Barcelona submits transfer proposal to sign Liverpool 'target'

Liverpool has not yet signed a player this summer and it lost its first friendly of preseason. It must be panic stations at the club, right?

Hardly. The 1-0 loss to Preston was merely an opportunity for the available members of the squad to play some Arne Slot football. The fact 25 players got time on the pitch was far more important than the scoreline at the final whistle. It’s a similar picture with transfers. It matters more to sign the right footballers rather than racing out of the gate in an attempt to ‘win’ the window.

Even so, Liverpool has been strongly linked with Dani Olmo and the Reds appear to be facing stiff competition from Barcelona . Having missed out on Leny Yoro , Richard Hughes now knows what he needs to spend if he wishes to procure the Euro 2024 winner, and also that he may need to get a move on.

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That’s according to Mundo Deportivo . The Barcelona-based sports newspaper has reported that the Catalan club has offered Olmo a long-term deal, believed to be for six years. It has also contacted his agents with a proposal of how much it is willing to pay RB Leipzig for the 26-year-old.

The Spain international has a $65.3m (£50.5m/€60m) release clause which reportedly expires on Sunday. It has been claimed Olmo has received offers from other big clubs, including Manchester City , while Manchester United is also ‘keeping tabs’ on the situation. The player is supposedly receptive to a move to Old Trafford, news guaranteed to rile Liverpool supporters who were vexed by their club’s fierce rivals signing Yoro.

Barcelona is also reportedly chasing Nico Williams too and there is presumably only so much transfer budget to go around at Camp Nou. Today (Sunday) might be the day which Liverpool needs to strike if it is to sign Olmo.

Liverpool.com says: Liverpool already has one Euro 2024 Golden Boot (co-)winner in Cody Gakpo and has an opportunity to add another in Olmo. His price tag feels high for the Reds in light of the ample cover they have in his position though. The budget could probably be better spent elsewhere.