Liverpool are beginning to firm up their transfer plans for Arne Slot’s first summer in charge.
The Reds have so far been quiet in the market, something a little unusual for them by this stage of June.
However, with Slot only just starting work at the AXA Training Centre and two international tournaments taking place, it shouldn’t be a surprise that things have been slow at Anfield.
That should hopefully change over the coming weeks. As teams start to drop out of their respective competitions and players go on holiday, Liverpool should be able to make some headway.
In the meantime, Slot, his coaching staff and FSG will all no doubt be glued to their screens monitoring targets at Euro 2024 and the Copa America.
Liverpool in touch over Nico Williams transfer
If Liverpool have been watching the action in Germany carefully this summer, they’ll have seen a few potential transfer targets really stand out.
Riccardo Calafiori has been heavily linked with Liverpool and the Italian defender has been good so far, despite scoring an own goal against Spain on Thursday.
That heavyweight matchup in Gelsenkirchen was also notable for the electric performance of Spain winger Nico Williams.
Former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge was one to have been impressed by the 21-year-old. Sturridge called Williams ‘abnormal;’ stunned by his speed, skill and direct wing play.
And according to journalist Fabrizio Romano, Liverpool have been impressed by the Athletic Bilbao man, too. Speaking on his YouTube channel on Friday night, Romano said that the Reds have been following Williams for a long while.
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“English clubs have considered Nico Williams,” explained the transfer expert. “For example, Chelsea had him on their list last summer before singing Cole Palmer. But also Arsenal, Liverpool, these clubs asked for information on Nico Williams in the last six, seven months,” he adds.
“The real issue more than the release clause was the salary. The cost of the salary was something that always created a problem. But now Nico is doing fantastic, so let’s see if English clubs will reactivate that option.
“There is also strong interest from Barcelona, but it depends on financial fair play. So, Barca will be there based on financial fair play but also Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea, these three clubs are always keeping a close eye on Nico Williams.
“The new release clause in his contract at Athletic Club is 58 million euros [£49m].”
Liverpool face Nico Williams dilemma
If it was as simple as triggering Williams’ release clause, then this would look like a complete no-brainer for Liverpool.
The Reds are reportedly in the market for a new forward this summer and Williams would appear to tick most of the boxes they usually look for.
He’s young, reasonably well priced and plays with a verve and pace that Liverpool look for in a wide player.
However, as Romano points out, the issue with the Spaniard lies in his wage demands. As journalist Graeme Bailey exclusively told Rousing The Kop last month, Williams would be looking to become the best paid player at Liverpool.
If that remains the case, then this is an absolute no-go. The Reds model would dictate a player of Williams age would come in on a lower contract before being offered a wage hike in two years if he does well.
If the player won’t play ball on this, then it could be a non-starter.