FABRIZIO ROMANO CLARIFIES REAL MADRID’S STANCE ON SELLING LIVERPOOL TARGET EDUARDO CAMAVINGA
Fabrizio Romano reveals Real Madrid's stance on Camavinga as Liverpool battles Man Utd for Maghnes Akliouche.
Liverpool is going head-to-head with Manchester United for a talented winger who could step in for Mohamed Salah. Meanwhile, Fabrizio Romano has weighed in on Real Madrid’s position regarding a possible sale of a major Liverpool midfield target.
With Salah officially confirming he’ll leave Anfield at the end of the season, Liverpool have agreed to let him go for free, waiving the final year of his contract as a mark of respect for what he’s done for the club.
RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande looks like the favourite to replace Salah. But Monaco’s Maghnes Akliouche has become a serious option, too.
Both Liverpool and United have ramped up their interest in Akliouche, recently sending scouts to watch him in Monaco’s 2-1 win over Marseille. Liverpool sees him as a real target after Salah’s departure, mainly because of his versatility, creativity, and potential for growth.
They’ve checked in on other top wingers like Michael Olise and Bradley Barcola, but Akliouche seems to be a more realistic option. Monaco is open to a sale, but wants about €70 million (about £61 million).
United, though, are now in the mix as well. So Liverpool has some competition for Akliouche, who tallied seven goals and eight assists in his 37 games this season.
On the Real Madrid front, French outlet L’Equipe claims the club could be willing to sell Eduardo Camavinga, a player Liverpool wants for their midfield. Romano responded, saying that while Madrid isn’t shoving Camavinga out the door, they would consider a strong offer from Liverpool.
Romano made it clear: Camavinga’s still a key part of Madrid’s plans, even if his form’s dipped a bit lately. Madrid doesn’t want to lose him unless a really attractive deal comes along. If no huge offer arrives, they simply keep him.
Some whispers suggest Camavinga could be available for as little as €50 million (£44 million), but the real price is likely to be closer to €70 million.
Back at Liverpool, Paul Joyce reports that FSG’s confidence in new boss Arne Slot will get tested soon, with a tough run of fixtures featuring PSG, Everton, Man United, Chelsea, and Aston Villa.
Journalist Pete O’Rourke even says Liverpool would be ready to sack Slot if things go sour and the atmosphere turns toxic.
Former player Steve Nicol has also changed his mind about Slot. Initially, he pushed back on the idea of bringing in Xabi Alonso, but now he admits that, given the current options, he’d go for Alonso if Slot departs. In Nicol’s eyes, if Slot leaves, Alonso wouldn’t be a bad solution; nobody else stands out as a better pick.
ALAN SHEARER DEMANDS CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TROPHY FOR ARNE SLOT TO KEEP JOB
Arne Slot under fire! See the Shearer vs Richards debate on The Rest Is Football podcast about Liverpool’s future.
Alan Shearer thinks Arne Slot needs to actually win the Champions League if he wants to stay in charge at Liverpool, but Micah Richards sees things differently. He says Slot deserves another season, no matter what happens.
Right now, Slot’s under real pressure. Liverpool’s Premier League title defence has been a mess. They got humiliated in the FA Cup, losing 4-0 to Manchester City, and things aren’t looking any better as they head to France to face PSG in the Champions League quarter-final. If they don’t win in Europe, they probably miss out on the Champions League next season at least, that’s how Shearer sees it, since their league form has been awful.
On The Rest is Football podcast, Shearer was blunt: “It’s crazy, especially after last season and all the money they’ve spent. It just hasn’t worked; they’re all over the place, so inconsistent. He has to win the Champions League. I’m not even sure finishing top five will be enough, and it’s just sad seeing how things have gone at Liverpool.”
Back in January, Shearer said he expected Slot to get sacked if he didn’t secure Champions League football for next year. There’s a small lifeline: the Premier League might get an extra Champions League spot through the coefficient rankings, but that’s not confirmed yet.
If that happens, fifth place gets you in. Liverpool is fifth right now, but the race is tight. Only five points separate them from ninth-place Fulham, and teams like Chelsea, Brentford, and Everton are waiting for any slip-ups, according to the Liverpool Echo.
Shearer’s convinced Slot is in trouble if he misses out on the top European competition. Richards, though, thinks the Dutchman’s earned more patience, especially after winning the league just last season.
Richards said, “I’d give him another season. I hate calling it a transition, and yeah, he’s spent a lot of money, but their main striker’s been out injured, there’s been tragedy in the club, the whole contract saga with Salah has been one thing after another. Give him one more pre-season. If things aren’t fixed by Christmas, then fine, make the change. Let’s not forget, he just won the Premier League.”
Shearer wasn’t buying it. He cut in: “That’s fine, but after winning the league, they’re miles off this season, even after all that spending. I hear what you’re saying about bad luck and circumstances, but this is Liverpool. They’re expected to win, and they’ve spent a fortune. They might not even finish in the top five, that’s why he has to win the Champions League.”
MOHAMED SALAH AND ALEXANDER ISAK RETURN FOR LIVERPOOL’S CLASH WITH MAN CITY
Liverpool receives a massive boost as Mohamed Salah and Alexander Isak return to training ahead of the Man City clash.
Liverpool head into a make-or-break stretch feeling hopeful, and no wonder Mohamed Salah and Alexander Isak are finally closing in on full fitness. With a big showdown against Pep Guardiola’s squad just around the corner, Arne Slot couldn’t have picked a better moment for some good news.
Salah and Isak are on the mend
Getting Salah and Isak back changes everything for Liverpool’s attack. Salah, who’s been out with a muscle injury, looks determined to return as soon as he can. Slot put it simply:
“He just does so much for his body for such a long time that he recovers so fast.”
You can see why people call Salah’s resilience legendary. The team needs it now more than ever as they try to steady a shaky title defence.
Isak’s recovery has been slower, but the Swedish striker finally joined team training after months out. Slot sounded upbeat:
“I think Alex is in a really good place because Sweden qualified for the World Cup yesterday evening, and apart from that, he’s going to train with the group again for the first time tomorrow.”
Attacking options are finally back
Liverpool’s attack has taken some hits lately. With Isak sidelined, Hugo Ekitike scored 16 goals in his first season, which isn’t too shabby. Still, Isak brings something different, and Slot knows it:
“It’s only his first session after three or four months, but it’s good to have him back. We all know we signed an incredible striker.”
Even if Isak eases in slowly, just having him available gives Liverpool a new edge. With Salah, Slot now has more firepower and flexibility up front. That could make a real difference in tight games.
Ongoing injury headaches
Of course, it’s not all perfect. Injuries keep disrupting the squad, especially in defence and between the posts. Jeremie Frimpong still needs more assessment after picking up a knock on international duty, and Alisson isn’t back yet. At least Federico Chiesa has returned to training, though Slot says they’re being careful:
“Alisson will be out for a bit longer, and Federico indeed came back from the national team, where he wasn’t able to play.”
So Liverpool still has to juggle absences and keep things steady, even as they get creative up front.
Huge weeks ahead
Liverpool sits fifth in the table after a rough title defence, so the next few weeks are massive. Getting Salah and Isak back might be the spark they need to turn things around.
Slot’s team has kept creating chances, but hasn’t always finished them off. These attacking reinforcements could flip that script quickly.
Liverpool has a shot to change their story this season, and the timing feels right. At this stage, if you’ve got fitness, form, and a bit of belief, sometimes that’s all you need. For Liverpool, maybe this is the moment where it all clicks.
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