Liverpool set to complete first signing of the summer before transfer window even opens

Liverpool set to complete first signing of the summer before transfer window even opens

Liverpool have been linked with Evan Ndicka with the Eintracht Frankfurt defender currently free to sign a pre-contract agreement

Liverpool have signed just seven players on free transfers during Jurgen Klopp’s reign at Anfield, but new rumors suggest the Reds could add to that count this summer.

Jude Bellingham remains their first-choice target, and would cost a club-record deal over £100m if Liverpool were to attract him to Anfield.

The Reds are still thought to be interested in Matheus Nunes and Mason Mount, so if they sign the England international, he wouldn’t be the only new addition to the midfield.

Evan ndicka(Getty images)

A deal like this, which would require three new midfielders, might cost about £200 million. It is also unclear what financial resources Liverpool will even have available to them in the future given the uncertainty surrounding their chances of qualifying for the Champions League next season.

If Liverpool have spent big elsewhere, the funds might not be there for further big-money signings in positions which aren’t as high up their list of priorities. As a result, the Reds could benefit from Bosman transfers.

Historically when Liverpool move for an out-of-contract player, it tends to be either a back-up goalkeeper or a highly-talented youngster who would still command a compensation fee. From Klopp’s seven free agents signed since October 2015, Alex Manninger, Adrian, and Andy Lonergan ticked the former box, with Dominic Solanke, Harvey Elliott, and Fabio Carvalho all fulfilling the latter.

As a result, that leaves Matip as the only big-name Bosman transfer completed under Klopp’s watch, with the Reds confirming they had signed a pre-contract agreement with the defender in February 2016.

But now reports suggest Liverpool could replace the Cameroonian in similar fashion, as they continue to be linked with a move for Eintracht Frankfurt defender Evan Ndicka.

The 23-year-old is a pacey left-sided centre-back, who can also cover at left-back or in defensive midfield. A Europa League winner with Eintracht Frankfurt last season, he earned valuable Champions League experience with the Bundesliga outfit during the current campaign as a result.

In other news, Fabrizio Romano Reveals what Josko Gvardiol has said on his future amid strong Liverpool links