Liverpool are interested in a £75m Premier League star to help Andoni Iraola strengthen a key position.
Liverpool is planning a surprising move to strengthen one of Andoni Iraola’s weaker spots on the team. After a slow start to the transfer window, the Reds are now picking up the pace with just over two weeks left before it closes.
So far, Liverpool has signed only two players this summer: Victor Munoz, who joined from Osasuna for £34.5 million, and Ronald Araujo, who came on a season-long loan from Barcelona just recently.
But the club wants more new players. Iraola is eager to bring in fresh talent to help the team succeed at Anfield right away. Their top target in attack is Bradley Barcola, though Paris Saint-Germain’s £145 million price makes a move tricky. Finding a winger to challenge Rio Ngumoha and Cody Gakpo is a big priority, and signing a right-back is also high on the list.
Since Trent Alexander-Arnold left for Real Madrid last summer, Liverpool has had trouble filling the right-back spot. Dominik Szoboszlai often had to cover last season because Jerome Frimpong and Conor Bradley missed games due to injuries. Frimpong is currently the main choice, but he’s better suited to playing wing-back. That’s why Liverpool is interested in Chelsea’s Malo Gusto.
According to Chelsea insider Simon Phillips, Liverpool, along with Tottenham, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City, really like Gusto. However, Chelsea’s £75 million price tag is a big hurdle. Man City recently walked away from talks because they didn’t want to pay that much.
Phillips also mentioned that Chelsea might be willing to lower the price since Gusto wants to leave Stamford Bridge. Over the last four months, the French defender has pushed for a move.
Gusto played 34 Premier League games last season but has dropped down the pecking order after Chelsea signed Marco Palestra from Atalanta for £47 million. Palestra is expected to compete with Reece James for right wing-back or midfield spots under coach Xabi Alonso, which could limit Gusto’s chances this season.
Chelsea signed Gusto as a 19-year-old from Lyon in January 2023 for £35 million. Since then, he has become one of the Premier League’s most promising defenders. He can play right-back or wing-back in various systems and has made 134 appearances for Chelsea in all competitions, scoring three goals and assisting 17.
Gusto’s amazing speed, toughness, and attacking skills would make him strong competition for Frimpong at Anfield. The main challenge for Liverpool is Chelsea’s high asking price. But if it comes down, Gusto might be tempted to join Iraola’s exciting new project.