightforward than it was to deal with West Ham.
RAYA SUNSHINE
Brentford goalkeeper David Raya would almost certainly have expected to find a new employer by now, but it could have been worth the wait all along. Bayern Munich are sniffing around the Spaniard.
The Daily Mail say ‘initial talks’ have been held over a deal, which would only be possible if the Bundesliga giants meet that magic £40m valuation the Bees placed on Raya long ago.
Bayern signed Yann Sommer earlier this year to cover for the injured Manuel Neuer, but with both those players well into their 30s it could be that 27-year-old Raya is groomed for a long-term role in the background.
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