Liverpool target Eberechi Eze is reportedly unwilling to sign a new contract with Crystal Palace.
LiverpoolWorld claimed back in May that the Reds were keeping an eye on Eze, who was signed from QPR in 2020 for a fee of £20 million (with add-ons). His current deal expires in the summer of 2025.
However, according to TalkSPORT (h/t The Boot Room), Eze is showing reluctance to sign the new deal that he has been offered by Crystal Palace. The 25-year-old, who spent five years at Arsenal's academy until 2011, has also been monitored by Tottenham Hotspur.
Liverpool are evidently in need of a new midfielder after Jordan Henderson and Fabinho's exits. They also saw the backs of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, James Milner and Naby Keita earlier this summer.
They have signed Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister for a combined £95 million in transfer fees. But Jurgen Klopp can do with more additions to strengthen his team's midfield.
Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones can and have played in central midfield under Klopp, but they are yet to establish themselves as regular starters for a club of Liverpool's stature. The shortage of midfielders even led Klopp to try out Trent Alexander-Arnold as a holding midfielder in preseason games.
Eze, meanwhile, has made a stellar reputation for himself as one of the most exciting attacking midfielders in England. The one-cap England international has registered 15 goals and 11 assists in 93 games across competitions for the Eagles.
Pundit backs Liverpool star to 'frighten defenders' next season
Darwin Nunez arrived in Liverpool from SL Benfica last summer for a fee of €100 million with add-ons.
The Uruguay international's pace and physicality were on full display throughout the entire 2022-23 season. He wasn't an easy man to mark for the opposition and always seemed to find himself in great goal-scoring positions.
Nunez's finishing and decision-making, however, let him down at times. He finished the campaign with 15 goals and four assists in 44 games across competitions.
Former Chelsea midfielder Craig Burley believes the 24-year-old will be a force to reckon with next season. He told ESPN (h/t Empire of the Kop):
"Pre-season is what it is, but I think the two things that we absolutely know about this player [Nunez] – he is a handful. He’s physical, he’s fast, he’ll play on the shoulder. He’ll frighten defenders. The other side of the coin we know is that if he doesn’t improve his finishing, that’s a problem.”
After Roberto Firmino's exit, Nunez, Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota are believed to be Jurgen Klopp's three options in the centre-forward position.