Reports claim Jurgen Klopp has turned his attention to Italy to find a replacement for the injured Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
The Reds kicked off their 2022-2023 campaign with a 3-1 triumph over champions Manchester City in Saturday’s Community Shield. Summer signing Darwin Nunez opened his Liverpool account while Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah also found the net. It was an encouraging display by Klopp’s charges who look set to battle City for the title once more.
Oxlade-Chamberlain played no part as he has what Klopp described as a ‘serious hamstring injury’. It is yet another setback for the 28-year-old, who has spent far too much time on the sidelines in recent years.
The Italian media have responded with reports that the Anfield outfit are now actively looking for reinforcements. With Oxlade-Chamberlain out until at least October, Caliciomercatoweb are suggesting Klopp wants to try the Italian market.
They report that the German tactician is keen to dip into ‘the Serie A basin’. The report adds that ‘the idea of fishing in Italy caresses the mind of the Reds technician’.
Whether or not that is the case is open to debate but names are mentioned as possible targets for the Merseyside giants.
The outlet goes on to say that Inter Milan forward and Newcastle United target Hakan Calhanoglu is ‘a favourite of the German technical histrionic’.
He moved to Inter from AC Milan last summer and scored eight goals and contributed 13 assists from 46 appearances in all competitions last term.
The link has resurfaced after he was mentioned as a possibility for the FA Cup winners at the start of the summer window. However, the Turkey international is not the only player said to be on Klopp’s radar.
Oxlade-Chamberlain replacement list grows
The next player named in the report is Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot. The France international is about to embark on his fourth season for the Old Lady after moving to Turin from Paris Saint-Germain in 2019.
The 27-year-old has been linked with a number of clubs but seems set to stay with Juve. AC Milan’s Ismael Bennacer ‘could be the subject of an assault by British society’, according to Caliciomercatoweb.
Presuming that means Liverpool, the 24-year-old defensive midfielder joins the aforementioned duo in being in Klopp’s sights. These links do seem tenuous, however, with Fabio Carvalho, Calvin Ramsay and Nunez already signed this off-season.
It was always thought that the former Borussia Dortmund boss would stick with what he has after the triple acquisition. But Jude Bellingham’s name has now been mentioned as a possible last-window signing.
He has been linked with Liverpool for some time, with rumours of a move in 2023. However, it has been stated in some outlets that a deal could be completed in the winter window.
It is the silly season for transfer speculation, of course, and Liverpool do seem to have an embarrassment of riches in their attacking ranks.