We round up the latest Liverpool news and transfer rumours on Tuesday, as preparations continue for the Reds’ Premier League opener against Norwich.
Today’s Main Headlines
- The state of play as Wilson & Kent face big talks
Will either youngster be at Liverpool this season?
- Gear up for the new season with 23 minutes of LFC goals
A great collection of Premier League strikes.
- Grabara’s first taste of English football ends in defeat
Liverpool loanee still impresses, though.
- 10 new rules being introduced for the Premier League in 2019/20
Handballs, subs & much more.
Reina Was “Very Keen” on Reds Return
As soon as Simon Mignolet‘s Liverpool departure was announced, there were immediate calls for Pepe Reina to make an emotional return to Anfield.
The Reds have ended up bringing in Adrian as Alisson‘s new deputy, however, seeing him as the superior option moving forward.
During a Q&A for The Athletic, James Pearce confirmed that Reina was “very keen to come back”, but a move was never on the cards.
The 36-year-old was an enormously popular figure at Liverpool between 2005 and 2014, making 394 appearances and winning one FA Cup and League Cup apiece.
His best days are behind him, though, and while it would have been heartwarming to see him return, bringing in Adrian makes more sense.
City Beat Liverpool to Youngster
Man City have beaten Liverpool to the signing of Aston Villa teenager Kane Taylor, according to the Telegraph.
The 14-year-old is described as “one of the most highly rated teenagers in the country” and the Reds were reportedly “especially keen” and “made efforts to persuade him” to join.
Taylor, a left-footed midfielder, was also being monitored by Man United, Chelsea and Arsenal, but he has opted for the reigning Premier League champions.
It is a blow for Liverpool, who pride themselves on acquiring top young British talent, and further highlights the quality that exists at City’s renowned academy.
Melwood Photocall Hints at Youngsters’ Involvement
Six Liverpool youngsters were all present at Liverpool’s first-team photocall at Melwood on Monday.
The players in question were Ki-Jana Hoever, Sepp van den Berg, Adam Lewis, Yasser Larouci, Harvey Elliott and Bobby Duncan, perhaps hinting at their involvement this season.
Speaking to LiverpoolFC.com about the particularly promising Hoever, Jurgen Klopp lauded the Dutchman’s promise:
“Ki-Jana is a wonderful kid and a sensational young player who can learn so much.
“Especially in the Napoli game when he came on, on the left side, it was maybe his best 15 minutes in the pre-season.
“You can [forget their age] from time to time, especially the physical demands were really heavy for him to take. You forget so quickly these boys are so young.
“He’s still 17, it’s just crazy. But everything will be fine, he’s a fantastic footballer and I’m really happy that we have him for longer.”
On the flip side, there was no sign of Harry Wilson and Ryan Kent at the photocall, both of whom have been tipped to leave Liverpool this summer, nor Nat Phillips or Curtis Jones.
Nathaniel Clyne and Paul Glatzel were not present either, but both are currently nursing long-term injuries, possibly explaining their absence.
Millar Extends Kilmarnock Stay
Liam Millar will continue his growth as a player at Kilmarnock in 2019/20, having signed a season-long loan deal with the club.
The 19-year-old enjoyed a solid stint at the Scottish Premiership side in the second half of last season, joining in January.
Although Millar only managed to score once in 14 appearances for Killie, he clearly did enough to warrant them extending his stay at Rugby Park.
Kilmarnock face a trip to Hamilton on Saturday afternoon and the Canadian youngster will hope to feature.
Karius Suffers Thigh Injury
Besiktas have confirmed that Loris Karius will miss approximately a month of action with a thigh injury.
Liverpool’s on-loan goalkeeper suffered the problem in a pre-season clash with Brescia, meaning he will miss the start of the Turkish Super Lig season.
Karius is continuing to recover from his disastrous end to life at Anfield, when his mistake-laden performance in the 2018 Champions League final against Real Madrid cost the Reds dearly.
This is hopefully only a minor setback for the 26-year-old, albeit a frustrating one.
U23s Discover PL International Cup Opponents
Liverpool under-23s will play in the Premier League International Cup this season, which sees 12 Premier League 2 sides and a dozen U23 teams from European academies split into six groups of four.
The young Reds have been drawn against PSG, Athletic Club and Wolves in their group, making for an eclectic mix of opponents.
The dates and venues for the ties have not yet been announced, but should be in the near future.
The winners of each group will be joined in the quarter-finals by the two strongest second-placed sides—every group game and knockout clash will take part in the UK.
FA to Broadcast Every WSL Game
Women’s Super League matches will be shown live on a new platform in 2019/20, BBC Sport have confirmed.
The Football Association’s FA Player will provide live coverage of more than 150 domestic women’s games throughout the campaign, in an exciting new venture.
Highlights of England Women’s games and the Women’s FA Cup will also be available, while the BBC will continue to show one live WSL match each week on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.
It is another positive move in terms of making the women’s game accessible for the wider footballing public, as it grows all the time.
The Liverpool FC Women begin their campaign at home to Reading on September 8.
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