Liverpool news and transfers LIVE – Marc Guehi link, James Maddison opportunity, Alexis Mac Allister latest

Liverpool reportedly sent scouts to watch Manuel Ugarte play on Sunday night.

Interest from Anfield in the Sporting Lisbon midfielder, 22, appeared to have been cooled – while the ECHO understands that he’s not on the list of possible summer targets for the Reds.

However, reports from Record argue Liverpool are still front-runners for his signature with Aston Villa and Chelsea also monitoring Ugarte’s situation. His release clause is understood to be around €60m (£53m) – but will the Uruguayan touch down in the Premier League?

Eberechi Eze refused to be drawn on reports linking him with Liverpool when quizzed on his Crystal Palace future.

The 24-year-old has been in fine form this season for the Eagles, scoring ten times in the Premier League and registering four assists. Such individual quality has helped lift Palace away from the bottom three, having flirted with relegation earlier on this term.

Signed from Queens Park Rangers in 2020 for a reported £17million fee, Eze has bridged the gap from the Championship to the top-flight and has formed a special partnership with fellow EFL graduate Michael Olise – signed from Reading the same summer he arrived.

Asked whether he is playing the best football of his career to date, Eze told the Evening Standard: “Yeah probably. I feel like I’ve got the freedom to play, to do my thing. I’m just happy to be enjoying my football.”

On reports linking him with Liverpool and other clubs, he added: “I’m not really too bothered about that. I’m just focusing on the present. I want to continue enjoying it and contributing to the team as much as I can. I’m improving every game.”

Liverpool are understood to have entered the race for Crystal Palace defender, Marc Guehi.

The English centre-back joined the Eagles from Chelsea for £18million in 2021 and has impressed during his stay at Selhurst Park.

Such performances have resulted in Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur showing interest in the 22-year-old, with Liverpool also said to be in the frame.

The Daily Mail claim Guehi could cost as much as £50million should Palace cash in.

Brighton CEO Paul Barber gave little away when quizzed on the future of midfielder Alexis Mac Allister.

The World Cup winner has been strongly linked with a move to Liverpool in recent weeks, with one reportfrom the player’s home country suggesting on Sunday an agreement between the two clubs is in place ahead of the new season.

Quizzed specifically on Mac Allister’s future during an interview with talkSPORT, Barber refused to shed light on the potential of the Argentina international heading for the exit door.

“I saw him down on the pitch looking very happy and obviously we want him to be here next season. Obviously we know there’s going to be a lot of clubs, not just in this country, around Europe and around the world, that are going to be wanting him to play for them. But, at the moment he’s wearing blue and white stripes and I’m delighted about that.”

Leicester City are likely to face ‘cut-price offers’ for both Harvey Barnes and James Maddison should they suffered relegation, it has been suggested.

The Foxes are battling to remain in the division with two games remaining in their campaign and will take on Newcastle United this evening before facing West Ham United on the final day.

A Daily Mail report has claimed Barnes and Maddison are ‘set to be sold’ at the end of this term and are ‘unlikely’ to receive the prices they have in mind for the attacking pair.

The Dutch youngster has spent this season on loan in the Bundesliga with Schalke. However, the defenders’ progress was halted by a serious ankle injury which required surgery.

Despite going under the knife to the mend the problem, he remained in Gelsenkirchen with the Royal Blues as they continue to fight to stay in the German top-flight after their first season back in the Bundesliga.

He has managed just seven appearances this season but three of them have came in the recent weeks after returning to the first-team. He has played the entirety of their last two games against Mainz and Bayern Munich as Van den Berg looks to make a late claim for the U21s squad for the Championships in Romania and Georgia.

“I get messages regularly,” the 21-year-old said in an interview with German outlet WAZ. “There were especially many after the games against Bremen and Mainz. Assistant coach Pepijn Lijnders also congratulated me. But I’m not in daily contact with Liverpool officials now.

For the full story, click here.

Arsenal are set to rival Liverpool for the services of Mason Mount.

The Chelsea midfielder is among the long list of midfielders to have been linked with the Reds in recent weeks and could well be on his way out of Stamford Bridge as the Londoners look to complete an overhaul of their squad.

A latest update on the England international by the Athletic has explained the Gunners are ‘determined to sign the 24-year-old, along with Declan Rice, as they seek ‘creativity in a more advanced position’.

Liverpool are reportedly in talks with Brighton over Alexis Mac Allister’s transfer fee, it has been claimed.

The Argentine midfielder is a player of interest for the Reds and a recent claim from the homeland of the World Cup winner suggested a deal was all but done.

A latest update on the matter from Football Insider has explained the two clubs are discussing ‘how to structure a fee’ at present, with a release clause in Mac Allister’s contract expected to soon ‘become active.’

Virgil van Dijk doesn’t reckon an expected absence from next season’s Champions League will hamper what Jurgen Klopp can do when the transfer market reopens. Meanwhile, the Liverpool defender admits he’s excited for the next chapter at Anfield as a critical summer now draws closer for Klopp and departing sporting director Julian Ward.

Read the full story here >>>

Liverpool will visit Southampton in their Premier League finale.

Here are the early betting odds from Bet365 before that meeting;

Southampton win – 6/1

Draw – 7/2

Liverpool win – 2/5

*Odds were correct at 21:00 on May 21. Subject to change.

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