In a move that could see them avoid Brighton & Hove Albion, Liverpool have reportedly joined the race to sign an impressive South American wonderkid.
Van Dijk: ‘It’s clear’ Liverpool need to improve
Returning from the international break and looking to get back to winning ways for the first time in three games, against rivals Manchester United, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk admitted the Reds need to improve.
The Dutchman also praised the Red Devils, sending a warning to the rest of his teammates about the threat they pose even after enduring a difficult start to the campaign themselves.
“It’s pretty clear that we need to improve offensively, defensively, in possession, on set pieces, but it’s true that overall we’ve won seven out of 10 and we still have a lot to improve.
“You can put it another way and put it into perspective that if we improve these things, this could be a very special season. We know how the world works, we know there’s a lot of noise, a lot of analysis about certain things, it’s up to us to focus on the goal at hand.”
For Arne Slot, this is an unfamiliar position.
The Dutchman only knows victory on Merseyside after winning the Premier League title in his debut campaign last time out. Now, for the first time, the pressure is on him to turn Liverpool’s £400million summer spend into a team capable of defending this title.
However, Anfield chiefs rarely panic on this front and will instead aim for further improvements.
After breaking their transfer record twice this summer to welcome Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes have reportedly turned their attention to a prodigy.
Liverpool join race for Ian Subiabre
As The Boot Room’s Graeme Bailey reports, Liverpool have now joined the race to sign Ian Subiabre alongside Arsenal, Manchester City and a number of other Premier League rivals.
The youngster is one of the most promising stars in South American football and is reportedly set to leave River Plate in 2026.
“To be fair to him and his family, I have been told that he did not insist on leaving early, even though he saw many of his contemporaries leave,” Bailey said.
“Speaking to scouts and clubs, it is now believed that Subiabre will move in 2026. It is probably this summer, but don’t be surprised if someone completes a deal in January.”
Described as a “direct dribbler” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Subiabre would be an excellent move for Liverpool, especially in January if a winter transfer does indeed become possible.
Whether it was those at Anfield in the case of Alexis Mac Allister or Chelsea with Moises Caicedo, a number of big Premier League teams missed out on bargains for South American stars before paying a high price to Brighton to secure those same players.
The Reds could now skip that step by repeating Man City’s Claudio Echeverri deal for Subiabre next year.
With Subiabre’s contract due to expire at the end of 2026, reports from his country suggest that the 18-year-old is in fact willing to renew his contract until 2028, giving River Plate the opportunity to recoup a larger sum for him.
This proposed new contract, if officially announced, would include a massive £74 million release clause.
Liverpool will be praying that’s not the case, and Subiabre lands a ‘Trent’ by canceling his current contract.
Otherwise, Slot’s team would have to pay a lot more money for the Argentine, but perhaps not as high as the clause.
