Liverpool transfer news LIVE – Kylian Mbappe battle, Fabio Carvalho confirmed, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip wanted

Ex-Everton and Manchester United striker Louis Saha believes Liverpool are capable of winning the quadruple this season.

Jurgen Klopp’s side of course came agonisingly close to achieving this feat during the 2021/22 campaign, though eventually came out with two trophies to their name after missing out on the Premier League and Champions League in cruel circumstances.

Offering his view on why this year could see the Reds go all the way in all four competitions, Saha told Paddy Power:

It’s possible for Liverpool to win the quadruple this season. They have a very good squad and have players like Luis Díaz coming back and scoring goals. They have a lot of energy and experience. Mo Salah will be a big miss, but there are players with an understanding of how to cope and adapt. They have five or six goalscorers on the pitch who are able to adapt and understand the game, which is a big advantage for competing in many competitions.

I was impressed with what Manchester City did last year [winning the treble – they faced some great teams and challenges, and similar to Liverpool now. When you have the right communication with your players, this is the formula to win championships.”

Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has lifted the lid on an agreement reached between himself and Kylian Mbappe ahead of a potential transfer away from the club this summer.

Mbappe can now negotiate a pre-agreement during this window as he enters the final six months of his contract in France, with Liverpool one of the sides constantly linked with the superstar.

Addressing the possible transfer publicly, Al-Khelaifi has opened up on this agreement with his star player. “I have a gentleman’s agreement with Kylian Mbappé,” he told RMC Sport. “It’s between Kylian and me so I won’t comment about money or details.”

Interesting…

Liverpool’s list of unavailable players has stretched to double figures ahead of tonight’s League Cup clash with Fulham.

Of course, Mohamed Salah has exited to the Afica Cup of Nations while Wataru Endo is also on interntional duty for Japan.

Jurgen Klopp will be without Trent Alexander-Arnold for a number of weeks too thanks to a knee ligament injury and he is not the only one set to be sidelined with an issue.

A report from Football Insider says Liverpool are keeping tabs on Bayer Leverkusen right-back Jeremie Frimpong.

The 23-year-old only signed a fresh four-and-a-half year deal in October as he continues to impress for Xabi Alonso’s side, having recorded seven goals and 10 aissts in 22 matches this season.

BILD, though, says that the defender may have a release clause of just £35m so the player might not be as expensive as first thought.

Such a move could hint that Trent Alexander-Arnold will be morphed into a midfielder given the Netherlands interntional will be eager for guaranteed game time with other clubs likely to rival Liverpool for his signature.

The League Cup is Caoimhin Kelleher’s competition, as Jurgen Klopp regularly makes a point of saying when discussing opportunities for the Republic of Ireland international.

Kelleher has started nine of the Reds’ last 11 games in the tournament. Coincidentally, the most recent one in which he didn’t feature was the semi-final first leg at home to Arsenal two years ago, although Alisson Becker’s selection that night was primarily due to the Brazilian missing a number of games either side of the encounter.

Indeed, Kelleher was back in goal for the final against Chelsea, and produced a clutch of fine saves before netting what turned out to be the decisive penalty in the shoot-out. So if Klopp had faith in the 25-year-old then, why not now?

With Kylian Mbappe into the final six months of his Paris Saint-Germain contract, the rumour mill will start turning once again meaning Liverpool are bound to be linked with the France superstar.

He grabbed headlines when he seemed to be nearing an exit in 2022 before landing a bumper contract and has since refused to entertain an extension.

PSG president Nasser Al Khelaifi is not giving up on Mbappe’s future and as per RMC Sport (via The Athletic), Al Khelaifi said:

“I’m not going to hide that I want Kylian to stay. The best player in the world is Kylian and the best club for him is Paris. He is central to our project.”

“He has the best training centre in the world, the best coach in the world (Luis Enrique),” Al Khelaifi added. Every year he’s sure of playing in the Champions League, we’re in the last 16 at least, quarter-finals, even semi-finals or final, we’re there with the big clubs.”

The last thing Liverpool wanted. With Virgil Van Dijk ill and Mohamed Salah on his way to AFCON, Trent Alexander-Arnold took the armband against Arsenal.

However, he will not be doing so in tonight’s League Cup semi-final clash with Fulham, with the right-back set for a number of weeks on the sidelines with a knee ligament injury.

It weakens an already depleted defensive line, albeit Van Dijk is set to return to the fold this evening. Alexander-Arnold could be back for the visit of Chelsea on January 31.

Fabio Carvalho is on the cusp of a loan switch to Hull City having had his RB Leipzig stay ended early this month.

Hull chairman Acun Ilicali has confrimed that personal details have been agreed with the player ahead of his medical.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano claims that there is no option-to-buy clause and so is due back at Anfield in June.

That’s according to sports broadcaster and journalist Ben Jacobs.

Speaking exclusively to CaughtOffside, he says the Liverpool defenders have been discussed by Anfield legend Gerrrard, who is under pressure as Al Ettifaq after a miserable run in the Saudi Pro League.

Gerrard already has Jordan Henderson and Gini Wijnaldum among his ranks. And Jacobs said: “Ettifaq are exploring a range of ambitious options both in January and this summer to bolster Gerrard’s squad. Two Al-Ettifaq targets for this window are Fenerbahce’s Ryan Kent and Al-Hilal’s Abdulellah Al-Malki. Steven Gerrard was part of a three-hour recruitment meeting on Monday where Liverpool’s Joel Matip and Joe Gomez, and Villa’s Bertrand Traore, were also discussed for summer 2024.”

One option for Kylian Mbappe is to sign another new deal with Paris Saint-Germain.

The other is to move on a free transfer. Real Madrid have been long-term suitors and a report from France earlier this week suggested a deal had been struck.

However, a new report from ESPN, say no agreement has been reached although there remains contact between the two parties. The report also suggests that Madrid and Liverpool are the most likely destinations for Mbappe should he leave PSG on a free this summer.

Quotes emerged last night from Paris Saint-Germain big boss Nasser Al Khelaifi, who is clearly keen to keep Kylian Mbappe at the French capital club.

He said: “I see Kylian very happy now. I’ve never seen Mbappe being that happy. I’m confident on Mbappe situation as he’s French and he’s in Paris, captain of the national team, PSG vice-captain, playing for a top club.

“I trust Kylian Mbappe and I want to protect him. He’s a good guy and he won’t do anything negative against the club.”

Good morning all!

It’s another big night for Liverpool as they get set to take on Fulham in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg at Anfield.

We’ll have plenty of build-up to that match throughout the day here on our live blog.

But let’s start with the latest on Mr Kylian Mbappe and some gossip concerning two Reds defenders.