Liverpool can seal bargain transfer for player who was once 'blocked' from joining Everton

Liverpool have shown an interest in a player who was once 'blocked' from joining Everton almost six years ago.

The start of the Premier League season is less than two weeks away, and Liverpool still have plenty to do in the transfer market before travelling to Newcastle United on August 23.

Victor Munoz, the 23-year-old winger signed from Osasuna in a £34.5 million deal, remains their only permanent capture this summer. Meanwhile, the Reds have completed a season-long loan move for Barcelona centre-back Ronald Araujo with an option to buy for €55m (£47.14m).

Andoni Iraola's desire to strengthen his defence was greater than ever as the Spaniard had just one fit senior centre-back, and that was Virgil van Dijk, who recently returned to Liverpool after his World Cup exertions.

Joe Gomez, Giovanni Leoni and Jeremy Jacquet are all sidelined with injuries, making Araujo's arrival perfect timing - and he isn't the only defender potentially heading to Anfield.

According to Italian outlet Quotidiano Sportivo, Liverpool are also interested in AC Milan centre-back Fikayo Tomori alongside Newcastle United and Premier League newcomers Coventry City.

Tomori was recently excluded from the Milan squad that lost 3-0 to Chelsea, and it is believed that Ruben Amorim is open to parting ways with the Englishman, who doesn't boast the ball-playing attributes the Portuguese boss desires.

Get Football News Italy state that the Serie A giants want around €15m (£12.8 million) for the 28-year-old, and that is potentially a bargain for a player who has made 214 appearances for the Italian side since joining in a £25 million transfer from Chelsea in 2021.

In a disappointing campaign for AC Milan last term, Tomori still played a starring role in defence, accumulating 37 appearances across all competitions as his side finished fifth in Serie A - a whopping 17 points behind title winners Inter Milan.

The Englishman will soon hold discussions with his agent about moving on from Milan, with his current deal expiring in June 2027, and a return to the Premier League with Liverpool could be the ideal destination.

Fikayo Tomori was once 'blocked' from joining Everton

A product of Chelsea's academy, Tomori made 27 first-team appearances for the Blues before moving to Milan five years ago.

Like many who graduate through Cobham, the defender certainly dealt with his fair share of hardship - including in the 2020/21 campaign - when he made just one substitute appearance.

Indeed, Tomori was made to sit on the bench throughout a campaign that ended with Champions League glory against Manchester City, but the talented centre-back was still left frustrated after his loan move to Everton was 'blocked' by then-manager Frank Lampard in 2020.

"It was so frustrating. 2020, football-wise, was very, very difficult, especially after the way 2019 had gone for me playing games," Tomori said in 2021.

"From being at 100 to literally going down to zero and then not knowing the reason why it had gone to zero, it was very challenging.

"I was thinking that after the way the previous six months had gone, the best thing for me to do was to go on loan and get some games and come back to Chelsea with a full season in the Premier League behind me.

"I was ready to go and I wasn’t allowed to because the manager said I was in his plans.

"Then, a few hours before the deadline, I got a call saying the manager had said I could go to West Ham and it was a shock because this hadn’t been in the conversation at all.

"I like to think I’m pretty logical and I think things through and, together with my dad and my agent, my plan had been that if Everton didn’t happen, I had to be prepared to stay at Chelsea.

Six years on from almost joining Everton, there's a chance Tomori could turn out for Liverpool next season.