Liverpool ‘complete’ Jurgen Klopp’s $76m transfer as Steven Gerrard’s plan comes to fruition

Liverpool’s first transfer leg could be ‘closed and sealed’ by next month if everything is in place. Jurgen Klopp is back on track with a plan from Steven Gerrard.

Liverpool are about to officially destroy their Champions League dream. In the end, it was too late for Jurgen Klopp’s side and they are now gearing up for their first Europa League season since 2015/16.

It is positive that the transfer planning can now really accelerate. Even without a sporting director, plans have no doubt already been made in the background, but Klopp can now devote himself fully to the question of recruitment – hopefully soon alongside Jörg Schmadtke, whose appointment is expected in the course of next week (according to The Times).

Meanwhile, Klopp knows he can also find certain solutions from within his existing squad. The emergence of Curtis Jones, for instance, has been a major help over the past few weeks, and could help the manager pick up a Steven Gerrard plan that has long since been dormant.

Here are the two Liverpool.com stories from today that you shouldn’t miss.

$76m transfer ‘complete’

Links between Alexis Mac Allister and Liverpool are increasingly vociferous, and it seems a deal could now be all but done.

Argentine outlet TyC Sports (via Sport Witness) has gone as far as to declare the deal complete. And in the latest update, Fabrizio Romano has given a similarly sunny outlook:

“Liverpool wants to resolve the final details of Alexis Mac Allister deal as soon as possible to avoid competition; full agreement on personal terms is really close. Mac Allister’s plan is to leave Brighton early in the window, and the move could be done and sealed in June.”

Read the full story from Matt Addison here, which also contains an update on a Nigerian wonderkid.

Liverpool to unleash Steven Gerrard plan

Liverpool may never fully replace the talismanic presence of Gerrard. But that has not stopped the club from repeatedly trying in the years since he left.

Naby Keïta was handed the number eight shirt, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain arrived to play in midfield off the back of declaring his admiration for Gerrard. At Anfield last weekend, Liverpool said goodbye to both.

With Keïta, in particular, the plan was to acquire a midfielder who could do it all. While Gerrard set an impossibly high bar, the periods in which the Guinean has been fit have at least shown his all-action abilities. And in the last 10 games, Jones has proved to Klopp he can fulfill the same role.

Nobody is arguing he will be the next Gerrard, but he can at least be a more than adequate replacement for the last attempt at replicating the legend’s qualities, as Klopp continues to seek a player in that mold for his midfield.

Also.. 

Laliga giant Real Madrid make £44m Liverpool star top target to replace Mendy as Klopp pulls out of £70m race

Real Madrid are reportedly interested in signing Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson in the summer transfer window amid Ferland Mendy’s departure.

Robertson has once again been one of the Reds’ most consistent performers this season, although Jurgen Klopp’s men have underperformed in the Premier League by their standards.

He remains one of their key players but the Spanish press claim that Real Madrid are planning a summer move for the Scotland international.

The 29-year-old won the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup, Champions League and more in his six seasons at Anfield, with Robertson making 267 appearances in all competitions.

But Spanish publication Defensa Central (via Fichajes) says Robertson could move forward into the summer with Real Madrid “considering signing ‘the Scotsman’ to replace Ferland Mendy.”

Mendy is one of “several insecurities in the squad” with injuries, meaning Los Blancos will now “consider selling him if they get a good offer” for his services.

They claim that the Liverpool defender has been on Real Madrid’s ‘agenda for several years and his profile fits the tastes of the club’ and Robertson would be ‘willing to leave the club’ if they fail to qualify for the Champions League, which is looking extremely likely.

Robertson would cost around €45-50m (£39m-44m) which is ‘similar to what Real Madrid expects to receive for a possible sale of Mendy’ but the report adds that Liverpool will not let him ‘go easily’.

In more Liverpool transfer news, Nacional claim that Liverpool ‘were prepared to invest’ €80m (£70m) in Barcelona forward Ansu Fati in the summer transfer window.

However, despite Klopp initially making an ‘express request’ to the Reds board to sign him, Liverpool have now ‘completely forgotten’ about the 20-year-old and the Barcelona starlet has ‘disappeared from the agenda’.

Despite Liverpool potentially looking to add to their attack in the summer, Fati is ‘not among the options’ the Reds hierarchy are discussing with Fati even out of Barcelona plans.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta ‘wants to transfer Fati and try to obtain significant financial compensation, but there are no firm offers’ with their best bet still an offer from the Premier League.

Arsenal, Chelsea or Manchester United have also been linked with a move for the Spain international but Wolves are the only club ‘willing to host him’.