Kaoru Mitoma 'turned down' Liverpool to sign new Brighton deal

Kaoru Mitoma rejected interest from Liverpool to commit his future to Brighton and Hove Albion, according to a report.

The 26-year-old has developed into one of the Premier League's most feared wingers, scoring seven times and registering six assists in 2022/23 – his maiden season in England's top flight – as the Seagulls qualified for the Europa League.

The Japan international also scored a stoppage-time winner to dump Liverpool out of the FA Cup back in January.

As a result of his performances, Mitoma had been linked with a host of top clubs, including the Reds. However, on Friday, Brighton announced that their star man had signed a new contract running until 2027.

According to London World, Mitoma 'turned down advances from clubs across Europe to extend his stay at Brighton', referencing Liverpool as among those monitoring his situation.

As recently as last month, 90min reported that the Reds had been keeping tabs on the former Union Saint-Gilloise star, as his contract negotiations with Brighton continued.

Speaking earlier this year, Brighton CEO Paul Barber claimed that the Seagulls do not need to sell players to survive, but whether a new deal for Mitoma totally rules out the chances of a Liverpool deal down the line remains to be seen, given recent events.

Liverpool landed Alexis Mac Allister in a cut-price £35m deal from Brighton at the start of the summer, despite the World Cup winner signing new terms at the Amex Stadium just months before.

Meanwhile, the Reds also saw a big-money summer bid accepted for Moises Caicedo – another player who had only recently extended his contract – before the player ultimately signed for Chelsea.

The fact that Mitoma is predominantly a left winger, however, makes him a less likely target for Liverpool, with the Reds well-stocked in that area.

The right wing is a different story, though, and recent reports have claimed that the recruitment team are have made Bayern Munich's Leroy Sane a top target in the event of Mohamed Salah's departure next year.