The end of Liverpool's transfer window could go in any direction. In one moment, the club appears to be in for a talented midfielder like Alan Varela just for someone like James Pearce to pour water on any growing flames.
The club has recently announced talented Italian forward Federico Chiesa but Liverpool fans are pushing for sporting director Richard Hughes to do more -- especially considering how many youngsters the Reds have sold this summer.
Here are two of the most intriguing stories from Thursday: the Alan Varela transfer saga and the potential sale of longtime goalkeeper Caomihen Kelleher . Fabrizio Romano briefly had fans dreaming that the Argentine midfielder could be Anfield-bound before Peace seemed to quash the hope of many. However, it's a clear sign Liverpool is still in the market for a midfielder.
Let's dig deeper into both stories:
Alan Varela
Amid a flurry of Alan Varela transfer speculation to Liverpool, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano fanned the flames by tweeting : "Nothing concrete to tell you so far, just to clarify: the release clause of Varela is €65m according to my sources, not €90m."
Varela is currently on a very similar career trajectory as his compatriot Enzo Fernandez. He earned a move worth around $10 million to Porto from Boca Juniors and had a strong first campaign, jacking his transfer fee right up.
How would Varela fit into this Liverpool team? New coach Arne Slot loves possession, and the Argentine is a tidy passer. He ranks in the 96th percentile for pass attempts and the 89th percentile for progressive passes amongst all midfielders in Europe, making him a strong candidate to be a metronome from deep.
However, Varela doesn't make a lot of tackles or involve himself in many duels, perhaps making him a better fit alongside another destroyer as opposed to someone like Alexis Mac Allister .
Liverpool has had their eye on Varela for a while -- even if they don't make a move for him in this window, he could certainly be one for the future if he kicks on at Porto. The Athletic claims a deadline day move is not on the cards , but that's not to say it will not be in the future.
Caomihen Kelleher
The Athletic reported that Liverpool rejected an offer from fellow Premier League side Nottingham Forest for longtime goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher on Thursday.
Liverpool is seeking north of $30 million for the Irish international, and Forest's offer reportedly - which also included American keeper Matt Turner - fell well short of the mark.
Kelleher is not going to be at Liverpool forever; he's proved capable as a midtable #1 after 47 appearances for the Reds across the Premier League, Champions League , Europa League , and a share of domestic cup finals.
As Newton's third law goes: or every action in nature there is an equal and opposite reaction. Liverpool recently signed Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili for an eyewatering fee of over $35 million with the intention of having him supplant Alisson Becker.
Current #3 Vitezslav Jaro s can serve as the backup this season after playing well enough for Sturm Graz last campaign to earn a call-up to the Czech National Team for EURO 2024. The club should sell Kelleher now and guarantee a strong return before they lose leverage.
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