Liverpool rivals round-up: Harry Kane has ‘given his word’ over a transfer move. An ace supposedly eyed by Liverpool as a Sadio Mané heir is wanted by Newcastle.
Liverpool has quite enough going on at the minute without looking over its shoulder at rivals. But the reality is that there are potentially seismic changes taking place throughout the Premier League and beyond.
Some clubs, like Liverpool, are feeling the ripple effect from the new influx of money in the Saudi Pro League. That has been a major transfer market catalyst.
There is also Saudi money to be spent at Newcastle, although Eddie Howe has admitted that Financial Fair Play (FFP) is restricting what can be done in the transfer market. Despite that, a mega bid for an apparent Liverpool target, slated at one time as a Sadio Mané successor, is apparently being lined up.
Then there are more traditional transfer sagas playing out. Not for the first time, Tottenham is faced with serious interest in Harry Kane from a major club, and Bayern Munich looks to be getting closer to an agreement than previous suitors have managed, in a deal which would reshape the landscape of the Premier League. The player himself has supposedly communicated a decision.
Here, Liverpool.com takes a scan around the other big sides in the Premier League and around Europe to take a look at the news going on at the other clubs.
Harry Kane ‘gives his word’
Bayern Munich legend and ‘supervisory board member’ Uli Hoeneß has claimed that Kane has ‘given his word’ to Bayern Munich, as the Spurs striker continues to be linked with a transfer.
That’s per Sport1, which spoke to Hoeneß at the Bayern training camp. The message was clear:
“Harry Kane has clearly signaled in all conversations that his decision stands — and if it stays, then we’ll get him, because then Tottenham will have to buckle!”
Stays’ has been translated in the Express and various other outlets as ‘keeps to his word’. To all intents and purposes, the strategy looks much the same as that employed by previous Kane suitors, relying on pressure from the player’s side. But unlike parties who have been interested in the past, Bayern Munich has got as far as making two transfer bids, per The Athletic.
Liverpool.com says: As Hoeneß also acknowledged in the interview, Daniel Levy is a fearsome opponent in negotiations, and banking on him ‘buckling’ is unlikely to yield results. When Manchester City was interested, Kane went as far as to skip training for a brief period, but Spurs would not budge.
Ultimately, Bayern Munich will need to stump up the cash in order to convince Levy and Spurs. It will take a big transfer fee. But unlike previous suitors, the Bavarians can at least offer a way for Tottenham to make serious money without strengthening a rival.
As it happens, that would be the best outcome for Liverpool, too. Kane would make any of the rest of the big six a far more dangerous proposition, and he has done plenty of damage while at Spurs too. Seeing him move to Europe would be welcome.
Newcastle ‘makes mega transfer bid’ for Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
It’s a big summer for Newcastle, as it attempts to build on its Champions League finish and continue its rapid rise under Saudi ownership. One big transfer splash has happened already, with Sandro Tonali arriving at St James’ Park.
More could be on the way. According to Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport, citing Saudi reports, a bid has been presented for Napoli’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. Newcastle has offered $107m (£82m/€95m) to land the Georgian.
Liverpool saw Kvaratskhelia’s quality first-hand in the Champions League last season. There has also been apparent interest from Jürgen Klopp’s side, with Fichajes claiming in April that FSG would be prepared to break the Serie A transfer record as it looks to reshape its front line without Mané and Roberto Firmino
Leave a Reply