Liverpool may have a tough decision to make in the final few days of the summer window, with a transfer domino set to give Arne Slot a big call. The Reds have splashed the cash on new signings over the past few months, prompting some players to fall down the pecking order on Merseyside.
Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz have arrived to inject further quality into Liverpool’s attacking ranks, with Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong and Giovanni Leoni providing alternative options across the backline.
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As part of Slot’s reshuffle, several top talents have left the club in recent weeks. Luis Diaz, Jarell Quansah and Darwin Nunez have departed, and another big sale is likely to come under consideration before deadline day.
RB Leipzig are keen admirers of Harvey Elliott, who faces an uncertain future at Anfield, and are expected to make a push to sign the playmaker once they have sold Xavi Simons. Elliott struggled for minutes last season under Slot, and the arrival of Wirtz is likely to see his opportunities fizzle out even further.
Although Liverpool are not actively forcing their No. 19 out, they could have a big decision to make imminently. According to Sky Sports Germany, Tottenham are now pushing to hijack Chelsea’s move for Simons, despite talks being ongoing between the Blues and Leipzig for weeks.
Spurs have tabled an offer worth approximately £60million to sign the Netherlands international, which is close to the Bundesliga outfit’s asking price for the playmaker. Chelsea are yet to make a concrete offer, and thus the pendulum appears to be swinging in the favour of Tottenham.
Simons and his entourage are currently in England to negotiate any potential deal with his suitors, and Spurs may now look to strike while the iron is hot to get a move over the line and ensure that another of their pursuits is not hijacked once again.
If completed, Leipzig will be armed with £60m to head back into the market – as well as the funds they have already raised from Benjamin Sesko’s sale to Manchester United. Ole Werner’s side are then likely to be looking to strike a deal of their own with Liverpool for Elliott – though it remains to be seen whether Slot and his team are open to his departure this late in the window.