Liverpool are reportedly set to receive a transfer bid from a surprise Premier League club for one of their defenders, a new report has claimed.
It was reported by talkSPORT on Tuesday that Trent Alexander-Arnold had agreed to join Real Madrid this summer upon the expiry of his Liverpool contract.
Real may have to pay a fee, though, if they want him to play in the 2025 Club World Cup, with squads having to be submitted by June 10 for the competition. Alexander-Arnold's Liverpool deal expires on June 30 and he can only join Los Blancos as a free agent after that date.
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But while Arne Slot's side will surely already be scouting for replacements, they may need to sign an additional defender that they hadn't planned for.
According to The Times, Carabao Cup winners Newcastle are planning to launch a £30 million bid for centre-back Jarell Quansah as they prepare for a return to European football - whether that be the Europa League or the Champions League.
The Magpies are said to believe that such a fee, plus add-ons, will convince Liverpool to sell, with the offer of more regular first team football said to appeal significantly.
Quansah started Liverpool's opening Premier League game of the season, a 2-0 win at Ipswich, but was substituted at half-time after struggling aerially and did not feature in another league game until December.
He has been in and out of the side since then, recently covering at right-back amid injuries to Alexander-Arnold, Conor Bradley and Joe Gomez.
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He also earned a call-up to Thomas Tuchel's first England squad, though did not play in either wins over Albania and Latvia in World Cup qualifying.
Right-back is a position Slot says he could see Quansah playing in more often - making it a potential double blow to Liverpool if the 22-year-old indicates he wants more first team football at Newcastle.
Speaking after the defender's England call-up, Slot told reporters: "In the last few times he had to play for us, it was in a position he is not completely used to as right full-back.
"But in my opinion, he has the quality to play in that position because he is strong, fast, very comfortable with the ball, and it gives us an extra quality if we play him."
Topics: Premier League, Liverpool, Transfers
Ryan Smart