Liverpool have a full week to prepare for their next game against Tottenham, so news has turned to off-pitch matters – starting with the new kit deal announcement with Nike.
Nike kit deal finally confirmed
Big news was confirmed early on Tuesday, as Liverpool and Nike announced their new partnership.
As of this summer, Nike will be the Reds’ kit supplier on a “multi-year deal” which will earn the Reds an expected total amount bigger than any other Premier League club.
The full details of the agreement are here, though it’s worth noting that due to the start date, we won’t play the final game of this season in a new strip.
It’s great news for the club that the New Balance court case has come to an end with a positive outcome, and now plans can push on for the distribution network to come into effect which will really benefit the Reds.
And let’s hope it’s a stunner of a kit they produce in year one!
Todd Cantwell a summer target for Reds
The Reds have a fantastic record of identifying the right players to make a difference over the past few years.
It’s likely we’ll see a whole host of new faces linked between now and the end of the summer window, but Norwich‘s Todd Cantwell is an intriguing one.
The attacking midfielder clearly has plenty of talent and is very much adept at breaking into the box from the second line – but he also often plays as a No. 10, which Klopp’s side doesn’t usually incorporate.
Speaking on his podcast for The Athletic, David Ornstein says Cantwell is well up on the Reds’ radar and they are thinking of him as a potential summer candidate.
Perhaps he’s seen as a possible successor to Adam Lallana as an offensive-minded midfielder who can drop deeper into the No. 8 role? Alternatively, a buy and season out on loan might make sense to keep his progression going.
Or it could just be one of hundreds who we look at, take notes of, and go no further with.
Fitness news and more kit fallout
- New boy Takumi Minamino is ready for more and says the derby was one of the most intense games he has played in
- The Reds expect the squad to be boosted by the returns from injury of two seniors this week, including Fabinho
- And some ‘concept kits’ are already flying about after the confirmation of the Nike deal
Quickfire LFC news
- From last night’s draw, the Reds will face Bristol City or Shrewsbury away in the FA Cup fourth round, while LFC Women will play Blackburn in the Women’s FA Cup fourth round
- Trabzonspor’s president has, for the 56th time in the last six months, claimed the Reds have made an offer for goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir (FourFourTwo)
- And in further recurring transfer news, the Reds are mentioned as one of several following Ben White – but we’re not expected to follow-up that interest this month (Sky Sports)
- The Reds have been beaten to the signing of 16-year-old Barcelona striker Louie Barry, who is heading to Aston Villa (ESPN)
Around the Prem
- Chelsea paid £26 million to sack Antonio Conte and his coaching staff (Independent)
- Danny Drinkwater is swapping a Burnley loan for a Villa loan AND they’re paying him £110k a week (Mail)
- And Man United will rival Inter Milan for the £17m signing of 32-year-old Arturo Vidal from Barcelona, fitting that nice new youth profile approach of theirs (Corriere della Sera)
Stupid comment of the day
Alan Shearer has weighed in on Minamino and suggests that his £7.25m price tag means it’ll be very difficult for him to become a first-team player for the Reds.
Just as it has been for £7m Robertson, £3.5m Gomez, free transfer Matip, academy graduate Trent…
Tweet of the day
Good luck to #SadioMane and #MoSalah at tonight's #CAFAwards2019 ?? pic.twitter.com/SoKYMxHCav
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 7, 2020
What we’re reading
Miguel Delaney writes in the Independent exactly what the Premier League will be welcoming next season, if Marcelo Bielsa finishes the job and brings Leeds up.
And looking further afield, the Guardian examine what we can expect from the second half of Ligue 1, home to a few players who have been linked with the Reds of late.
Worth watching tonight
Easy one – United against City in the League Cup semi-final. 8pm kick-off on Sky Sports.
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