Wrapping up the Liverpool transfer news, rumours and gossip in the 2022 summer window.
Keita, Jota could be handed next Liverpool extensions
Naby Keita and Diogo Jota are next in line for new Liverpool contracts after Joe Gomez secured his Anfield future on Thursday, according to the Daily Mirror.
Gomez signed a new five-year deal days after Mo Salah extended his stay at the club until 2025, while Keita has entered the final year of his and Jota is reportedly in line for a “bumper pay rise”.
Nottingham Forest close to Neco Williams deal
Nottingham Forest are close to agreeing a deal to sign Liverpool right-back Neco Williams for £16m.
There is still work to do but the newly-promoted Premier League side are increasingly confident of concluding both signings, with Forest hopeful of signing Wales international Williams in the coming days.
Williams spent the second half of last season out on loan with Championship winners Fulham, where he made 14 league appearances, scoring twice and assisting two goals for the west London team.
The full-back has spent his entire Anfield career deputising for the club’s first-choice right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, meaning he has been restricted to just 33 matches in all competitions since making his debut in October 2019.
Williams, though, is expected to start at right-back for Wales at this winter’s World Cup finals in Qatar.
Liverpool defender Gomez signs new long-term contract
Liverpool defender Joe Gomez has signed a new long-term contract with the club, which is understood to be a five-year deal that runs until the summer of 2027.
The length of the 25-year-old’s contract reflects his development since joining in 2015 from Charlton, with Liverpool believing that his best years are still to come.
His new contract is in keeping with the club’s longstanding policy of rewarding and retaining their top performers in order to be competitive in both the present and future.
Gomez is viewed at Anfield as having developed into one of the top English centre-backs.
The club also view Gomez as an exemplary professional whose attitude and commitment reflects well on himself and rubs off on others around him.
Sterling signing for Chelsea – but Liverpool were interested
Raheem Sterling has agreed personal terms with Chelsea and confirmation of his move from Manchester City is now imminent, however, it has emerged Liverpool were one of the clubs interested in the England international.
Barcelona, Real Madrid, PSG and Jurgen Klopp’s side had all shown interest in Sterling, who forced through a transfer from Liverpool to Manchester City back in the summer of 2015.
Salah signs three-year Liverpool deal
Mohamed Salah has ended speculation about his Liverpool future by signing a new three-year contract.
The Egypt forward contract was due to expire in the summer of 2023, but his fresh terms in excess of £350,000 a week, makes him the highest-paid player in the club’s history.
The three-year deal still fits into the club’s sustainable wage structure and is incentivised with scoring bonuses.
Julian Ward jetted out to meet Salah, who is on holiday, to finalise the paperwork and FSG president Mike Gordon was instructive in negotiations with the forward’s Ramy Abbas Issa.
Monaco complete Minamino signing for £15.5m
Monaco have completed the signing of Japan forward Takumi Minamino from Liverpool in a deal worth £15.5m (€18m).
The fee is an initial £12.9m (€15m) plus a further £2.6m (€3m) in add-ons.
Minamino, 27, signed from Red Bull Salzburg in 2020 and played 55 times for Liverpool, scoring 14 times.
Chelsea to approach ex-Liverpool sporting director
Chelsea are expected to engage Michael Edwards over their sporting director vacancy with owner Todd Boehly previously referencing Liverpool as a “great model” for success.
The man who helped reshape the recruitment of the Merseysiders and constructed Jurgen Klopp’s world-class squad with smart, analytical-powered transfers, departed Anfield this summer after 11 years.
A source close to Edwards has told Sky Sports News that since the 42-year-old’s decision to leave was made public last November, he has been approached by Europe’s powerhouse teams – Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain specifically – as well as hedge funds and billionaires wanting to buy clubs and have him run them.
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Sky Sports’ senior reporter Melissa Reddy reveals all on Michael Edwards – the man who was instrumental in Liverpool’s recent transfer success and who could now be on his way to Chelsea
Who have Liverpool been linked with?
Adrien Rabiot – Juventus have turned their attentions to Roberto Firmino as part of any swap deal with Liverpool for Adrien Rabiot, having previously wanted to include Naby Keita in the transfer (The Independent, July 1).
Jude Bellingham – Nottingham Forest are poised to complete the £16m signing of Liverpool defender Neco Williams (Daily Telegraph, July 7); Real Madrid have identified England youngster Jude Bellingham as their priority target for next summer (Daily Mail, June 28); Liverpool are confident they will be able to sign Bellingham next summer (The Sun, June 27); Jurgen Klopp will wait until next summer to move for Borussia Dortmund midfielder Bellingham (The Sun, June 17).
Jude Bellingham is reportedly a Liverpool target
Christopher Nkunku – Nkunku has signed a new four-year deal at RB Leipzig – that includes a £51.6m release clause – despite reported interest from Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United (June 23).
Nicolo Barella – Liverpool could be set to offer Naby Keita in exchange for Inter Milan midfielder Barella (Daily Express, June 20).
Jude Bellingham – Liverpool are confident they will be able to sign Borussia Dortmund and England midfielder Jude Bellingham next summer (The Sun, June 27); Jurgen Klopp will wait until next summer to move for Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham (The Sun, June 17).
Raphinha – Liverpool are set to miss out on the signing of Leeds United winger Raphinha this summer (Daily Mirror, June 7); Liverpool have stepped up their pursuit of Leeds forward Raphinha because of doubts over Sadio Mane’s future, and are considering an offer which would include them sending Takumi Minamino to Elland Road (Sunday Mirror, June 5).
Arnaut Danjuma – Manchester United and Liverpool are set to go head-to-head for the signing of Villarreal forward Danjuma after Newcastle pulled out of the race (Daily Express, June 4).
The latest players linked with a Liverpool exit
Roberto Firmino – Liverpool are planning talks with Roberto Firmino and his representatives in the next few weeks to gauge his interest in staying at the club, with the likelihood of cashing in on him this summer if he indicates he would like to pursue a new challenge, potentially at Juventus (Sunday Mirror, July 3).
Could Roberto Firmino leave Liverpool this summer?
Owen Beck – Liverpool’s promising left-back Owen Beck is a loan target for Portuguese top-flight club Famalicao (The Sun, July 4)
Neco Williams – Nottingham Forest are close to agreeing a £16m deal for Liverpool right-back Neco Williams (Sky Sports, July 7); Forest are poised to complete the £16m signing of Williams (Daily Telegraph, July 7); Liverpool have turned down Forest’s opening offer for Williams as they are holding out for the £15m price tag they recently attached to him (Daily Mail, June 30); Fulham are preparing a £10m bid for Liverpool defender Williams as they look to fend off Forest and Southampton (Daily Mail, June 21); Liverpool’s £15m rated full-back Williams is a target for Forest but Fulham, Southampton and PSV have also made offers (Daily Mail, June 20).
Ben Davies – Out-of-favour Ben Davies looks to have been offered a surprise career lifeline at Liverpool this summer in pre-season amid speculation over a move to Celtic (Daily Record, July 6); Celtic have ‘made contact’ with Liverpool over a potential move for Davies this summer as Parkhead chiefs revive their interest in the centre-back (Daily Record, June 23).
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has a surprise stance on Oxlade-Chamberlain as he would reportedly prefer to lose the star for free when his contract expires next summer rather than cash in on him now (Sunday Express, June 19); Liverpool will listen to offers of just £10m for Oxlade-Chamberlain, with Manchester United and West Ham thought to be interested (The Sun, June 13).
Nathaniel Phillips – Liverpool are considering sanctioning defender Nat Phillips’ return to Bournemouth on loan next season (Sunday Mirror, June 12).
Caoimhin Kelleher – Kelleher will hold discussions around his Liverpool future after the June block of internationals, with the goalkeeper admitting that he is “not sure” if he will be moving on from Anfield to play regularly next season. (Daily Mirror, June 7).
Confirmed Liverpool signings
Calvin Ramsay – Aberdeen, £6.5m
Darwin Nunez – Benfica, £85m
Fabio Carvalho – Fulham, undisclosed
Confirmed Liverpool departures
Divock Origi – released
Loris Karius – released
Sheyi Ojo – released
Ben Woodburn – Preston, free
Elijah Dixon-Bonner – released
Luis Longstaff – released
Sean Wilson – released
Conor Bradley – Bolton, loan
Sadio Mane – Bayern Munich, £35m
Adam Lewis – Newport, loan
Billy Koumetio – Austria Wien, loan
Takumi Minamino – Monaco, £15.5m
Marcelo Pitaluga – Macclesfield, loan
Vitezslav Jaros – Stockport County, loan
Follow the summer transfer window with Sky Sports
Who will be on the move this summer when the transfer window opens on June 10 and closes at 11pm on September 1?
Keep up-to-date with all the latest transfer news and rumours in our dedicated Transfer Centre blog on Sky Sports’ digital platforms. You can also catch up with the ins, outs and analysis on Sky Sports News.