Fabrizio Romano confirms Liverpool ‘really appreciate’ £40m Leeds star as Slot preps double Reds raid

Liverpool are stepping up their interest in Leeds United star Crysencio Summerville ahead of a possible summer approach, with Fabrizio Romano both confirming the links and the prospects of incoming new boss Arne Slot launching a thrilling double raid.

Following Jurgen Klopp‘s announcement he will step down as manager at the Anfield outfit at the end of the season – bringing to a close a hugely successful near nine-year stint at Merseyside where the German won the Champions League and Premier League, among other trophies – Liverpool have been searching for his successor.

Bayer Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso snubbed their advances, Sporting Lisbon’s Ruben Amorim was linked with the Reds but that fell by the wayside, and now it seems Feyenoord boss Slot will replace Klopp for the 2024/25 campaign.

While reports that Mohamed Salah could leave this summer in the wake of his touchline spat with Klopp over the weekend have been played down, the Reds do have one eye on the future with the Egyptian talisman turning 32 this summer and with some suggesting his better days are now behind him.

As a result, Liverpool have been looking for younger attacking talents to potentially bolster their front line.

And one such name that keeps cropping up is Leeds winger Summerville. The Netherlands Under-21 international has been a revelation for Daniel Farke’s men this term, winning the Championship Player of the Season award, and scoring 20 goals and bagging 10 assists in the process.

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Leeds will want to hold onto their prized asset but if they fail to secure an immediate promotion back to the Premier League, with the Whites currently second in the Championship but third-placed Ipswich Town are only behind them on goal difference and have a game in hand, it is highly likely the attacker will be heading to pastures new this summer.

Moreover, to stay in line with profit and sustainability rules, Leeds will probably be forced to sell some players in order to avoid a points deduction. If they go up, Summerville may stay at Elland Road but if they don’t, that weakens their negotiating hand and teams such as Liverpool may be able to get the Dutchman for a smaller fee.

Liverpool monitoring Leeds star

Now, Fabrizio Romano claims the former Feyenoord man, who joined Leeds in 2020 for a reported £1.3m after loan spells at FC Dordrecht and ADO Den Haag, has been closely monitored by Liverpool for a while now – certainly prior to the March arrivals of Michael Edwards as CEO and Richard Hughes as sporting director.

READ MORE: The six clubs all wanting to sign award-winning Leeds attacker Crysencio Summerville this summer

On his Here We Go Podcast, Romano said on Liverpool: “Centre-back – they will sign a player in that position. Then, looking at some opportunities for offensive players, and talented players. What I am hearing is true that Summerville at Leeds United is one of the players they are monitoring.

“They sent their scouts multiple times – even before [Michael] Edwards and [Richard] Hughes arrived at the club – to follow the progress of Summerville. So now, let’s see what Liverpool will decide to do. But the player is really appreciated.”

TEAMtalk understands Leeds rate Summerville in the £40m bracket but know, in the event the club do not secure promotion, will have their hand seriously weakened and could be forced to cash in for a fee some distance cheaper and potentially nearer the £30m mark.

Reds eye Virgil van Dijk partner

Slot and Liverpool are also seeking to shake up their centre-back options this summer with defender Joel Matip likely to be the first casualty of the Dutchman’s reign in that regard.

The 32-year-old – who signed on a free transfer in 2016 – is out of contract at the end of the season and it appears no new deal is coming his way.

With the Reds swapping between Ibrahima Konate and Jarrell Quansah at times to partner Virgil van Dijk, it seems they want another top quality centre-back to bolster their ranks.

The likes of Goncalo Inacio and Piero Hincapie have both been touted for a move. Both players, however, are more familiar with playing in a three-man central defence and it is likely that Slot will have his own ideas in mind.

Alongside CEO of football Michael Edwards and sporting director Richard Hughes, the three men will decide on whom to target this summer, though a potential clue emerged over the weekend when talented defender Lutsharel Geertruida, who has been key to Feyenoord’s success in the last few years, was spotted in the crowd at the London Stadium.

READ MORE: Major hint dropped over Arne Slot’s first Liverpool signing as Feyenoord star spotted at Reds game