Liverpool transfer news today: Gundogan AVAILABLE, Branthwaite LATEST, Zubimendi DECISION

Here’s our roundup of all the latest Liverpool transfer news on Monday August 19, 2024 with updates on Ilkay Gundogan, Martin Zubimendi, Jarrad Branthwaite and Giorgi Mamardashvili.

We did not expect to be giving you this news this Monday afternoon - Liverpool have been handed another potential solution to their midfield transfer hunt - from a very unlikely source.

Barcelona midfielder Ilkay Gundogan is apparently available for transfer this month, a little more than a year after leaving Treble winners Man City for Camp Nou.

Barca, per Fabrizio Romano and a host of other sources, are willing to let Gundogan leave Catalonia this summer, and that is sure to awaken interest from Premier League clubs with the 33-year-old German international a proven commodity on these shores.

A return to City would of course prove popular, but it would not be surprising to see other clubs showing interest. Watch this space.

Branthwaite to Liverpool? Explaining those rumours

There has never been any credible insight to back up rumours linking Liverpool with a move for Everton's Jarrad Branthwaite, so why should we believe the latest frenzy?

The 22-year-old Toffees centre-back is seen as one of the hottest young talents in the country, a player former Reds boss Jurgen Klopp openly admired in the latter part of his Anfield reign.

And with Virgil van Dijk heading into the final year of his current Anfield contract, and Joe Gomez apparently about to depart Merseyside, you can kind of see why the rumours are coming up again.

On Sunday night bookmakers including Sky Bet and bet365 released updates saying they were slashing their odds for Branthwaite what would be a highly controversial move across Stanley Park - with the latter saying they have him odds-on at 4/5 from 8/1 to be a Liverpool player at the end of the current transfer window.

Intriguing stuff, but for now, we are not believing any of it. If Richard Hughes and the Anfield brains trust would not pay out £50m for a potentially generational talent like Leny Yoro, are they really going to pony up £30m on top for Branthwaite?

READ MORE: Explained, how betting on football transfers REALLY works

Romano's Reds update as deadline moves closer

Less than two weeks remain until the summer transfer window closes and Liverpool are "exploring options" as Arne Slot aims to bolster his squad, according to top transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano.

It's well documented that the Merseyside giants are yet to make a single signing this summer. They are the only Premier League club in this predicament and suffered a blow earlier in the week when Martin Zubimendi rejected a move in order to stay at Real Sociedad.

Having said that, there's still time for acquisitions to be made. Amid links with Giorgi Mamardashvili, Liverpool have been tipped to sign Sporting CP defender Goncalo Inacio, whilst talk of a move for Anthony Gordon refuses to go away despite a deal breaking down earlier in the summer.

At a time where supporters can get rather nervous as deadline day fast approaches, Romano has stated that patience is required after revealing what is on the Reds' radar - aside from the Valencia goalkeeper - ahead of August 30.

"There’s the Giorgi Mamardashvili story still on for the future, for 2025; then for sure we could see some movement for the final two weeks this summer," Romano said in his Daily Briefing.

"Liverpool are exploring options, it could be on different positions, so there’s movement and there could be things to happen these two weeks.

"There are no concrete names to mention yet, so Liverpool fans will have to be patient, but they’re exploring possibilities and I will update you as soon as I can."

Joe Gomez could leave Liverpool this month

Joe Gomez is not in the Liverpool squad to face Ipswich Town on Saturday in their Premier League opener. The defender is considering his future.

The Times reports that Joe Gomez did not travel with the Liverpool squad to face Ipswich Town on Saturday. The fixture will be Arne Slot's first competitive game as the Reds' head coach after taking over from Jurgen Klopp in the summer.

This comes months after Anfield Watch exclusively revealed that Gomez could leaveLiverpool this summer. He was then offered to Newcastle United as part of a deal that would have seen Anthony Gordon come the other way.

That deal collapsed but it was made clear that the defender was disposable this summer. He's down the pecking order - and could now decide to move away.

Zubimendi nears major career decision

Liverpool’s major summer transfer target is now on the brink of signing a contract after a highly publicised chase from the Reds. Martin Zubimendi is staying put.

Diario Vasco reports that Martin Zubimendi is very close to signing his new contract with Real Sociedad. The player hasn't actually committed his future to the Basque club but is expected to do so imminently.

This has been one of the biggest stories in football, of course. Zubimendi was the subject of intense interest from Liverpool, who had the impression that he was finally willing to leave Sociedad after years of rejecting other clubs.

Mamardashvili rules blocker threatens £35m deal

Liverpool's short-term plan if they get a deal for Giorgi Mamardashvili over the line has hit a major stumbling block.

The goalkeeper has been identified by the Reds as the perfect long-term successor to Alisson Becker and recent reports have gone as far to suggest a deal in the region of £35million has been agreed in principle with La Liga outfit Valencia.

Now an interesting note with regard to this potential transfer is the aforementioned Brazilian isn't going anywhere just yet. Therefore the plan is for Liverpool to sign Mamardashvili and then loan him out immediately to ensure his development doesn't stall.

And according to reports in Spain, Bournemouth have been chosen as the club for the Georgia international to spend the 20245/25 season on loan with so he can gain valuable Premier League experience before joining up with the Merseyside giants next summer.

Premier League loan rules explained

However, there's a major problem with this plan. In fact, such a deal is simply NOT allowed to happen.

This is because a statement via the official Premier League website with regard to loan deals reads: 'Premier League clubs cannot loan to another Premier League club a player they have acquired in the same transfer window.'

This means were Liverpool to sign Mamardashvili before transfer deadline day, rules in place stipulated that WOULD NOT be permitted to loan him out to another Premier League club, thus ruling out a move to Bournemouth.

Ruben Amorim on Liverpool interest in Goncalo Inacio

Sporting CP manager Ruben Amorim has admitted that 'everything is possible' regarding Liverpool's reported interest in star defender Goncalo Inacio. 

Liverpool have been consistently linked with a move for the 22-year-old over the past 18 months and speculation persists this summer with the Reds reportedly keen to reinforce their defence.

The left-footed centre-back is one of the most promising young talents in European football and he was included in the Portugal squad for Euro 2024 after helping Sporting to the Primeira Liga title last term.

Reds follow Norwegian teenager

Liverpool have been following 18 year old midfielder Jens Hjero-Dahl. HITC has reported that the Reds have been scouting the Norwegian midfielder alongside several other clubs.

Hjerto-Dahl has already made an impressive 44 appearances for Tromso at first-team level and has been one of the brightest young prospects in Norwegian football.

Capable of playing both as a holding midfielder and as a no.8, Hjerto-Dahl stands at a towering height of 1.93 metres, which would make him one of the tallest players in Liverpool's first team squad.