Liverpool are in advanced talks with PSV Eindhoven to sign Cody Gakpo

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Liverpool are in advanced talks with PSV Eindhoven to sign Cody Gakpo. We’ll be providing you with the latest on the potential move right here.

There has been an update on the future of Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham amid frequent links with a move to Liverpool. Reports have also made claims about Napoli midfielder Eljif Elmas and Brighton forward Leandro Trossard.

Also stay tuned for any breaking developments in the potential sale of the club. In a statement sent to the ECHO, owners FSG maintain they are ‘fully committed’ to the ongoing success of Liverpool under Klopp but admit they are open to the possibility of further investment from elsewhere.

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Liverpool returned to Premier League action on Boxing Night with a hard-fought 3-1 win at Aston Villa.

After Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk had given the visitors a two-goal cushion at half time, the hosts responded with a header from Ollie Watkins before teenage substitute Stefan Bajcetic settled it late on with his first goal in English football.

But you knew all of that, of course. What you might have missed, however, are a series of intriguing subplots at Villa Park on a busy old night on the feast of St Stephen.

Liverpool returned to Premier League action on Boxing Night with a hard-fought 3-1 win at Aston Villa.

After Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk had given the visitors a two-goal cushion at half time, the hosts responded with a header from Ollie Watkins before teenage substitute Stefan Bajcetic settled it late on with his first goal in English football.

But you knew all of that, of course. What you might have missed, however, are a series of intriguing subplots at Villa Park on a busy old night on the feast of St Stephen.

Stefan Bajcetic has spoken of the ‘unbelievable’ feeling he felt after scoring his first professional goal in Liverpool’s victory over Aston Villa.

Coming on as a substitute at Villa Park, Bajcetic wrapped up victory for the Reds just minutes after he entered the field of play. His goal came in the 82nd minute.

“Unbelievable!” Bajcetic, who joined Liverpool from Celta Vigo in February 2021, told Liverpoolfc.com. “I just came on and tried to run and defend – that was my job.

“I saw Darwin running and I thought, ‘OK I have to go there.’ The ball came to me and I didn’t know what to do – I’m not used to scoring goals!

“I saw the long ball, I know how fast Darwin is and I know how good he is, so I knew he was going to get something on that ball. So I just got into the box, the ball came and I just scored.

“I just didn’t know what to do. I just thought [about] all the work I’ve done, how I’ve moved from Spain very young – that was tough – and it’s just paid off.”

Before he added: “I’ve been here for the whole season working and trying to learn and watch.

“Dubai was quite a good experience because I played in two games and got experience and confidence. Hopefully I can get more minutes and keep on working hard and learning.”

With a subtle wink and a knowing nod, Virgil van Dijk let the cat right out of the bag on Boxing Night at Villa Park.

No sooner had Liverpool’s players left the pitch after a hard-fought 3-1 Premier League victory, Van Dijk was dropping hints about what would be about to come for Reds fans.

“Hopefully the injured players can come back soon, and hopefully we can welcome some new players at our football club,” he said “We will see. I think that quality is always welcome at Liverpool.”

Benfica officials are reportedly fearful Newcastle could trigger Enzo Fernandez’s £105 million release clause.

That’s according to a report from Portuguese newspaper A Bola, who are reporting that Benfica President Rui Costa has turned down an initial offer from Newcastle for the midfielder.

The report goes on to claim that the Portuguese side rejected an £88million offer for midfielder last week in the hope a club would pay the full release clause.

As well as Newcastle United, Liverpool and Manchester United have also been linked with a January move for Fernandez.

Jude Bellingham remains Liverpool’s number one transfer target despite the club moving quickly on Monday to hijack Manchester United’s deal for attacker Cody Gakpo.

That’s according to a report by the Daily Mail, who are reporting that Bellingham will be free to decide his own future providing his contracted release clause is met, with Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool currently at the forefront of his thinking.

The report also claims that the 19-year-old could leave Germany for a cut-price deal with it believed that his contract at Dortmund contains an unconfirmed £60million release clause.

Liverpool last night agreed a deal to sign PSV star Cody Gakpo – but the Dutch had initally wanted to keep hold of the forward until the summer.

However, Ruud van Nistelrooy, the manager of PSV and former Manchester United forward, conceded the level of interest in the player meant a deal could happen in this window.

He said: “If I have the choice, I prefer the summer but it can also be now. There comes a time when you can’t say ‘no’.

“It is wonderful how he has showcased himself. I enjoyed watching him [at the World Cup]. He deserves this because of how he has behaved, how he has continued to work and perform.

“I’ve been able to help him from very close by and that makes me proud. I’ll give him his path when the time comes.”

Enzo Fernandez has addressed speculation surrounding his future amid links with Liverpool.

The Reds have been frequently linked with a move for the Benfica midfielder, who recently impressed at the World Cup.

It’s rumoured that the player has a release clause worth €‎120million (£106m) in his contract with Benfica. Reports have also suggested that Manchester United and Newcastle are also interested in signing the midfielder.

When asked about his future, Fernandez apparently played down the speculation linking him with a move to Liverpool.

“I don’t know anything about that,” said Fernandez, via Ge Globo.com. “It’s up to my agent, I don’t want to get involved.

“I’m focused on Benfica, in a few days we have an important game. I have a flight at night to play in the game on Friday.”

Here are some of our top stories on Cody Gakpo right now for your perusal:

No sooner had it been reported that Liverpool were closing in on Gakpo’s signing had PSV announced that the deal was happening.

And what’s more, the Dutch side said in a statement that the move would be a club record for them.

“PSV and Liverpool FC have reached an agreement on the upcoming transfer of Cody Gakpo,” the statement read.

The 23-year-old attacker will immediately leave for England where he will undergo the necessary formalities to complete the transfer.

“Both clubs are not making any announcements about the transfer fee.”

The statement then includes a quote from PSV chief Marcel Brands, who confirmed that the deal is a club-record fee received by the Dutch club. “But this is a record transfer for PSV,” Brands, a former Everton director of football, is quoted saying.”

Liverpool are in advanced talks with PSV Eindhoven to sign Cody Gakpo.

The Reds are keen to bolster their attacking options in the January window with Jurgen Klopp set to be without Luis Diaz until March and Diogo Jota until February and Gakpo is the primary target.

Talks between Liverpool and PSV have reached an advanced stage, having significantly stepped up in recent days. The ECHO understands the initial fee will be around the £37m figure with add-ons likely to take the deal well past the £40m mark.

Hello, good morning and welcome to our Liverpool live blog. It’s December 27th and the New Year is fast approaching.

And that means the January transfer window is just around the corner, as Liverpool continue to be linked with potential new signings.

Annnnnd, the Reds are also back in Premier League action and will now be preparing to face Leicester City on Friday night.

Stick with us for all the latest news throughout the day.

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