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Saturday's Liverpool transfer talk news roundup: Thiago Alcantara, Dejan Lovren, Virgil van Dijk

Sports Mole rounds up the latest transfer talk for Liverpool on Saturday, July 25.

The buildup to the summer transfer window has now begun, with rumours and speculation continuing to swirl as Liverpool eye possible reinforcements.

Jurgen Klopp's league leaders have not been particularly busy during recent windows, but that has not stopped the rumour mill from linking them with additions.

Here, Sports Mole rounds up the latest news on possible comings and goings from Anfield.

Saturday morning's Liverpool transfer talk news roundup:


Dejan Lovren 'closing in on £10.9m Liverpool exit'

Dejan Lovren in action for Liverpool on February 29, 2020© Reuters

Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren is close to signing for Zenit St Petersburg in a £10.9million deal.

The Croatia international has spent six seasons at Anfield but has made just 15 appearances this season, falling to fourth-choice centre-back in the pecking order behind Virgil Van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip.

Lovren was set to enter the final year of his contract and although Liverpool have an option to extend that by a further 12 months PA understands the centre-back looks set to move on.

After last summer's Champions League victory Lovren was linked with a summer move but opted to stay despite him no longer being first choice.

In the last couple of years he has been plagued by untimely and niggly injuries which have kept him out at key periods.

The 31-year-old last started a match in February, Liverpool's first league defeat of the campaign at Watford, and his longest consecutive run of games this season is four back in December.



Steve Bruce proceeding with transfer plans despite Newcastle ownership uncertainty

Newcastle boss Steve Bruce on June 24, 2020© Reuters

Steve Bruce will swiftly switch his attention to strengthening his Newcastle squad despite ongoing takeover uncertainty once the Premier League season finally draws to a close.

The curtain will fall on yet another turbulent campaign on Tyneside on Sunday evening after the Magpies' home clash with champions Liverpool with the wait for prospective new owners to be approved approaching the four-month mark.

Head coach Bruce has spent the intervening period wondering whether or not he would still be in a job if Amanda Staveley's largely Saudi-funded bid to oust Mike Ashley proved successful, but he and managing director Lee Charnley are carrying on regardless as they prepare for the opening of the summer transfer window.

The 59-year-old said: "We've got one or two irons in the fire right now – let's hope we can pull them off. We've got competition, but I think that will be the case right through the summer.

"As soon as the window opens, we'll go to work. Things are not on hold. We need that decision [on the takeover] to be made, but the only thing I can do, along with Lee, is to keep planning as best we can, and that obviously includes the transfer market."

Bruce expects the summer window to be coloured by the after-effects of the coronavirus pandemic, which has left some lower league clubs struggling to keep their heads above water.

However, he is hoping Newcastle can unearth more players like Atlanta United striker Miguel Almiron and Nice flier Allan Saint-Maximin to improve a side which remains a work in progress.

He said: "I hope it'll be busy. That's my job – to keep knocking down the door and asking the question.

Liverpool v Newcastle United – Premier League – Anfield
Newcastle defender Fabian Schar is due to undergo shoulder surgery on Friday.

"We know we need to improve and want to keep moving the club forward. We need to box clever to make sure we can get value for money, and make sure we can improve the squad."

Bruce could be forgiven for wanting to put a central defender at the top of his list – five of his six specialists in that position are injured for the Liverpool game with Fabian Schar due to undergo shoulder surgery on Friday which will sideline him for up to eight weeks.

However, he is likely to politely decline an offer from striker Andy Carroll to plug the gap.

He said with a smile: "I think we'll leave Andy where he is."


More transfer news from Liverpool:

Liverpool suffer blow in Thiago Alcantara pursuit?
Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge suggests that the Bundesliga champions have no intention of selling Thiago Alcantara for a cut-price fee. Read more.

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Victor Osimhen in action for Lille on January 26, 2020
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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool14112129111835
2Chelsea1594235181731
3Arsenal1585229151429
4Manchester CityMan City158342721627
5Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest157441918125
6Aston Villa157442323025
7Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton156632522324
8Bournemouth157352320324
9Brentford157263128323
10Fulham156542220223
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1562731191220
12Newcastle UnitedNewcastle155551921-220
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd155461918119
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham155372028-818
15Everton143561421-714
16Leicester CityLeicester153572130-914
17Crystal Palace152761420-613
18Ipswich TownIpswich151681427-139
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1523102338-159
20Southampton1512121131-205


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