Liverpool face £70m race as deadline day inches closer

Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

Liverpool face a £70 million race to complete their business.

Clubs have until Monday, Oct. 5 at 11 p.m. BST to get their deals done and Reds’ sporting director Michael Edwards has a lot of work to do.

Elite teams around the world are trying to get their ducks in a line and snap up any deal this strange, polarised transfer window has to offer.

We’ve seen some sides operate with extreme caution, while others (*cough cough Chelsea cough cough*) have thrown their cash around and had a look at what sticks.

Liverpool are in an excellent position and could really reap the benefits of some good old fashioned deadline day desperation – to the tune of £70 million.

Edwards has negotiated from a position of strength and we could reap the rewards of that in the next few days.

Rhian Brewster has already been sold for £23.5 million, but with favourable terms attached. Liverpool can buy him back for a fixed price at any point in the next three years, and will be entitled to 15% of the fee Sheffield United sell him for – said the Echo.

Xherdan Shaqiri was left out of the loss against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup due to transfer interest in him; the Mirror wrote that any deal involving the Swiss international could be worth up to £20  million. Two clubs are interested in him, said the tabloid.

Harry Wilson featured against the Gunners but is wanted by Burnley. They’re keen on the Welsh international, said Lancs Live, but their £12 million isn’t near what Liverpool want for him.

No matter, because the report also quoted Goal, who reckon Southampton, Fulham, Newcastle and Leeds fancy the forward. That deal could be worth £15-20 million.

So what have we got so far?

Shaqiri: £20m

Wilson: £15m

Brewster (done deal): £23.5m

= £58.5m

There’s one last piece of the puzzle, and that’s a man who is almost too good to leave but that makes it criminal that Klopp keeps him around without any prospect of game time.

Of course, this man is Marko Grujic; who was excellent against Arsenal and Lincoln City. TalkSport reported that Southampton and West Ham want the Serbian, who would cost around £18 million.

If that move went through, Liverpool would bank £76.5 million from the last week of the transfer window – which would give them an overall outgoing value of £89.7 million and leave the club in profit for another trading period.

Of course, three of those moves still need to be completed. The £70 million deadline day race is truly on.