Liverpool

Aadam Patel
Liverpool reporter

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Up until the weekend, the question was very much who would partner Virgil van Dijk at centre-back for Liverpool's first Premier League game away at Newcastle on Sunday.

But after his impressive performance in the friendly against Como on debut - when he scored too - Jeremy Jacquet looks set to start alongside the Liverpool skipper.

That means the biggest issue still outstanding is how Liverpool plan to make up the goals and assists they have lost from Mohamed Salah.

When it comes to attackers and attacking players that will be expected to play a key part this season, Liverpool have Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz, Cody Gakpo, Victor Munoz and Rio Ngumoha, while Hugo Ekitike is currently sidelined. Federico Chiesa is increasingly expected to move this summer.

In Salah's absence, the pressure on both Isak and Wirtz will go up a notch but it must be a concern from a Liverpool perspective that they haven't managed to get a deal for Bradley Barcola from Paris St-Germain over the line yet. Movement on that front is expected before the transfer window concludes.

Barcola is the kind of name who would be worth the wait. The 23-year-old may not be the direct replacement for Salah, given the Frenchman primarily plays on the left rather than the right as Salah did, but Andoni Iraola wants his wingers to play on both sides and Barcola would definitely bring that star factor with him.

What do you think will happen at Anfield between now and the end of the transfer window?

Get in touch with your views here

Liverpool are still keen to sign Paris St-Germain duo Bradley Barcola, 23, and Ibrahim Mbaye, 18, with a combined fee of £155m being mooted for the France winger and Senegal forward. (Teamtalk), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

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Chris Collinson
BBC Sport statistician

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Last season, the Premier League was arguably more competitive than it has been for years.

While the 65 points between champions Arsenal and bottom side Wolves was around the average for a 38-game season (63), a real revolution took place in mid-table.

Since the league was reduced to 20 teams in 1995-96, the gap between the top four and the bottom three – between what has often been the Champions League and the Championship – had been increasing as the seasons went by, with the 'bigger' clubs profiting from their European adventures and the extra money they earned by regularly finishing higher in the table.

But last season, the gap between the 'haves' and the 'have-nots' of the Premier League dropped from 44 points in 2024-25 to just 26 points – the smallest distance for 23 years (since 25 points in 2002-03).

The European places were more attainable than they had been for years. Despite taking a point fewer than when they finished seventh the season before, Aston Villa clinched Champions League qualification by finishing two places higher.

While Liverpool took the 'bonus' Champions League place by finishing fifth, their points total of 60 was the lowest by a side finishing there for 19 years and would have put them ninth in 2024-25.

Bournemouth and Sunderland also took full advantage of needing fewer points than normal by qualifying for European competition for the first time ever and for over half a century respectively.

Read more on the Premier League's competitive numbers

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We asked for your views on whether Liverpool need to bring in more defensive reinforcements after Jeremy Jacquet impressed in a 2-0 victory over Como on Sunday.

Here are some of your comments:

Patrick: Certainly need an extra defender, at best one who can play central or right/left-back.

Kate: I was delighted to see both Jacquet and Ronald Araujo against Como. I think it's going to help massively and they will improve as they settle in too. It offers us a better balance and more freedom to go forward. More defenders needed? Yes please, especially given our injury record.

Anthony: Yes, right-back needs sorting. Djed Spence would have been a great buy. Needs also to give Calvin Ramsay a chance - plus no more midfielders playing right-back.

Pat: Right-back is still a concern. Jeremie Frimpong does not have the tools defensively, Conor Bradley is never fit (despite looking world class on his day) and Joe Gomez increasingly seems to be made of glass. Dominik Szoboszlai had man-of-the-match performances there last year, but it's a waste of his talent.

Grant: Still need a left and right-back! Central defence is looking better thankfully.

Leigh: Liverpool still very much need a proper defensive midfielder. Even Como were bypassing Ryan Gravenberch in that position. Defence itself seems to be OK now.

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There has been ample discourse about Liverpool's need to strengthen their defence.

In the aftermath of Sunday's friendly win over Como, fans have taken to social media to celebrate the performance of Jeremy Jacquet.

Speaking about Jacquet and recent signing Ronald Araujo, captain Virgil van Dijk said: "Jeremy's English is, I would say, a bit better than Ronald's, but at the end of the day we are all pretty good footballers, we can see and smell some moments on how to defend certain situations.

"But it's pretty clear that you need to form a connection together and that takes a bit of time.

"That's absolutely normal, but hopefully we can get that going as quickly as possible."

So, do you think the Reds still need to act in the transfer market or do you feel more settled about their defensive options? Tell us

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Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola says his side "needed" a clean sheet in their 2-0 friendly win over Como but warned they "need training" time in the weeks to come.

Liverpool drew 0-0 with the Italian side in a behind-closed-doors friendly on Sunday and then won an encounter in front of fans at Anfield later in the day.

The shutouts followed friendlies where the Reds conceded three against Monaco and four against Leeds.

"I think we need a little bit this feeling of finishing with a clean sheet, winning the game," Iraola said after the 2-0 success.

"Still, the first half has been better than the second, but at least we kept our organisation, our composure and we found a way to finish with a clean sheet, 2-0. I think we needed this feeling before we start."

On the conditioning of his players, with a week to go until they face a trip to Newcastle in their Premier League opener, he added: "I think we are better than we were last week. Still, I hope next week we are better than we were today. It's normal but first halves are still better than second halves. But today a lot of players played 90 minutes, 80 minutes and they finished [with] no cramps, apparently nothing major. So, it's keep building these fitness levels, this also [mentality] even when you are not as fresh [to] keep the focus so you don't make the big mistakes. I think it's an improvement but still – especially second half – we need to be better.

"At the end, we need training, we need to train together. Some of the players that have started playing today, we need to build relationships, the players to have this option to solve problems by themselves in the pitch, analyse what we can improve – especially second half today. This needs time. So, I think we can use these two, three weeks – we have full weeks – so we are ready for the league."

• Listen to debate on BBC Radio Merseyside about the sale of a minority stake in the Reds

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FIrst half goals from Cody Gakpo and Jeremy Jacquet saw Liverpool end their pre-season with a 2-0 win over Serie A side Como at Anfield.

Gakpo - who has been linked with a move to Tottenham - opened the scoring by finishing a Jeremie Frimpong cross at the back post, before 21-year-old defender Jaquet tapped home a cutback from the Netherlands international to double the lead on his first appearance for the club.

Earlier in the day, the two sides played out a goalless draw in a match comprised of two 35-minute halves at Liverpool's Melwood Training Ground, in which World Cup finalist Alex Mac Allister played his first minutes of pre-season.

Dan Roan
Sports editor

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Fenway Sports Group (FSG) says the newly announced deal "supports Liverpool's long-term growth ambitions by bringing together experts from across global business, technology and investment".

"The consortium partners will work with FSG and the club's leadership team to evaluate opportunities that enhance the club's objectives on and off the pitch," it added. "FSG continues to retain majority ownership and operational control."

FSG, which bought Liverpool in a £300m deal in 2010, previously sold a minority stake in the Anfield side to global sports investment firm Dynasty Equity.

In January, Liverpool became the top-earning Premier League club for the first time, according to analysis from financial firm Deloitte.

The following month, the club announced record revenues of £703m for the 2024-25 financial year.

BBC Sport has been told that while FSG was not seeking investment out of financial need, its leadership was attracted by the consortium's reach across global business, technology and investment, including in India and across Asia.

Liverpool fans strongly consider the club to have a specific set of values, centred around working-class roots, though.

Gareth Roberts, host of the Late Challenge LFC podcast, told BBC Sport earlier this week he was worried by Amazon's approach, given past criticisms around the way the company has treated its workers.

A Trades Union Congress report, external on Amazon, issued in 2020, highlighted "long, gruelling shifts with unreasonable productivity targets and unfair shift patterns" and "unacceptable working conditions".

In 2024, more than 200 workers took part in two days of strike action at an Amazon site in Birmingham as part of a long-running dispute over pay and union rights. Amazon said it regularly reviews its pay to ensure it offers competitive wages.

"How Amazon have treated unions and workers isn't particularly palatable," Roberts said. "Is he simply going to ramp up the name of Liverpool in order to make as much money as possible?"

Read the full article here

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"Liverpool has always been built by thinking beyond one season," Fenway Sports Group (FSG) president Mike Gordon has said after agreeing to sell around a third of the club to a consortium including billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

In a statement, FSG confirmed it had "entered into a definitive agreement for the sale of a minority equity stake in Liverpool FC to 1892 Holdings".

The consortium is led by British-Indian millionaire businessman Amit Bhatia and also includes billionaire Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin.

"That approach continues to attract interest from respected investors and business leaders around the world," Gordon added.

"As we considered this opportunity, it became clear that Amit Bhatia and the consortium shared our long-term philosophy and appreciation for what makes Liverpool special."

Bhatia, who is set to become Liverpool's vice-chairman pending regulatory approval, added: "To be welcomed as a partner in a club of this stature is a huge privilege.

"We are making this investment because we believe deeply in Liverpool and its leadership, and we look forward to supporting the club's continued success for years to come."

This agreement marks Bezos' first venture into sports ownership, although he isn't expected to join Liverpool's board.

Other new board members include founder of K5 Sports - through which Bezos is investing - Bryan Baum and Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin's wife Elaine.

In January, Liverpool became the top-earning Premier League club for the first time, according to analysis from financial firm Deloitte.

The following month the club announced record revenues of £703m for the 2024-25 financial year.

BBC Sport has been told that while FSG was not seeking investment out of financial need, its leadership was attracted by the consortium's reach across global business, technology and investment, including in India, and across Asia.

Aadam Patel
Football reporter

Some of you have been asking via our Liverpool Ask Me Anything form whether or not Ronald Araujo is a "pure gamble" signing like Federico Chiesa and how his stats compare to other defenders.

When Liverpool went for Chiesa, it is worth remembering he had a decent CV.

Having starred in Italy's winning run to the Euro 2020 title, he was named in Serie A's Team of the Year during his debut season at Juventus in 2020-21, all before he was affected by injuries.

Similarly, Araujo is a proven talent. He has made over 200 appearances for Barcelona and won three La Liga titles.

The Uruguay international did struggle last season, so it is a risky move, but with Liverpool's defensive situation, he should bring plenty of experience.

According to Opta, since his debut season in 2019-20 at Barcelona, Araujo has the highest duel success rate of any defender to make at least 100 appearances in La Liga at 65.6%. In the same period, the top ranked defender in the Premier League is Virgil van Dijk (72.6 per cent).

And since his debut, the two defenders with the lowest dribbled past average (per 90) in Europe's big five leagues are Araujo (0.13 - 14 times in 143 appearances) and Van Dijk (0.16 - 34 times in 212 appearances).

The speed of the move suggests there are hints of a gamble, with Araujo only made aware of Liverpool's interest last Wednesday. He then spoke to Andoni Iraola via a call on Thursday and by the weekend he was in England.

Given his statistics, it is a calculated gamble - with Liverpool also not paying a loan fee, Araujo agreeing to a pay cut and the Reds having no obligation to buy at the end of his season-long loan.

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It is common practice these days for transfer fees to have performance-based add-ons. The theory is the selling club gains more if the player goes on to be extremely successful, while the buying club is to some extent protected financially if the transfer doesn't work out.

In some cases, the total value of add-ons is significant - Real Madrid could end up paying an extra £30m to Borussia Dortmund for Jude Bellingham depending on how successful he is over the course of his career in the Spanish capital, for example.

In others, like the potential £1.7m worth of add-ons Brighton's £29.78m signing of Greece Under-21 forward Charalampos Kostoulas, are less significant.

Clubs sometimes say add-ons are 'easily achievable' or 'difficult'.

Easier-to-achieve add-ons can include things like making a basic number of appearances, or scoring a certain amount of goals. Add-ons can also be attached to a team's success rather than the individual player's - a club may agree to an add-on requiring an extra payment if they qualify for Europe, for example.

Others can be more ambitious - tied to extreme levels of individual or collective success, like winning the Champions League or the Ballon d'Or.

An example of the difficulty add-ons can present when discussing valuations would be the claims made in the Portuguese media in 2022 that the first additional payment in Darwin Nunez's £64m-plus-add-ons move from Benfica to Liverpool was triggered by the Uruguayan making just 10 appearances.

Then Liverpool boss Arne Slot rejected speculation he had not started Nunez in some games because it would trigger an additional payment.

Whether Liverpool paid more for Nunez, or club captain Virgil van Dijk - for whom they paid a flat fee of £75m to Southampton in 2017 - cannot be determined without knowing exactly what add-ons were included in the Nunez deal, then figuring out which conditions he has and has not met.

Send our reporters a questions via Ask Me Anything

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Aadam Patel has been answering some of your latest transfer window questions.

Rodney asked: Is Gakpo going to Tottenham?

Aadam said: We reported in June that a number of clubs including Spurs were monitoring Cody Gakpo's situation at Liverpool.

The interest is certainly genuine for a player who has proven it in the Premier League but the reality is that unless Liverpool bring in more players and Tottenham were to make an offer in excess of £60m, Gakpo stays put.

The Dutch international's contract at Anfield is until 2030 and despite a below-par season last time out, those at Liverpool still view him as a proven multi-functional attacker. Besides, Andoni Iraola does not want to weaken his squad.

Right now, a move to Spurs looks unlikely but if Liverpool are successful in their pursuit of Bradley Barcola, who primarily operates down the left flank, then this will be one to keep an eye on.

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Liverpool signing Ronald Araujo is a low-risk move that makes lots of sense, says Reds fan and author Adam Beattie.

The versatile Uruguay defender has joined Liverpool on a season-long loan from Barcelona, and Beattie believes the 27-year-old can hit the ground running at Anfield despite struggling in Spain for the past three years.

"I think it makes loads of sense to be honest," Beattie said. "I think it's one that's come a little bit from left-field, like most of the signings this summer, which gives me a bit of confidence that we'll get the things done that we still need to do.

"He's been Barcelona's captain which is obviously a huge deal over there, he's had his issues last summer as well but we've kind of picked up players who have had various problems with different managers and stuff and they've come in and hit the ground running again at Liverpool.

"The fact that he can play in two positions at right-back and centre-back is really helpful because we definitely needed at least one of them filled before the end of the window. Someone with experience, it's low-risk because he's on loan and if he's no good we can just say 'see you later' or if he is, we could pay the fee or negotiate a deal.

"We've got two or three young lads who obviously have huge futures but it would be a little bit unfair to just chuck them in; especially with [Jeremy] Jacquet's and [Giovanni] Leoni's injuries last year.

"So, a 27-year-old who's played loads of Champions League football just makes loads of sense."

Listen to more from Beattie below or on BBC Sounds here

Liverpool fans consider the club to have a specific set of values, centred around its working-class roots.

When FSG attempted to raise season ticket prices last season, fans' group Spirit of Shankly (SOS) launched a campaign called 'Not a Pound in the Ground'.

It urged fans to buy food and drink from local businesses in the Anfield area rather than inside the stadium. It worked, forcing the club to cut the size of their planned price rise.

SOS has doubts about the proposed investment and has raised a number of concerns.

"We would like to know what the buying consortium will get in return for their 30% stake," an SOS spokesperson told BBC Sport.

"Specifically, what would be the level of involvement in the control of the club and will they take a seat or seats on the board?

"And of huge importance, what due diligence is being done on the potential consortium of investors?

"Does this potential consortium have the best interests of the club at the forefront or is it a 'trophy' buy?"

• Read more on the potential sale of a share in Liverpool

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

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Paris St-Germain boss Luis Enrique sidestepped a question on Liverpool target Bradley Barcola's future.

The forward is wanted by the Reds with the club prepared to pay around £100m to bring the 23-year-old to Anfield.

Barcola is in the PSG squad to face Aston Villa in the Super Cup in Salzburg on Wednesday.

"I don't know and I don't want to speak about any player individually," Enrique said when asked about Barcola's future.

"Because it's always dangerous when you are asking something positive or negative about a player. I stay focused on my team."

Barcola moved to PSG from Lyon in 2023 for a reported £38.5m and has since also won three Ligue 1 titles, the French Cup twice, as well as the Uefa Super Cup and the Fifa Intercontinental Cup.

PSG also have Georgia's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and France's Desire Doue as wide options meaning Barcola's playing time would be increased with a move to Merseyside.

Aadam Patel and Charlotte Coates
BBC Sport

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Liverpool's first pre-season under new boss Andoni Iraola has not been without its challenges - but one reason for optimism is the emergence of 18-year-old defender Ifeanyi Ndukwe.

Iraola's side are short of numbers in central defence, so Austrian teenager Ndukwe has been handed more minutes than even he might have expected.

With two lots of 90 minutes and an 80-minute display already under his belt, Ndukwe was handed a start alongside captain Virgil van Dijk against Monaco at Anfield on Sunday.

And it didn't take long for the imposing 6ft 6in (1.98m) youngster to draw gasps from the crowd after a neat backheel to wrong-foot Monaco's Mika Biereth, before winning important defensive duels.

After the departure of France international Ibrahima Konate, it remains unclear who will partner Van Dijk in Liverpool's opening Premier League game against Newcastle.

But it won't be Ndukwe.

Post-Brexit rules mean he is not allowed to play for Liverpool in a competitive game in 2026 because he didn't reach the points target required to qualify for a UK work permit - meaning he can only play in friendly matches.

Since Brexit, and with the UK no longer part of the European Union, clubs now have to navigate a more complex work permit system to ensure players - especially those who are yet to establish themselves at the top level - are able to move to England.

Austria youth international Ndukwe doesn't currently have enough points to obtain a Governing Body Endorsement (GBE) to obtain a work visa.

There is another route into the squad, through taking up an Elite Significant Contribution (ESC) slot, which is awarded to foreign players who do not qualify for the standard GBE.

Premier League and Championship clubs have up to four ESC places available, based on the percentage of minutes clubs gave to their England Qualified Players (EQP) in the previous campaign.

But clubs are not entitled to all four spots automatically.

The magic number is 35% of minutes, which means clubs can use four ESC players. Dropping below that begins to reduce the number of ESC slots available.

Liverpool's percentage last season means they only get one ESC place, which has already been taken by Senegalese 18-year-old Mor Talla Ndiaye.

Read more here on the next steps for Ndukwe