Arne Slot close to completing first Liverpool transfer as top target's agents jet in for meeting

Liverpool are on the brink of securing Real Sociedad's Takefusa Kubo, with the Japanese sensation tipped to be Arne Slot's inaugural signing as he takes the reins from Jurgen Klopp .

The Reds are embarking on a fresh chapter with Slot at the helm after Klopp's near-decade-long tenure, and buzz from Japan suggests Kubo is nearing an Anfield switch.

Sponichi, a Japanese news outlet, reports that negotiations for Kubo are nearing completion following his agents' visit to England. Liverpool are apparently splashing out close to £55million for Kubo, who's being pegged as the heir to Mohamed Salah's throne.

With Salah, Virgil van Dijk , and Trent Alexander-Arnold all in the last year of their contracts, Mirror Football claims Liverpool won't entertain selling Salah this summer, even without the winger penning a new contract.

READ MORE: Liverpool may be about to get the biggest star in the Premier League and it's not even close
READ MORE: Liverpool transfer news LIVE: Takefusa Kubo bid, Odilon Kossounou inquiry, Goncalo Inacio price drop

Richard Hughes, Liverpool's sporting director, earlier this month maintained a tight-lipped stance on contract talks: "On contractual situations, I don't think it would be fair for me to talk about these," he said. "These are private matters between club and players.", reports the Mirror .

Hughes added, focusing on the commitment levels for the upcoming season: "The only concern I and Arne have about situations is total commitment from the players to the cause for next season and we're absolutely convinced that will be the case."

The 23 year old impressed with 12 goal involvements in 41 outings for Sociedad last term, helping them to a sixth-place finish in LaLiga and a spot in the Europa League . Zinedine Zidane has previously expressed admiration for Kubo during his loan at Mallorca from Real Madrid.

"I think he's having a good season," Zidane remarked about Kubo in 2019. "He's playing a lot and that's what we all wanted. He is a very interesting player, for the present and the future. I'm happy he's doing well."

"Of course, if he were to stay at home tomorrow then that'd be better. But, I wish him the best and urge him to continue like this. His future, though, we won't decide until the summer. That's something for later."

Should Kubo secure a transfer to Anfield, he would join the ranks of Japanese players in the Premier League next season, including Endo, Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma, Arsenal's Takehiro Tomiyasu, Crystal Palace newcomer Daichi Kamada, and the Southampton pair Yukinari Sugawara and Renato Takaoka.