Attacker Liverpool held 'talks' with eyed by Barcelona in surprise transfer

Liverpool are preparing for life under new manager Arne Slot. The Dutchman was picked as their replacement for Jurgen Klopp and he has the chance to put his own stamp on their squad over the next couple of months with the transfer window now open for business.

The Reds finished 3rd in the Premier League table last season behind Manchester City and Arsenal. Here is a look at some of the latest news and rumours relating to the club...

Winger latest

Liverpool ‘held talks’ with winger Jaden Philogene last summer before his move to Hull City, according to Anfield Watch. The 22-year-old, who is an England youth international, was given the green light to leave Aston Villa and subsequently dropped into the Championship.

His decision to step into the second tier has worked wonders for the Londoner. He became a key player for the Tigers last term and scored 12 goals in the league as they narrowly missed out on the play-offs under former boss Liam Rosenior, as well as chipping in with six assists.

In this latest update regarding his situation, Football Insider claim Barcelona are eyeing a shock swoop to try and lure him over to La Liga. They are in the hunt for some reinforcements in attack and could attempt to sign the attacker.

Philogene played for Aston Villa from 2018 to 2023 but only featured for their first-team competitively on six occasions. He was loaned out to Stoke City and Cardiff City in the Football League to get some experience under his belt before Hull City snapped him up and he hasn’t looked back since.

The East Yorkshire outfit are facing a real battle to keep hold of him as they gear up for life under new boss Tim Walter. The former Liverpool-linked man may well have a Champions League move on the horizon with Barca emerging as a possible next destination.

Midfielder update

Liverpool midfielder Tyler Morton played with Philogene at Hull in the last campaign. The 21-year-old enjoyed plenty of game time and is now due to return to Anfield for pre-season.

He has been linked with a few teams recently such as RB Leipzig, Leicester City and Atalanta. However, according to BBC Sport, Slot is eager to take a look at him before deciding whether to cash in.

Regarding his loan spell with the Tigers, Morton has said: “It takes time to get used to it, coming from academy football straight to the Championship. It’s like a whole different sport in my opinion.

“You’re playing against players who will smash you off the ball, you don’t get that in academy football! But it’s developed my game massively and puts you in a good stead for what you want in the future.”

He added: “It happened quite late, so it was hard because you don’t know if you’re here or there until the last minute. It’s tough not only for us but for our families too, but it’s football and that’s what we signed up for.

“We got told last minute and suddenly we’re driving to Hull – I’ve never been to Hull in my life – and I’m wondering where I’m going to stay. But that’s part of it and that’s why we love being footballers.”