Transfer guru shuts down talk of imminent Liverpool move for Real Sociedad star

There was excitement among Liverpool fans early on July 22 amid speculation that they were close to their first signing in the era of new manager Arne Slot.

A report from Japanese outlet Sponichi claimed the Reds were in the final stages of negotiations for Real Sociedad and Japan star Takefusa Kubo. The former Real Madrid youngster, who was once hailed as a star of the future by Zinedine Zidane, has been one of the standout players in San Sebastian since signing for the club in 2022.

The 23-year-old is seen by some as an ideal long-term replacement for Mohamed Salah, whose future at Anfield is not entirely certain as he has now entered the final year of his contract.

However, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano later said reports of Kubo's imminent move may be premature.

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Kubo to Liverpool 'not close or imminent'

Romano said via his Daily Briefing that talk of Kubo being on the verge of signing for Liverpool seems a little hasty.

"I'm not aware of anything really concrete happening around [the deal]," he said.

"I saw these reports but it's not something that I'm told is close or imminent at this stage."

It's been a quiet window so far for Liverpool, who are adjusting to life under new manager Slot following the departure of Jurgen Klopp at the end of 2023/24.