Liverpool have opted against a move to sign a player who looks set to join a Premier League rival imminently.
Arne Slot will be bidding to shape the squad in his image this summer after replacing Jurgen Klopp at Anfield.
The Dutchman isn’t expected to bring about wholesale changes to the current Liverpool squad. But there are a couple of areas where he will need extra quality.
Liverpool are expected to target a new left-sided defender while a fresh face in the middle of the park could be a priority.
But they look set to miss out on a player they scouted last year, with journalist Ben Jacobs claiming the Reds ultimately opted against the move.
READ MORE: Arne Slot wants Liverpool to sign £33.8m winger who is one of the quickest players in Europe
Liverpool decided against Luis Guilherme signing
Much had been made about a potential Mohamed Salah exit ahead of Klopp’s departure amid interest from the Saudi Pro League.
The Egyptian star looks set to stay at Liverpool beyond the summer but the club will have one eye on his future replacement.
Brazilian winger Luis Guilherme was previously on Liverpool’s radar but looks set to complete a move to West Ham this week.
And Jacobs has told GiveMeSport that while the Reds scouted Guilherme last year, they have decided against a move for the 18-year-old talent.
“Bakayoko is one name that Liverpool have scouted, but it doesn’t really mean a great deal because clubs scout thousands of players, so we’ll wait and see whether that materialises,” the journalist said.
“Liverpool decided against Luis Guilherme even though they made a trip over to Brazil in November, and the feeling is that West Ham are in pole position to wrap that one up.”
Guilherme set for West Ham move
At 18, Guilherme has already racked up 49 appearances for Palmeiras while representing Brazil at U17s and U20s.
The youngster has been described as a ‘spectacular dribbler’ with exceptional pace and could prove to be a coup for West Ham.
With that being said, Liverpool are likely to be looking for a more established winger as they search for long-term Salah replacements.
It will be interesting to see how Guilherme fares in the Premier League though and should he excel, it may just lead to Liverpool reigniting their interest further down the line.