The offseason has now arrived for Liverpool, as the Reds won’t be reunited again until training camp in July. However, it’s going to be a very busy summer, and certainly an exciting transfer window at Anfield, with a whole lot of topics to discuss.
Today is another active news day, so let’s take a spin through the headlines.
-Mohamed Salah, despite being injured, made the final cut for the Egypt national team’s World Cup squad. He faces a race against time to be fit enough to play, but of course the Pharaohs were going to include him as he currently the face of their franchise.
The latest recovery timetables for Salah project him to very likely missing the first match of group play, iffy for the second, but with a good chance of playing in the third.
-Now on to Liverpool’s current main transfer target, Lyon forward Nabil Fekir, someone we have heard a lot about despite nothing really substantial happening as of yet in regards to this potential transaction. Well, it turns out this transfer saga could drag out longer.
What’s the hold-up? Well, as the Liverpool Echo writes: “Introducing Jean-Michel Aulas, the wily, awkward, cantankerous long-time president of Lyon. Not for nothing does he possess the reputation of being one of the most fiercely difficult negotiators in European football.”
Additionally, Fekir’s agent, Jean-Pierre Bernes, is currently playing hardball in the negotiations.
“I haven’t moved from Marseille, I’m with my family, but I’m going to be clear: we’ll go to Liverpool or elsewhere with Nabil only when there is an agreement with Lyon and if Jean-Michel Aulas gives me the green light,” Bernes said in an interview with Le Progres.
“There is interest from Liverpool, but for the moment, there’s nothing done and other clubs could also come along. This transfer window could be long.”
Obviously, Bernes and Aulas are playing hard to get, trying to get as much money as possible.
Finally, we had an Anfield reunion this past weekend during Brazil’s 2-0 win over Croatia at Liverpool’s home ground. The Daily Mail has photos and more at this link. The publication writes: “Familiar faces in Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho graced the Liverpool pitch as they joked and smiled ahead of their friendly with Croatia on Sunday.”
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV and the Tribune company’s blogging community Chicago Now.
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