Houssem Aouar latest, Domenico Berardi stance and your Liverpool transfer questions answered

Blood Red: Liverpool Continue Preparations For New Season During Austria Training Camp

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With Euro 2020 having concluded, attention has now fully turned to the summer transfer window as Liverpool look to add a few more players ahead of the new campaign.

The Reds have so far been linked with a whole host of names, including Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans and Atletico Madrid star Saul Niguez.

While the fixtures for the 2021/22 season were also released last month, with Liverpool set to travel to newly-promoted Norwich City on the opening day.

Liverpool’s first home game will be against Burnley seven days later before Jurgen Klopp’s side take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge the following Saturday.

And ahead of what could turn out to be a busy summer at Anfield, our Liverpool correspondent Paul Gorst took part in a live Liverpool ECHO Q&A on Friday afternoon.

Hi Paul. So if we are not after Saul, Bissouma, Neuhaus, Sanches, Tielemans, Malen, Raphinha, Daka, who actually is our target?

Paul Gorst: I wouldn’t necessarily rule out Neuhaus. LFC have made contact with his representatives earlier this summer I believe.

Although a deal does not appear imminent. I still expect a midfielder and a forward to arrive but I think the focus is on getting some of the fringe players shifted first.

Benjamin Nakene: Will Liverpool make any changes to the squad and will Harvey Elliott play with Mateusz Musialowski?

PG: I think both will get a chance in the upcoming friendlies in Austria. Elliott is obviously further along in his development and it could be an exciting year for him if he stays this summer, which I expect him to at the moment. Musialowski looks a player too from his first year with the 18s. Be good to see him step up now and then to the 23s next season but he’s still just 17.

Hello Paul, what do you think of the latest rumour about Houssem Aouar? Do you think there will be anything in it or is it another for the tenuous rumour mill?

PG: I think he will have some fans on the recruitment team, certainly. And he’s been linked with the club on and off for the best part of three years now hasn’t he, dating back to the failed Nabil Fekir transfer.

I am not sure how good the two clubs’ relationship is with one another after that mess, however. One to keep an eye on though because I do believe a midfielder will be on the agenda.

Given that Sarr will be going to the African Cup of Nations, ala Salah & Mane, I can’t believe the supposed rekindling of our interest. Gun to your head Paul, which 2 players would you say are most likely to end up at Anfield during this window? I think we need 2 forwards, given Origi & Shaqiri are substandard & the long touted Wijnaldum replacement.

PG: Well we do know that Liverpool approached Watford last summer so it’s unlikely that interest has totally evaporated on Sarr. Plus the AFCON won’t actually see the likes of Salah, Keita or Mane miss too much Premier League football given the FA Cup schedules etc that month I believe. So I don’t think that will affect their thinking too much if they believe the right player for them this summer will be at AFCON 2022.

Everything’s gone very quiet on the Doku front. He seems like the right player in the right position at the right price. I would have expected an offer on him right after the Euros. Is there anything there or was that just media hype?

PG: If you believe Doku’s father, Klopp showed them around Melwood a few years ago, so they will be keeping tabs on him if that was the case.

However, I don’t think his numbers at Rennes last season were particularly impressive. He did have a good Euros, though.

He looked like a real livewire, didn’t he? Liverpool would never in a month of Sundays make a move for a player based on a good showing at an international tournament, though. That’s just not how they operate anymore.

Hi Paul, just wanted to say that I think I speak for a lot of fans saying I’m tired of all the links being thrown about and I feel bad for you guys having to constantly be the bearer of bad news. However, what’s been repeated is how important sales are to incomings. With that, why are the club overpricing the fringe players? They speak about the impact of covid for targets but feel like they disregard it for sales. I just feel like they should accept lower fees and ensure the sales rather than holding out for an unreasonable price.

PG: Liverpool value their players based on the most recent market trends. It’s how they got £23m for Rhian Brewster last summer, basing it on the £28m Villa paid for Ollie Watkins.

Their records in the Championship were comparable. They also wanted £15m for Awoniyi in the same summer Wesley went to Villa for £22m.

Again, their records were comparable in Belgium. You may feel they are overpricing their players but Michael Edwards will be determined to get top dollar for anyone heading out the door.

For years LFC’s outgoing players left for a pittance. That’s not been the case in the Klopp era and that’s a big part of how they are able to continue competing.

Also, if Nat Phillips was to be sold, would another CB be purchased? Surely the club won’t make the same mistake again?

PG: No, I don’t think so. Liverpool struggled from having just three senior centre-backs last season, Konate’s addition bumps them up to four and they still have Ben Davies too, don’t forget. If Phillips is sold – and the club are relaxed about that, it’s basically down to the player himself – then they would use those funds elsewhere.

At what point do you expect to see Van Dijk and Gomez feature in the pre-season matches?

PG: Tough one! Van Dijk further along in his recovery. He’s been out on the pitches since December and working with a ball since around February.

The fact that he ruled himself out of the Euros too probably says that the Netherlands felt they could have used him. It will be really interesting to see if he plays any part in the mini games next week.

I don’t expect Gomez to just yet, however. His injury was a month after Van Dijk’s and his recovery plan has been kept a bit quieter than Van Dijk’s who people at the club have always stressed is a quick healer with an otherwise superb injury record at Anfield.

Hi Paul, what would be your ideal summer from a Liverpool perspective?

PG: I think they need a Gini Wijnaldum replacement, no question. He played 51 games last year and while a lot of that was basically because there were no centre-backs and an injury crisis across the squad, you can’t discard that durability and quality so easily.

Oxlade-Chamberlain and Keita haven’t proven they can play anywhere near that amount either, so it’s a tough ask on the likes of Thiago, Fabinho and Henderson, who has had injury problems himself at times. So definitely a centre-mid.

I’d also like for a Jota-esque frontman to come into the squad to add more pressure on the likes of Mane and Firmino, in particular. Someone who can challenge for a place now with a view to stepping into the team regularly in the next year or two. So a forward and a midfielder.

A right-back replacement if Neco Williams leaves too.

Hi Paul, a couple of questions please. Firstly in regards to Naby Keita, I don’t think he played a minute after his Madrid HT sub, do you think there’s now a lack of trust from Klopp? And second, if any journalists are in the training camp, are there signs of new formations being tried out? Thank you

PG: The only journalists at the camp are from the club’s official website. Klopp views these European legs as his chance to switch off from the glitz and glamour and the attention that follows them around when they do the United States leg.

I think Klopp may look at some tactical tweaks, yes. He has plenty of different types of players in his squad to do that in Austria.

And with Keita, I thought it was hugely telling that he was hauled off just a minute or two before half time in Madrid.

It was a big sign that Klopp was hugely unhappy with what he saw that night and the fact he hasn’t played since tell its own story too.

But I think there will be a ‘clean slate’ of sorts for Keita this summer. It’s probably now or never for him though at Liverpool. He’s in danger of becoming Edwards and Klopp’s first real major transfer flop.

There are conflicting reports on Origi this summer. Some say the club are considering bids and others that Origi isn’t going to be moved on. Do you have anything on this? Also with the restrictions around home grown players it seems strange that the club used up a spot on Adrian, effectively our third choice keeper. Do you know what the reasoning behind this was?

PG: Liverpool are relaxed about Origi’s situation, but they will certainly be open to offers for him. He has around three years left on his contract, I believe but last season was a really poor one for him.

He only scored one goal and that was in a 7-2 win at Lincoln. It was the seventh goal too! If there is interest, Liverpool will listen.

Liverpool are confident of offloading players who will take up some non homegrown spots in their squad, so the Adrian contract was no issue as far as I know.

Berardi, Paul? Anything really into that. If not what “type” of attackers Liverpool are looking at, given the fact that many journalists are saying we will sign an attacker this summer?

PG: Not that I am aware of. Liverpool won’t be making a judgement based on what happens at the Euros.

They track players for much longer and assess a much bigger sample size of games from their scouting reports etc. I’d suggest the profile of the player they are looking at is between 22-25, versatile and quick.

Who are you most excited to see this pre-season and do you think is it make or break for any of the players during the build-up to the upcoming season, barring the ones who are already tipped to leave?

PG: I don’t think it’s ‘make or break’ in the training camp, but there’s certainly a chance for some to catch Klopp’s eye.

It was last summer when Billy Koumetio really went up in Klopp’s estimation, which ended with him being given his Liverpool debut in the CL game in Midtjylland as a result.

I think it’s a big pre-season for so many players, though, for loads of different reasons. Keita, Van Dijk, Alexander-Arnold, Mane, Gomez, Matip, Origi…they will all be looking for a successful trip for a variety of reasons.

I don’t think opinion will be swayed too much by what happens in Austria in terms of a negative one. Klopp’s mind and eyes are open to be pleasantly surprised by, say, Owen Beck or Kaide Gordon, but he won’t be deciding to sell Keita or Oxlade-Chamberlain, for example, if they have a poor first half against Mainz or whatever it may be.

Do you think Musialowski and Frauendorf will sign contracts to tie them down or will they look to break through elsewhere with more regular game time?

PG: No, there is no rush whatsoever to fast track either into the senior set up. Elite development coach Vitor Matos is in regular contact with Pep Lijnders and they are two players who the senior staff have been told to look at more closely, particularly Musialowski, I believe. But their career path is on track. No rush with either.

Do you think Liverpool are past their peak under Klopp? Last year they lost the chance to win trophies because they tried to be too clever over transfers, and nearly fell out of the Top 4. Given that City had made the exact same mistake the year before, it was a bad mistake – everyone was saying they couldn’t go into the new season with 3 CB, 2 of which are injury prone. This Summer, I am worried they might be trying to be too clever again. Other teams are strengthening, Chelsea, City, United look like they mean business, even Leicester. There is still time to go, I hope they have the signings they really want up their sleeve. Are you concerned? Are LFC getting slack? Is FSG’s policy of not going all-out to win, struggling against opponents who are ready to go further

PG: I’m not too concerned, no. Liverpool had a season of freak injuries last season where three senior centre-backs were shelved for most of the year. It was a mistake not to recruit a Dejan Lovren replacement, yes.

I have always agreed with that, but when fully fit and ready, this is still the same squad that won the PL by 18 months just 12 months ago.

And it has since added Konate, Thiago and Jota to their ranks too. I would not be too concerned by what other clubs are doing.

Chelsea spent around £200m last summer and finished below Liverpool. Of course, they did win the Champions League, but as I say, I am not too concerned.

Is there a timeframe on contracts for the likes of Alisson and Salah among others or can we be at ease that they’re in the pipeline and it’s a matter of when not if?

PG: Alisson and Fabinho are first in line, I believe. They’re obviously still on their hols though after the Copa America.

Liverpool took around two months to conclude proceedings with Adrian, but that was complicated by the fact he had offers on the table from Spain. I don’t anticipate too many hiccups, they are all settled and happy.

With Karius coming back into the fold for pre-season, where do you see his place in the pecking order or is he likely to leave this summer? Would the failed loans of Besiktas and Union Berlin be a stumbling block for potential dealings?

PG: Karius has no future at Anfield. Liverpool have been trying to offload him for three years. His agents are looking for new challenges.

Is Grujic going to be one of the first senior players offloaded?

PG: Porto head the queue for Marko Grujic but their hold up is raising funds for the deal. Liverpool want around £12-£15m for him. There’s also interest from Italy and Germany, but at the moment, I’m told he would like to go back to Portugal. It’s best for all parties that he leaves permanently this summer.

Vlahovic/Raphinha/Malen still on the cards?

PG: There are plenty of admirers of Malen in the Liverpool recruitment team. He is of a good age, had a great season with PSV and can play across that frontline. I think Dortmund want him as Sancho’s replacement, however. So we shall see.

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