Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that multiple top outfits are keeping a close eye on Jamal Musiala ahead of the summer.

The talented Bayern Munich attacking midfielder has been linked with English outfits like Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea.

“For Jamal Musiala, guys, we are back there with many rumours – in this case coming from England,” the Italian spoke on his YouTube channel.

“If you remember, it was in October/November we heard strong rumours about Liverpool and I told you guys always the same position as I tell you today, we heard rumours now about Manchester City, about Chelsea… the reality is that all the top clubs in the world, even from Spain, love Jamal Musiala.

“But this is very easy, very normal. Many top clubs are following, appreciating, monitoring one of the best players in the world in Jamal Musiala.

“Manchester City are big fans of the player, but it’s the same for Chelsea, same for the clubs in Spain, same for people in Liverpool. Many top clubs following the situation of Musiala because he’s a special talent and he’s out of contract in 2026.”

The Bavarian outfit is understood to be particularly keen to keep hold of the 21-year-old, of course, with talks set to take place over his future in the coming months.

FOLLOW Empire of the Kop on Instagram (@empireofthekop) HERE

READ MORE: ‘Final negotiations’: Next Liverpool manager closing in on Anfield move; agent bought apartment

READ MORE: ‘I’m told’: Fabrizio Romano now reacts to reports Liverpool are scouting £51.4m centre-half

What do the stats say about Jamal Musiala?

What on earth don’t they say?

Compared to fellow attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe, the former Chelsea academy star is ranking as one hell of a young talent.

Musiala ranks in the 99th percentile for successful take-ons, is reliable in his passing game (ranking in the 95th percentile) and contributes with a significant goal threat (89th percentile for non-penalty xG), according to FBref.

Don’t get us wrong – there’s plenty there left to develop, but my word what a footballer you’d be getting if Bayern were forced into selling.

Not that we can see that situation coming to light without the player and his entourage forcing a move.

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Niko Kovac rumours, what if Amorim stays at Sporting? Summer contract calls, Crystal Palace review and much more!

The post Fabrizio Romano just dropped Jamal Musiala news amid serious Liverpool interest appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Fabrizio Romano has noted it’s difficult to determine who Liverpool are specifically scouting over in Frankfurt.

The Merseysiders dispatched scouts to monitor the situation over in Hesse. £42.8-51.4m valued defender Willian Pacho is thought to be a potential subject of interest for English top-flight sides.

The Metro reported that the Reds and Arsenal have made inquiries over the centre-half’s future.

“I spoke yesterday about how they have been monitoring Eintracht Frankfurt, but it’s not really about specific players. It’s normal for top clubs like this to send their scouts to monitor entire teams, but it’s too early to report on anything more than that,” the CaughtOffside columnist wrote in his Daily Briefing.

“So, although there have also been stories about Liverpool enquiring about Eintracht’s talented Ecuador defender Willian Pacho, along with Arsenal, I have no concrete updates about specific clubs.

“It’s true that Pacho has a price tag of around €50-60m and it looks like an open race for his signature this summer. I’m told nothing is at concrete or advanced stages with English clubs.”

Jurgen Klopp’s men are understood to be keen on the idea of bolstering their backline this summer. This will sharpen into focus should the German’s replacement opt for a back-three formation.

FOLLOW Empire of the Kop on Instagram (@empireofthekop) HERE

READ MORE: ‘Not too surprised’: Fabrizio Romano drops intriguing morning Liverpool manager news

READ MORE: ‘Conversations took place’: Fabrizio Romano drops concerning morning next Liverpool manager update

What do the stats say about Pacho?

The 22-year-old centre-half is, it’s worth noting from the off, a left-sided option in the backline.

It’s something we very much crave given the lack of cover for Virgil van Dijk in the Liverpool back four.

The Ecuadorian boasts some pretty impressive defensive metrics for Frankfurt, registering in the 80s of percentiles for tackles, interceptions, blocks and clearances, according to FBref.

One major point of concern we have is Pacho’s passing ability, with his average pass completion rate per 90 of 84.4% putting him in the 39th percentile amongst his positional peers in Europe.

Van Dijk, by contrast, is in the 92nd percentile for pass completion (91.8% per 90).

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Niko Kovac rumours, what if Amorim stays at Sporting? Summer contract calls, Crystal Palace review and much more!

The post ‘I’m told’: Fabrizio Romano now reacts to reports Liverpool are scouting £51.4m centre-half appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

The 2-2 draw at Old Trafford was beyond frustrating. The 3-0 loss to Atalanta was numbing. The 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace felt final.

Thankfully, Arsenal went and lost to Aston Villa, which is good news, even though it almost adds to the exasperation of our missed opportunity.

Liverpool are still in the title race, although Manchester City are heavy, heavy favourites. They’ll probably win their remaining six, the bastards.

But what’s happened to Liverpool?

Against United and Palace, the Reds racked up over 6xG, but only scored two goals, both of which were from set-pieces last weekend. They haven’t scored a single goal from open play despite a plethora of chances and a handful of sitters.

Liverpool’s 2.87xG was the most xG without scoring by any side in the competition since Brighton v Norwich in April 2022. 

Obviously, the finishing recently has been a massive issue. We’ve lacked a little luck, but a lot of composure. There has been no clinical element to it. Nobody has stepped up when it really mattered in front of goal.

Dom Szoboszlai missed two at Old Trafford. Darwin Nunez, Mo Salah and Luis Diaz were also guilty of missing the target when they should have at the very least tested Andre Onana.

Against Palace though, it was farcical. Luis Diaz, Wataru Endo, Nunez, Diogo Jota and Salah all missed from inside eight yards. Curtis Jones also missed a sitter of a one-on-one when the keeper had already sat down and simply presented him a free net.

If we’d have taken our chances, or even half of them, in both matches, we’d be top of the Premier League by three points with six to play. That hurts.

But it’s not just the finishing that’s been off.

It’s the intensity, especially at Anfield against Atalanta in the midweek horror-show and Palace on Sunday.  Why do we let our opponents take the lead so easily? We do it again and again and again.

The best iteration of Klopp’s Liverpool teams used to make the first 20 minutes for opponents complete hell. They outfought them everywhere – to a man. Now, the lackadaisical start to matches allows our opponents chances, often goals and leaves Liverpool chasing the game. You can’t get away with that for an entire season. The most insane stat that proves as much is that Liverpool have conceded the first goal in 21 of our 32 Premier League matches so far. Yes, we’ve done well to win most of these, but it’s not sustainable. And the past week has proven as much.

Alexis Mac Allister was absolutely flying, but has had two poor games. Wataru Endo looks like he did away to Newcastle United earlier in the season. Darwin Nunez has been atrocious since his goals dried up. He hasn’t scored in three games and has just one in our past six. Jota, who to be fair hasn’t found the net since his return either, should probably come in for the Uruguayan based on recent form.

Salah is another player who has not been very good. He’s played nine matches since his return from injury. You’d have hoped he back up and running. But he looks tired, slow and like he’s out of ideas. The Egyptian finishes seasons worse than he starts them, usually. But we need our world-class players to step up in big moments. And he couldn’t have complained if he was subbed yesterday.

It’s funny. We’ve finally got an almost full squad with an elite bench, but the players look more tired than ever. Perhaps the effort of carrying on and winning throughout January and February with a threadbare squad is now taking its toll.

Liverpool are giving up way too many big chances to opponents. You can’t expect the attack to bail out the rest of the side in every match when even very average sides get lots of good sights of our goal.

It feels like it’s done, but football changes quickly. Maybe we’ll pull off a miracle in Bergamo on Thursday and the vibes around the run-in will change.

Let’s hope so. We’re the underdogs now in both competitions. Maybe that’ll help. But quite a lot needs to change, now.

The post Editor’s Column: It’s not just the bad finishing, you know… appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Liverpool are now understood to be actively considering handing an improved contract to in-form wide man Luis Diaz.

Pipe Sierra, the journalist who first reported on the Colombian’s move to Anfield in 2022, shared the update in question on X (formerly Twitter) yesterday.

This comes amid reported interest from European competitors like Luis Enrique’s PSG.

The 27-year-old’s current terms are set to expire in the summer of 2027.

FOLLOW Empire of the Kop on Instagram (@empireofthekop) HERE

READ MORE: Carragher knows exactly what Liverpool should do after humbling Atalanta loss

READ MORE: ‘Red-hot’: Transfer insider dropped a bombshell on Liverpool manager search – report

Luis Diaz to sign a new contract at Liverpool?

With his contract not expiring for another three years, we’d imagine the former FC Porto star to be a little lower down the priority list.

Bear in mind Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mo Salah are all contracts set to run out in 2025 – we’d very much expect this to be the core focus of any pre-summer talks.

That said, we’d be far from opposed to further protecting our 13-goal winger’s value and keeping him happy at a club he’s once again found form for.

Who are the interested parties?

PSG, for one, have been touted as potential suitors this summer ahead of Kylian Mbappe’s impending exit.

Diaz’s father, Luis Manuel Diaz Jimenez, has spoken very publicly of his and his son’s dream of playing in Spain.

The likely option in this case would, one imagine, be Barcelona. However, the financial difficulties that continue to plague the Catalaonia-based outfit will likely preclude them from making any kind of deal.

Barring a truly exceptional offer elsewhere from a side meeting the Barrancas-born attacker’s ambitions, we just can’t see him leaving Liverpool this summer.

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Could a surprise candidate now replace Klopp? The search after Xabi Alonso, and much more!

The post Fans may have missed journalist’s breaking Liverpool announcement yesterday appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Xabi Alonso won’t be leaving Bayer Leverkusen for Liverpool this summer, but there’s a chance that some of his players might.

Christian Falk has indicated that Piero Hincapie could push for an exit if competition for places remains intense, with the 22-year-old being ‘courted’ by multiple Premier League clubs amid a reported asking price of €40m (£34.1m).

FOLLOW Empire of the Kop on Instagram (@empireofthekop) HERE

Writing in his latest Fact Files column for Fabrizio Romano’s Daily Briefing, the German football insider outlined: “So far, the [Bundesliga] leaders have a strong squad from positions one to 18. If Jonathan Tah stays, another central defender may want to leave to play at another club: Piero Hincapié (22).

“The Ecuadorian is being courted by English clubs like Tottenham. Transfer fee: at least €40m, which Simon Rolfes and Xabi Alonso could immediately invest in the new team.”

READ MORE: German football insider hints at Jurgen Klopp’s potential next role after he leaves Liverpool

READ MORE: Liverpool fans at Anfield showed classy touch after full-time last night despite Reds’ woes

Falk didn’t specify Liverpool among the English clubs who are courting Hincapie, but the Ecuador defender has been linked with the Reds intermittently for the past few months, so there’s a strong possibility that they may still be interested in him.

Primarily a centre-back but also capable of lining out on the left flank (Transfermarkt), the 22-year-old is renowned for being remarkably comfortable in possession of the ball.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 1% of positional peers in Europe’s five main leagues over the past 12 months for progressive carries per 90 (2.22), and also the top 8% for passes per 90 (83.93) and progressive passes per game (5.73).

If Liverpool’s next manager is someone who places huge value in playing out from the back and having defenders who are astute with the ball at their feet, then they might well fancy a move for Hincapie, especially if the Ecuadorian is open to departing Leverkusen.

It remains to be seen whether he’s truly on the Anfield wish list for the summer, but his name could be one to watch over the coming weeks.

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Could a surprise candidate now replace Klopp? The search after Xabi Alonso, and much more!

The post Falk: Liverpool-linked £34m ace ‘may want to leave’; he’s ‘being courted by English clubs’ appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Liverpool have reportedly decided to not open negotiations with any potential signings until a full agreement is reached with Jurgen Klopp’s successor.

This update comes courtesy of Portuguese football insider Pedro Sepulveda on X (formerly Twitter) this morning.

Ruben Amorim is understood to be ‘in pole position’ for the role in question, though has yet to finalise terms with the Merseysiders.

Liverpool will not negociate any players until everything is agreed with the new coach for next season.

Rubén Amorim is in pole position for the job. pic.twitter.com/PU0tF4zaUe

— Pedro Sepúlveda (@pedromsepulveda) April 10, 2024

FOLLOW Empire of the Kop on Instagram (@empireofthekop) HERE

READ MORE: Liverpool fans will love behind the scenes news broken by the club

READ MORE: Neil Jones shares huge news coming out of Liverpool this afternoon

How could Ruben Amorim line up at Liverpool?

The potential arrival of the 39-year-old head coach at Anfield is intriguing for a number of reasons.

Prominent among them, perhaps, is our well-documented interest in the likes of Goncalo Inacio and Ousmane Diomande.

Given our need for some investment in the defence this summer – bearing in mind Joel Matip’s likely exit – it wouldn’t be beyond the realms to suggest Amorim may consider options once close to home.

It remains to be seen whether the former Braga boss will bring his back-three to English football, though it’s safe to assume we’ll have a need for centre-back reinforcements either way.

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Could a surprise candidate now replace Klopp? The search after Xabi Alonso, and much more!

The post Liverpool just made early summer transfer window decision amid Ruben Amorim pursuit appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

If Ruben Amorim is to leave Sporting Lisbon for Liverpool this summer, there could be a few players following him out the door.

Hasan Cetinkaya has said that one of his clients in Viktor Gyokeres would find it ‘difficult’ to remain at the Estadio Jose Alvalade if the 39-year-old were to depart, with the Sweden international having cited his manager as the main reason for coming to the Portuguese capital.

FOLLOW Empire of the Kop on Instagram (@empireofthekop) HERE

Speaking to A Bola (via Sport Witness), the striker’s agent said: “Yes, it will be more difficult for Viktor to stay if Rúben Amorim leaves Sporting. Because Viktor came precisely because of Rúben. The day we met, I said to Rúben: ‘Here’s my boy, he came to Sporting because of you’.

“Of course, it’s an honour for any player to be able to play in the Champions League. Viktor is no exception in that respect, but there are other important things and Rúben Amorim is one of them. If he leaves, it will be more difficult for Viktor to continue.”

Cetinkaya added that Gyokeres, whose contract contains a €100m (£86m) release clause, has some ‘top’ Premier League clubs showing interest in the 25-year-old, although he didn’t specify who those suitors are.

READ MORE: (Video) ‘Can you believe?’ – Sky pundit wowed by ‘level-headed’ 23y/o who Liverpool have watched

READ MORE: ‘Atalanta can beat anyone’ – £97k-p/w ace makes bullish claim ahead of facing Liverpool tomorrow

There are numerous instances of players following their former manager to another club, including some who reunited at Liverpool (Joe Allen/Brendan Rodgers and Fabio Aurelio/Rafa Benitez spring to mind).

Therefore, if Amorim is to take the job at Anfield, it seems inevitable that several members of his current Sporting squad will be touted with a potential move to Merseyside.

Portuguese journalist Pedro Sepulveda has claimed that Chelsea and Arsenal are preparing offers for Gyokeres, so the London duo could be the foremost Premier League contenders for his signature.

However, with Cetinkaya saying that Amorim’s presence was what attracted the 25-year-old to Lisbon, perhaps the manager might also entice the ex-Coventry striker to Anfield, should he be the man to replace Jurgen Klopp in the dugout.

The Swedish marksman could be one of the hottest properties in European football this summer, having netted 36 goals already this season. We don’t know yet if Liverpool will be in the mix to snap him up, but we wouldn’t be surprised if the Reds were among the leading candidates to sign him, especially if his current boss ends up on Merseyside.

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Could a surprise candidate now replace Klopp? The search after Xabi Alonso, and much more!

The post Agent claims £86m Sporting gem would find it ‘difficult’ to stay if Amorim leaves for Liverpool appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

One reported Liverpool target has been hailed as a player with a ‘big future’, while also boasting one standout trait which’ll surely endear him to whoever our next manager is.

Earlier this week, David Lynch reported that the Reds have been watching Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson, who was in action for his side in their goalless draw against Leeds on Tuesday night.

Michael Bridges was on punditry duty with Sky Sports for the fixture, and he spoke glowingly about the 23-year-old prior to kick-off.

The ex-Black Cats striker said: “This is going to be his 104th game in a row, can you believe? He’s the only player in the Championship to play every game this season and last season, and his stats have been fantastic. Teams are watching out for him; there are some big clubs watching this lad.

“He’s louder on the field than he is off the field! He is such a quiet, humble lad off the field. This kid, he’s level-headed, down to earth, and he just works hard on his game. He’s got a big future ahead of him.”

In a season which has seen almost every Liverpool player dogged by injuries, including first-choice goalkeeper Alisson Becker, Patterson’s remarkable reliability would be very much welcomed at Anfield.

The Reds currently have two outstanding options between the posts in the Brazilian and Caoimhin Kelleher, so the Sunderland stopper would likely be feeding off scraps for first-team football if the Reds were to sign him.

However, should the Irishman depart in search of becoming an undisputed first-choice elsewhere, then the 23-year-old may become a quite attractive option for Jurgen Klopp’s successor.

You can view Bridges’ comments on Patterson below, via @SkyFootball on X:

"He's the only player in the Championship to play every game this season and last season"

Anthony Patterson will play his 104th game in a row tonight pic.twitter.com/uGo94dK9DV

— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) April 9, 2024

The post (Video) ‘Can you believe?’ – Sky pundit wowed by ‘level-headed’ 23y/o who Liverpool have watched appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Liverpool appear to be concentrating heavily on the Portuguese top flight recently, and not just in the search for a new manager.

Amid the ongoing speculation over Ruben Amorim potentially taking the reins from Jurgen Klopp, the Reds also dispatched scouts to a Primeira Liga fixture over the weekend.

The print edition of Record claimed (via Sport Witness) that a delegation from Merseyside attended the clash between FC Porto and Vitoria Guimaraes on Sunday.

While the report didn’t mention any specific player who was being monitored, it’s been suggested that they may have been checking in on Alan Varela, who’s been a target for Liverpool ever since his time at Boca Juniors in his native Argentina.

READ MORE: (Video) ‘I will never forget…’ – Guardiola makes his admiration for Jurgen Klopp crystal clear

READ MORE: Portuguese outlet hints at potentially huge Tuesday development in Liverpool’s Amorim pursuit

If Varela was indeed the main focus of the Liverpool scouting delegation, they’ll have been reasonably pleased with what they saw from him despite Porto losing 1-2 at home to a direct rival for Europa League qualification.

As per Sofascore, the 22-year-old won three tackles and five of his six duels, completed 91% of his passes (39/43), landed one shot on target and recorded four successful long balls.

FOLLOW Empire of the Kop on Instagram (@empireofthekop) HERE

The defensive midfielder was withdrawn just 11 minutes into the second half, but having been replaced by a more attack-minded player in Ivan Jaime, that was most likely a tactical alteration by Sergio Conceicao with his team trailing.

In terms of Varela’s underlying statistics during his first season in Europe, he ranks very highly for pass completion (top 7% of positional peers in the continent) but is generally in the middle sector for most of the main metrics analysed by FBref.

It’s unclear whether he was the focus of the Liverpool scouts’ attention, while the managerial situation still needs to be resolved before we get any real clarity on summer transfer targets, but don’t be surprised if the Argentine’s name crops up again over the coming weeks in relation to potential interest from Anfield.

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Could a surprise candidate now replace Klopp? The search after Xabi Alonso, and much more!

The post 5/6 duels won: Liverpool had scouts watching 22y/o destroyer last weekend – report appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

You wouldn’t think that Manchester City were being investigated for 115 potential breaches of Financial Fair Play, would you?

Mind, the Sky Blues’ accounts suggest they’re making more money from commercial deals than Real Madrid and Liverpool, so what do we know?

Pep Guardiola’s men have now reportedly followed up the signing of Cavan Sullivan with a move for Lucas Paqueta. Foot Mercato’s Santi Aouna reports on X (formerly Twitter) that the incumbent champions have ‘an agreement on personal terms’ with the clubs expected to enter negotiations in the summer.

EXCL: #PL |

Manchester City have an agreement on personal terms (contract duration, salary) with Lucas Paquetá on long term contract

No negotiations or talks taking place between West Ham and Manchester City but the player's agents expect clubs to negotiate a… pic.twitter.com/lxupqcgXbK

— Santi Aouna (@Santi_J_FM) April 8, 2024

FOLLOW Empire of the Kop on Instagram (@empireofthekop) HERE

READ MORE: BREAKING: Liverpool decide on their next manager as three-year deal tabled – report

READ MORE: Salah and Diaz could now have big say on Liverpool signing Crysencio Summerville

Who are Liverpool interested in?

Jacque Talbot of Football Transfers reported on our interest in Leeds United wide man Crysencio Summerville.

The Dutchman’s potential move to Anfield, however, may be directly tied to the futures of Luis Diaz and Mo Salah.

Our interest in Ruben Amorim’s centre-halves at Sporting Lisbon, Goncalo Inacio and Ousmane Diomande, has been long-documented. We’ll be particularly intrigued to see if one of the pairing moves over with the Portuguese head coach, should he take up a role with Liverpool in the summer.

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Could a surprise candidate now replace Klopp? The search after Xabi Alonso, and much more!

The post ‘Agreement on personal terms’: Santi Aouna expects move to be a formality – Rival watch appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Liverpool fans have now been told that Crysencio Summerville agreeing a summer switch to Anfield will be ‘slightly contingent’ on a couple of factors.

Naturally, the next manager at the club will have some role to play in this, as will the potential futures of Mo Salah and Luis Diaz, according to Jacque Talbot of Football Transfers.

The former is a heavily appreciated quantity in Saudi Arabian football, whilst the latter continues to earn links to Spanish football amidst his father’s very public commentary of his personal wishes.

FOLLOW Empire of the Kop on Instagram (@empireofthekop) HERE

READ MORE: Next Liverpool manager: Fabrizio Romano drops huge afternoon update on Ruben Amorim

READ MORE: ‘Deal agreed’: Fabrizio Romano confirms ‘documents being signed’ ahead of wonderkid transfer – Rival watch

Will Liverpool sell Salah this summer?

There have been murmurs around the possibility of an exit this summer ahead of the Egyptian’s contract expiry next year.

Any such suggestion, of course, must be taken with a pinch of salt given the importance our No.11 places on playing competitive football.

A tally of 36 goal contributions in 35 games (across all competitions) certainly indicates that the forward is still well-suited to the calibre of English top-flight football.

We’d be mightily surprised if he was prepared to take a massive step down, in terms of the comparative quality of the Saudi Pro League, for a larger wage packet.

That’s our opinion on the matter from us here at Empire of the Kop, of course. We could yet be proven wrong on the matter.

Could Summerville replace Salah or Diaz?

That’s a tall order for any footballer in world football, let alone the 22-year-old Leeds footballer!

Summerville has, admittedly, enjoyed a prolific campaign in the Championship this year, amassing 27 goal contributions in 41 games. On a per-minute basis, the Dutchman’s averaging a goal or assist every 119.33 minutes.

He’s featured more heavily on the left flank (17 appearances) than the right (four). His right-footedness would also surely stand in the way of him being a direct Salah replacement.

Statistically, otherwise, the Leeds United star is posting some truly remarkable numbers. Some of the standout figures, as shared on FBref, include ranking in the 97th percentile for shot-creating actions and touches in the opposing penalty box.

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Could a surprise candidate now replace Klopp? The search after Xabi Alonso, and much more!

The post Salah and Diaz could now have big say on Liverpool signing Crysencio Summerville appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Liverpool and Manchester City have already been busy ahead of the summer transfer window it seems.

Fabrizio Romano now reports on X (formerly Twitter) that the Sky Blues have completed a deal for the signing of USA starlet Cavan Sullivan.

American wonderkid Cavan Sullivan to Manchester City, here we go!

Deal agreed as revealed weeks ago and now all the documents being signed with Philadelphia Union. Fee close to $1m + many add-ons.

2009 talent will join #MCFC in the next years.

Exclusive story, confirmed. pic.twitter.com/vFw6ZP0M6X

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 6, 2024

Meanwhile, the Reds are reportedly moving closer to securing a successor for Jurgen Klopp. Pedro Sepulveda claimed that negotiations between the Anfield-based outfit and Ruben Amorim are progressing swiftly.

FOLLOW Empire of the Kop on Instagram (@empireofthekop) HERE

READ MORE: Going viral: What Portuguese insider has now heard about Ruben Amorim and Liverpool

READ MORE: Sky Sports pundit can barely believe how good Liverpool player has been in 2024

Ruben Amorim to Liverpool a matter of time?

One league win shouldn’t be all we need to push on for a move for Amorim, it should be stressed.

That said, we would imagine Sepulveda’s latest update to revolve around timings and convenience should it appear likely that Sporting wrap up the title sooner than expected.

Either way, we can’t discount the 39-year-old’s historical achievements in Portugal, from winning over the fanbase (as a former Benfica player) and securing a first title in 19 years!

There’s a bright future for Amorim in the game and the next step may be a switch to Anfield.

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Could a surprise candidate now replace Klopp? The search after Xabi Alonso, and much more!

The post ‘Deal agreed’: Fabrizio Romano confirms ‘documents being signed’ ahead of wonderkid transfer – Rival watch appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Liverpool may have to move fast to seal a move for Crysencio Summerville this summer.

There’s the chasing pack of clubs, with whom the Reds will be competing with to consider, including the likes of Chelsea, Atletico Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen to consider, according to HITC.

However, there’s also the possibility of the 22-year-old agreeing a contract extension with current club Leeds United.

The aforementioned publication goes on to report that the Whites are planning to enter into fresh talks over his terms ‘if and when the club secures promotion’.

FOLLOW Empire of the Kop on Instagram (@empireofthekop) HERE

READ MORE: Liverpool could get ‘next Xabi Alonso’ with smart summer swoop for 6’3″ monster – report

READ MORE: Forget about me: Mac Allister only wanted to talk about Liverpool teammate after Sheff Utd win

Could Liverpool sign Crysencio Summerville?

It’s far from surprising that the Dutchman has entered the Reds’ radar with the quality of his performances in the Championship.

The former Feyenoord youth talent has registered 27 goal contributions in 40 games across all competitions in 2023/24.

Able to play on either flank in the forward line, the No.10 could solve a couple of selection problems for Liverpool should either one of Luis Diaz or Mo Salah be tempted away in the summer.

We’ve lesser concerns over our Colombian international’s future admittedly, despite his father’s latest admission of a Spanish dream!

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Could a surprise candidate now replace Klopp? The search after Xabi Alonso, and much more!

The post Scouts dispatched: Liverpool like Championship goal machine as contract talks planned – report appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Liverpool are understood to be interested in a potential swoop for highly-rated Schalke youngster Assan Ouedraogo this summer.

It remains unclear what positions will be prioritised in the squad ahead of Jurgen Klopp’s planned departure at the end of the current campaign.

“Elite midfielders always want the ball and often drop deep to get it, and Ouedraogo is no different, which is why he has also drawn comparisons with former Liverpool and Real Madrid playmaker Xabi Alonso,” James Westwood wrote for GOAL.

“But the Schalke midfielder is more of a natural No.8 than a No.6, and he has the potential to be a difference-maker in games with his eye for goal and incisive passing range.”

Intriguingly, the Reds aren’t the only outfit in the Premier League to recognise the 17-year-old’s talents.

The reporter went on to add: “Schalke have Ouedraogo tied to a contract through to 2027, but they could have a real fight on their hands to keep hold of their prized asset beyond the summer.

“A move to the Premier League is likely to be a viable option for the teenage playmaker, with Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea all reportedly eyeing a swoop for his services, while he’s also attracting interest from Bayern Munich.”

FOLLOW Empire of the Kop on Instagram (@empireofthekop) HERE

READ MORE: Forget about me: Mac Allister only wanted to talk about Liverpool teammate after Sheff Utd win

READ MORE: James Pearce shares breaking Liverpool news the club has just announced

What do the stats say about Ouedraogo?

The 6’3″ midfielder has spent much of the current campaign recovering from a serious ligament tear and hamstring injury.

That’s not to suggest progress hasn’t been made in 2023/24 regardless, with the Germany youth international reportedly looking ‘sharp’ following his return to the pitch.

Albeit whilst playing second-tier football, the teenager ranks remarkably well amongst his peers for progressive work with the ball and attacking threat (via FBref).

There’s still a great deal of work to be done on the training ground in sharpening this rough-cut gem. It seems, however, like it will be very much worth the effort for any side willing to put in the time.

Liverpool wanted Xabi Alonso this summer… perhaps they could get a slice of him in Ouedraogo?

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Could a surprise candidate now replace Klopp? The search after Xabi Alonso, and much more!

The post Liverpool could get ‘next Xabi Alonso’ with smart summer swoop for 6’3″ monster – report appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

According to reports from Portugal, Liverpool have thrown their name into the ring for a highly coveted teenage talent.

The print edition of O Jogo claimed (via Sport Witness) that the Reds have ‘joined the race’ to sign Benfica midfielder Joao Neves, who’s also been linked with Manchester United, Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain.

FOLLOW Empire of the Kop on Instagram (@empireofthekop) HERE

The 19-year-old currently has a release clause of €120m (£103m) in his contract at the Estadio da Luz, although his employers are reportedly seeking to increase this by 25% to an eye-watering €150m (£128m).

There’s no mention of offers being tabled or even talks being entered into in the report, so the interest appears to be at a preliminary stage.

READ MORE: BBC pundit claims ‘outstanding’ gem who won 11 duels v Brighton could become a Liverpool legend

READ MORE: Pep Guardiola makes tactical Liverpool assertion after Sunday’s title race twist

O Jogo’s report described Neves as a ‘laboratory weapon’, such is his burgeoning talent, and a closer look at his performance metrics would suggest that he already boasts a phenomenal skill set.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 20% of midfielders in Europe over the past year for a range of attributes, most notably passes attempted (79.7 per match, 98th percentile), blocks made (two per game, 97th percentile), tackles won (three per match, 92nd percentile) and pass completion (88%, 91st percentile).

The teenager has already played 66 times for Benfica’s first team (Transfermarkt), and he could potentially line out against Liverpool in a few weeks’ time if both sides come through their respective Europa League quarter-finals, which’d then see them come face-to-face in the last four of the tournament.

There’s the potential for an intriguing narrative if the Reds are to appoint Sporting Lisbon boss Ruben Amorim as their next manager, and he in turn raids his current club’s arch-rivals for the precocious Neves.

While any transfer for the 19-year-old won’t materialise for some time yet, his name could be well worth keeping an eye on during the run-in to this season, especially if he finds himself playing at Anfield in a European semi-final in four weeks’ time.

EOTK Insider with Jan Age Fjortoft: Why Alonso said no to LFC, who will replace Klopp now? The PL winners will be…

The post Liverpool join transfer race for 19y/o ‘laboratory weapon’; release clause could hit £128m – report appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.