With the season now finished, Liverpool’s attention is beginning to turn to the transfer window.
It is set to be a fascinating summer at Anfield, with the Reds doing their best to cope with the loss of Jurgen Klopp’s charismatic leadership.
And with Arne Slot now officially announced as the man taking over from the Liverpool manager, plans can begin being formulated.
In truth, it’s likely that the Reds already have a very good idea of who they want to target this summer. Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes will surely have been doing a fair bit of legwork.
According to new reports from the Netherlands, that does appear to be the case. Having been taking in games across Europe this season, Liverpool have reportedly identified a potential new signing.
Liverpool spotted watching Johan Bakayoko
One of Slot’s remits in this summer’s transfer window is reportedly to sign a new wide forward for Liverpool.
With the 45-year-old reportedly counting on Darwin Nunez for next season, he looks set to bring in a new player to supply the Uruguayan.
Reports have been rife that one of the players on the shortlist is likely to be PSV Eindhoven winger Johan Bakayoko. And according to Dutch reporter Rik Elfrink on X, the Reds were seen taking in a game the 21-year-old performed ‘excellently’ in last month.
“PSV striker Johan Bakayoko is on many lists of scouts from top European clubs,” Elfrink reports.
“Liverpool is certainly one of them, sources around him have previously stated,” he adds. “This week we will further inquire whether things are already moving forward or whether it is all a matter of luck for the time being.
“One of Liverpool’s head scouts was spotted at PSV-AZ (5-1) in April, sources say, and Bakayoko played excellently there. We’re all going to see it.”
Johan Bakayoko ready for Liverpool move
Bakayoko has had a brilliant season for PSV. Peter Bosz’s side blew the Eredivisie away to win the league title.
That was of course bad news for Slot, who could only manage second place with Feyenoord despite a really good season at De Kuip.
For Bakayoko, it signalled that he is capable to make the move to a bigger club. The Belgium international’s former coach Arnen van den Abbeel told Rousing The Kop in April that the Belgium international is ‘ready’ to join a team like Liverpool.
READ MORE: Exclusive interview with Johan Bakayoko’s former youth coach
Having scored 12 goals and provided nine assists for PSV in the league this season, that certainly looks to be true.
If Liverpool scouts like what they’ve seen, maybe Slot will see his nemesis from this season in his squad for next. With a reasonable reported price of £43m, keep an eye on this one.