In a move that could see them skip out the likes of Brighton & Hove Albion, Liverpool have reportedly joined the race to sign an impressive South American wonderkid.
Van Dijk: It's "clear" Liverpool must improve
Returning from the international break looking to return to winning ways for the first time in three games, against rivals Manchester United no less, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has admitted that the Reds must improve.
The Dutchman also praised the Red Devils, sending a warning to the rest of his teammates about the threat that they pose even after getting off to a difficult start to the campaign, themselves.
“It’s pretty clear that we have to improve, offensively, defensively, in possession, set-pieces but the matter of fact that in total, we won seven out of 10 and we still have so much to improve.
“You can put it the other way and put into perspective that if we improve those things, it could be a very special season. We know how the world works, we know there’s a lot of noise, analysis on certain things, it’s down to us to focus on the target ahead.”
For Arne Slot, it’s an unfamiliar position.
The Dutchman only knows winning ways in Merseyside after securing the Premier League title in his debut campaign last time out. Now, for the first time, the pressure is on him to turn Liverpool’s £400m summer spending spree into a side capable of defending that title.
Anfield chiefs rarely panic on that front, however, and will instead have their sights set on further improvements.
After smashing their transfer record twice in the summer to welcome Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes have reportedly shifted their focus towards a wonderkid.
Liverpool join Ian Subiabre race
As reported by The Boot Room’s Graeme Bailey, Liverpool have now joined the race to sign Ian Subiabre alongside Arsenal, Manchester City and a number of other Premier League rivals.
The youngster is one of the most promising stars that South American football has to offer, and is reportedly ready to move on from River Plate in 2026.
“To be fair to him and his family, I am told that he has not been pushing to leave early, despite seeing many of his contemporaries moving on,” said Bailey.
“Speaking to scouts and clubs, the belief is now that we see Subiabre move in 2026. It is likely in the summer, but don’t be surprised if someone gets a deal done in January.”
Described as a “direct dribbler” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Subiabre would be an excellent coup for Liverpool, especially in January if a winter move does indeed become possible.
Whether it’s been those at Anfield in the case of Alexis Mac Allister or Chelsea with Moises Caicedo, a number of top Premier League sides have missed out on bargain deals for South American stars before paying a premium price to the likes of Brighton to secure those same players.
The Reds could now skip that step by landing a repeat of Man City’s Claudio Echeverri deal for Subiabre next year.
While Subiabre’s deal is due to expire at the end of 2026, reports from his homeland suggest the 18-year-old is actually ready to renew his deal until 2028 — giving River Plate the chance to recuperate a larger fee for him.
This proposed fresh contract, if officially announced, would include a whopping £74 million release clause.
Liverpool will be praying this isn’t the case, and Subiabre pulls a ‘Trent’ by running his current deal down.
If not, Slot’s side would have to fork out much more money for the Argentine, albeit maybe not as high as the clause.
