Liverpool are still yet to make a concrete move during the summer transfer window.
As ever, plenty of players have been linked with the Reds since even before the end of last season.
However, Arne Slot has not been tempted to dip into the market just yet. With a new recruitment team settling in above him, the Liverpool head coach continues to wait for his first signing.
With the summer international tournaments starting to get to the sharp end though, it feels as if some transfers are getting slightly closer.
Unfortunately, there are reportedly some players getting further away from Anfield at the same time.
Leeds in strong Crysencio Summerville position
It stands to reason that most players being linked with moves to Liverpool will ultimately not end up joining.
The Reds make between one and four signings every season, FSG usually edging towards the lower end of that scale.
As a result, many of the copious transfer rumours surrounding Liverpool will end up being erroneous. Only a tiny percentage come to fruition.
There can be a number of reasons for any transfer not going through. As Liverpool saw with the recent Anthony Gordon saga, a shift in the selling club’s position can often change the landscape.
Having previously been in a position where they might need to sell Gordon, Newcastle no longer needed to. That changed things dramatically.
READ MORE: All confirmed Liverpool incomings, outgoings, loans and releases for 2024/25
And the same looks to have happened regarding Liverpool’s supposed interest in Leeds winger Crysencio Summerville. Liverpool were said to be ‘concrete’ in their desire to sign Summerville. But according to journalist Ben Jacobs, Leeds are now in a ‘stronger position’ to keep him.
“Leeds believe they will comply with PSR,” Jacobs reports on X. “Never true they needed £100m in sales before July 1.
“Archie Gray fee (expected to be on the 2023/24 books), plus Luis Sinisterra and Tyler Adams sales to Bournemouth, and recent Red Bull investment, mean the club expect to comply with financial rules for the cycle ending 30 June, 2024.
“Leeds now in a stronger position regarding Crysencio Summerville as well,” he adds. “They will take into account any player that asks to leave should an appropriate offer arrive, but won’t have to scramble for sales with view to any ‘near miss’ business in the coming weeks.”
Liverpool still looking for new forward
Although it now looks unlikely that Liverpool will be able to sign either Gordon or Summerville, it does appear that the Reds want a new forward.
Of these two players, both would have been interesting additions to the Liverpool squad. Gordon is clearly a big Liverpool fan and would have been someone to get supporters off their feet.
But Summerville looks like a promising player, too and would have been a snip at a reported ‘cut price’ cost of £30m.
With Leeds selling on Archie Gray though – another Liverpool missed out on – they’ll now be able to play hard ball over a fee for Summerville. The Reds are subsequently likely to move on.
For Liverpool they must continue to scour the market for the best opportunity. There are some out there, but it won’t be coming from Elland Road.