Liverpool

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Tyler Morton is repairing his confidence with the England Under-21s after the toughest season of his career.

The Liverpool midfielder has helped the Young Lions reach the semi-finals of Euro 2025 after Saturday's 3-1 win over Spain.

Morton, though, will miss Wednesday's meeting with the Netherlands in Bratislava after collecting his second yellow card of the tournament.

International success would come off the back of a frustrating campaign for the 22-year-old, who did not make a Premier League appearance as Liverpool won the title.

He was restricted to just five appearances in cup competitions under Arne Slot.

Morton said: "When you're not playing, your confidence gets shut down a little bit. So, it's nice to come back and play here and play with unbelievable footballers, unbelievable youngsters.

"It's been the toughest season mentally for me. Obviously, I've coped with it very well because I've got good people around me, but it's been very tough. I think I've coped with it as well as I possibly could.

"I think when you're not playing as a footballer who's as hungry as I am, it does hurt. It's tough, especially when, in my opinion, I wanted to go out and I wanted to play and I wanted to go on loan and get my game time.

"But having chatted with the manager, having to stay, it could have worked out a lot worse than it did. It probably could have worked out a lot better than it did."

Under-21 and Liverpool team-mate Harvey Elliott made just two league starts last season - and has admitted he needs to consider his future at Anfield - while Jarell Quansah only started four league games.

Liverpool opted to keep Morton after Middlesbrough had a bid rejected in February but he has kept an open mind about the campaign.

"Yes, the minutes have been very limited for all of us youngsters this year," he said.

"But there's different playing styles with different managers. Yes, it's been a learning season. I think you've got to have these types of seasons where you're trying to learn."

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool's Tyler Morton described the England Under-21s team as "special" after they reached the Euro 2025 semi finals.

The Young Lions beat Spain 3-1 in Trnava on Saturday to set up a last-four showdown with the Netherlands on Wednesday.

It was a vastly improved performance after a stuttering group stage ended with them finishing as runners-up to Germany with four points.

England and Spain were involved in a mass brawl at the final whistle - sparked by a late tackle on Tino Livramento - and Morton believes it demonstrated their unity.

He said: "This is a very special team. It's a team that's got a bit of everything, especially fighters. You see at the end, it's part of the game and I think everyone's got passion for the game.

"That's some things that you don't develop, that's something you've just got and I think this team's got it.

"We showed that, dominating a Spanish team for most of the game was not what all English teams do.

"I think we've shown a different side. I think we were very comfortable in and out of possession and I think sometimes the out of possession bit has got to be done. I think they're a top team, they're a threat, but I think we minimised that threat."

Morton, though, will miss the semi-final against the Netherlands in Bratislava after being booked in the first half, his second caution of the tournament.

"I didn't know until after the game. I was just really in the zone. I don't think it was a yellow card, myself, but it's gone," said the 22-year-old.

"I've got to just prepare myself now for what could be, but I'll be right behind the lads the whole game."

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Liverpool's club record signing Florian Wirtz says he "wants to win everything every year".

The 22-year-old completed his move from Bayer Leverkusen for an initial £100m on Friday, signing a long-term contract at Anfield.

"I'm not coming to have fun here. I want also to achieve something and give the fans what they deserve," the Germany international told Liverpool club media.

"I'm really excited to have a new adventure in front of me. This was also a big point of my thoughts: that I want to have something completely new, to go out of the Bundesliga and to join the Premier League.

"I feel very happy and very proud. I was waiting for a long time - finally it's done and I am really happy.

"I would like to win everything every year. First of all, we have to do our work and I have to make my work.

"In the end, we want to be successful. Last season, they won the Premier League so my goal is for sure to win it again and also to go further in the Champions League. I'm really ambitious.

"I just saw myself in the best hands in Liverpool. I was really convinced by the people here, by the idea.

"I hope I can just make the team one step better."

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your views on who Liverpool should focus on next after the club record signing of Florian Wirtz, with Milos Kerkez expected to follow in a matter of days after a deal was agreed with Bournemouth.

Here are some of your comments:

Marwan: The next priority is to replace Darwin Nunez with a world-class striker who can play on the same level as Mohamed Salah and Wirtz, and to find who can succeed Jarell Quansah as a third-choice central defender.

Fraser: After we sign Kerkez, we need to focus on outgoings before we sign anyone else. Nunez is the obvious outgoing. I think Quansah, Harvey Elliott and one of either Andy Robertson or Kostas Tsimikas will go. Once that's done, we should go for a new centre-back and forward - and ideally, one of them should be another homegrown player.

Kev: The focus should be on securing a new number nine. I don't think we will go for Alexander Isak, but one of Julian Alvarez or Hugo Ekitike would do for me! Someone will want Nunez, won't they?

Marc: There seems to be a lot of speculation around Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo and Federico Chiesa, so it looks like we need another winger. Priorities are another centre-back - or maybe two, depending on departures - a new centre-forward and another winger.

Gerald: We didn't do too badly last year, so why would we want to change so many of the players? We could end up being worse, as there's no guarantee they would gel.

Image source, Getty Images

Florian Wirtz made his debut for Bayer Leverkusen at the age of 17 years and 15 days in May 2020.

He's right up there when it comes to assists and chances created in the Bundesliga from then until present day.

During this time he tore his anterior cruciate ligament (March 2022) and returned to play his first competitive match in January the following year - missing out on the World Cup with Germany.

Across the past two seasons he has 44 goal contributions, including 21 goals and a Bundesliga-high 23 assists. That was the second most of any player aged under 23 in Europe's top-five leagues in that time, behind Chelsea's Cole Palmer.

Speaking about his former player in the past, ex-Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso has said: "Flo is one of the top players in the world - he's world class.

"Why is Messi so good? Because he knows how and when to play simple passes. Messi says: 'You're in a better position? Here, there you have the ball'.

"It's not always about making the most brilliant move, but the best and smartest. Florian can do that. That's why he's so good."

Image source, Getty Images

Florian Wirtz played a pivotal role in Bayer Leverkusen's Bundesliga campaign in 2024-25, underlining his status as one of Europe's brightest young talents.

Across 31 league appearances, the 22-year-old maintained a steady influence in the final third, averaging 0.5 assists per game and creating 2.2 chances per match - key metrics that reflect his creative impact in Xabi Alonso's fluid system.

Wirtz's conversion rate of 18.52% may not place him among the league's top scorers, but his 0.4 goals per game shows he remained a consistent threat in front of goal. Combined with a passing accuracy of 82.33%, Wirtz has continued to mature as both a playmaker and a link between midfield and attack.

Crucially, his performances came despite a brief spell on the sidelines - Wirtz missed 30 days due to an inner ligament injury, a setback that might have disrupted rhythm for many players. Yet his return was seamless, and his influence never waned.

As Leverkusen pushed on both domestically and in Europe, Wirtz's presence remained central - a reminder of why he is one of Germany's brightest talents heading into the next campaign.

Karan Vinod
BBC Sport Journalist

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When the shortlist for the PFA Players' Player of the Year was announced, one name was conspicuously absent - Virgil van Dijk.

The Liverpool captain was a cornerstone of the Reds' resurgence in 2024-25 - and to highlight just how impactful he's been, he's compared here with the likes of William Saliba, Nikola Milenkovic, and Gabriel, who are widely regarded as some of the Premier League's top-performing centre-backs. This context underscores the level Van Dijk has operated at throughout the campaign.

Yet despite matching or outperforming them in several key defensive metrics, the Liverpool captain was surprisingly left off the shortlist for the PFA Players' Player of the Year.

So, what do the advanced numbers say about the Dutchman?

Van Dijk's dominance in the air remains unmatched. According to Opta, he comfortably leads his elite peers in aerial duels won on a per game basis. In a league where physicality and aerial strength are vital, especially for a central defender, his superiority in this area sets him apart.

Interceptions may not make headlines, but they reflect a defender's ability to read the game - a skill Van Dijk has in abundance. He is level with or ahead of Saliba, Milenkovic and Gabriel in this department, showcasing his tactical intelligence in Liverpool's high-risk, high-line defensive system.

In ground duels, Van Dijk remains highly competitive, just ahead of the others in total duels won, but not by much. More impressively, he has committed the fewest fouls of the group, highlighting his clean, calculated defending. It is a rare combination of aggression and composure that few defenders manage to balance so effectively.

While individual awards are never the full measure of a player's impact, the numbers speak loudly: Van Dijk remains one of the Premier League's elite defenders and is perhaps the most unfortunate omission from this year's honours list.

Nicola Pearson
BBC Sport journalist

They say you get what you pay for - and Liverpool will be hoping that rings true in the case of Florian Wirtz.

It is understood the initial fee for the 22-year-old will be a £100m, and with that Wirtz becomes the Reds' club record signing.

It is a badge that has been held by club captain Virgil van Dijk since he joined for £75m from Southampton in January 2018.

Often praised for their shrewd business in recent years, it is not a regular occurrence for Liverpool to go out and break the bank to secure a player.

With the arrival of Wirtz, since 2000 the Reds have set a new club record on seven occasions, so how has that spending evolved?

Emile Heskey - £11m in 2000

The striker was the first club record signing after the turn of the century when he joined from Leicester for £11m - the third most expensive player in English football at the time.

It was a long-standing pursuit of Heskey for Liverpool but it proved worth it with the England international scoring 60 goals in 223 appearances and securing five medals before leaving for Birmingham City in 2004.

Djibril Cisse - £14m in 2004

Four years after the signing of Heskey, the Reds broke their club record by £3m to bring in another forward in Cisse from French side Auxerre.

The then 22-year-old suffered serious bad luck with injuries during his time at Anfield. However, he did still feature 79 times in two years and scored 24 goals.

He also scored a crucial penalty in Liverpool's Champions League final shootout with AC Milan in 2005.

Fernando Torres - £20m in 2007

In a running theme, it was another striker three years later that would increase the club's record signing by £6m with the arrival of Torres from Atletico Madrid.

The Spaniard became adored by Reds during his time on Merseyside, before an acrimonious £50m exit to Premier League rivals Chelsea in January 2011.

In his four years, he played 142 times and scored an impressive 81 goals.

Andy Carroll - £35m in 2011

Once again, the Reds brought in a number nine and broke the club record by £15m when signing Andy Carroll from Newcastle following the exit of Torres.

Despite signing a five-and-a-half-year deal, it was a somewhat ill-fated time at Anfield for Carroll. He made just 58 appearances and netted 11 goals before making a loan move in 2012 and then permanent switch to West Ham in 2013.

Naby Keita - £48m in 2017

It would be six years before Liverpool would break their record again, this time spending £48m (plus a reported undisclosed premium) to secure the signature of Keita from RB Leipzig - a year before he would officially arrive in 2018.

There were big expectations on the midfielder, but injuries hampered his time with the Reds - 129 appearances across five years - but he still came away with multiple winners' medals.

Virgil van Dijk - £75m in 2018

It was a big-spending 12 months for Liverpool when they smashed their club record by £27m with the signing of Van Dijk from Southampton a year after Keita.

It was also a then world record fee for a defender and former Newcastle striker Alan Shearer said at the time the Netherlands international was "not worth it at all".

However, 319 appearances and nine pieces of silverware later, it is safe to say it has been a success.

Florian Wirtz - £100m in 2025

It has taken seven years for the Reds to break their own record again, but they will do that with Wirtz.

Now, only time will tell whether it will go down as one of the success stories or relative disappointments.

Nat Hayward
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

In terms of how Liverpool play football, Milos Kerkez appears the perfect full-back.

Although Jurgen Klopp's 'heavy metal' style of fast-paced, high-pressing football has been adapted by Arne Slot, the fundamentals of aggressive pressing - albeit in a more structured way - and trying to win the ball high up the pitch still remain.

The 21-year-old recovered the ball 169 times last season - the fifth-most of any defender in the Premier League and more than any Liverpool defender. He also won the ball in Bournemouth's attacking third 11 times - the ninth most of defenders in the division and again more than any of his potential future Reds team-mates.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, a fundamental source of creativity, has already departed Anfield, with Andy Robertson also linked with an exit. Should the deal be completed, Kerkez is seen as a long-term replacement for the left-back role the Scotland international has made his own over the past eight years.

In a Bournemouth team that eventually finished ninth, the Hungary international created 34 chances from open play - the seventh most by a defender - and registered five assists which placed him joint-fourth in that ranking.

His 142 crosses were the sixth-most - behind Robertson in fifth and Alexander-Arnold in fourth and his eight big chances created was the seventh most among defenders - a metric topped by the man now at Real Madrid.

In terms of ball progression, Kerkez passed into the final third 476 times - the 10th most times of any Premier League defender - behind the Reds' two first choice full-backs last season. No Liverpool defender completed more dribbles than his 22.

Translating such form from a side punching above their weight to a team now expected to win almost every match is never a forgone conclusion, but the statistics show Kerkez is well placed to adapt at Anfield to what Arne Slot requires from his full-backs, both defensively and offensively.

The prospect of him playing alongside players of a higher standard is likely to excite Liverpool fans - and potentially ease the blow of losing at least one of their two first-choice full-backs.

*All stats provided by Opta

Liverpool are set to complete the club record signing of Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen within the next 24 hours.

The £116m deal for the 22-year-old smashes the Reds' record £75m fee paid for captain Virgil van Dijk from in 2018.

But, what next in this already eventful summer transfer window?

Trent Alexander-Arnold has already left for Real Madrid and fellow full-back Andy Robertson is also linked with a move away.

Whether this materialises or not, Robertson looks likely to be replaced as first choice by Bournemouth's Milos Kerkez, while Alexander-Arnold's successor Jeremie Frimpong has already been signed from Bayer Leverkusen.

Now, Leverkusen are accelerating their interest in defender Jarell Quansah and Liverpool are interested in signing Crystal Palace skipper Marc Guehi.

Speculation continues to surround the futures of Darwin Nunez and Joe Gomez - with reports linking the pair with a move away in Friday's BBC Sport gossip column - while it is being reported the Reds could table a big-money bid, external for Newcastle's main man Alexander Isak.

So, what do see happening next? Should the focus be on outgoings or incomings? And what is the key priority for the rest of the summer?

Let us know here

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Details of the 2025 Community Shield have been confirmed by the FA.

FA Cup winners Crystal Palace will face Premier League champions Liverpool in the traditional season curtain-raiser at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, 10 August at 15:00 BST.

The match will be broadcast live TNT Sports.

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The Professional Footballers' Association has announced its shortlist for the PFA Players' Player of the Year award, with six standout Premier League performers in the running.

Liverpool duo Mohamed Salah and Alexis Mac Allister are joined by Newcastle United's Alexander Isak, Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes, Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice and Chelsea star Cole Palmer.

Salah continued his remarkable consistency for Liverpool, while Mac Allister impressed in his second season at Anfield.

Isak's clinical finishing helped Newcastle to a strong league campaign, and Fernandes remained a creative force despite United's mixed form.

Rice was pivotal in Arsenal's push in the league and Europe, and Palmer continued to show great form at Stamford Bridge with a series of match-winning displays.

The winner, voted for by fellow professionals, will be announced later this summer.

Image source, Getty Images

Sami Mokbel
Senior football correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

Liverpool's £116m swoop for Florian Wirtz is in its final stages of completion.

The Bayer Leverkusen attacker is due to complete his medical in the coming hours ahead of an announcement of his signing.

The expectation is that the formalities can be completed in the next 24 hours.

Unless there is a major shock elsewhere, this deal looks set to be the biggest - from a financial sense - of the summer.

Image source, Getty Images

Harvey Elliott has a "huge opportunity" to showcase his abilities when England play Spain in the European Under-21 Championships quarter-final on Saturday.

Elliott has started in all three of England's group stage matches so far, scoring in one and winning man of the match in another. Up next is England's quarter final match against Spain.

His role comes at a time where his Liverpool future is in doubt given his position as a squad player under Arne Slot.

"He is the one who has got the most to gain from this tournament," the Daily Mail's Nathan Salt told BBC Radio Merseyside. "Either him, Jarrell Quansah or James McAtee - they are all being tracked by European sides and you have all of these scouts here.

"Elliott in particular - before the tournament he told me 'I don't want to waste any more years of my career'. That was quite difficult for him to say because he is a massive Liverpool fan and he knows that his future at Liverpool is nearing the final chapter.

"Saturday's match against Spain [under-21] is a huge opportunity for him to show his quality."

Liverpool are yet to receive any bids for Uruguay striker Darwin Nunez, 25, who is the latest Premier League player to be linked with a move to Serie A champions Napoli. (Liverpool Echo), external

Bayer Leverkusen and Germany forward Florian Wirtz, 22, is expected to complete his club record transfer to Liverpool on Friday. (ESPN), external

Napoli and AC Milan are interested in Liverpool and Italy forward Federico Chiesa, 27. (Kiss Kiss Napoli - in Italian), external

Liverpool and England defender Joe Gomez, 28, is interesting Crystal Palace, Leeds United and West Ham and the club are open to letting him go. (TBR Football), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Sami Mokbel
Senior football correspondent

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Bayer Leverkusen are set to accelerate their interest in Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah.

Leverkusen and Liverpool have been locked in talks over the Premier League club's £116m move for Florian Wirtz, which could be completed by the start of next week with the Germany international's medical imminent.

The clubs have continued contact regarding Quansah, though Liverpool are not actively trying to sell the centre-back.

Liverpool have an interest in Crystal Palace skipper Marc Guehi, who could be viewed as a replacement for Quansah.

BBC Sport understands that the Anfield club's level of interest in England international Guehi this summer is linked to Palace's asking price for the defender.

Last year, Palace rejected four offers from Newcastle with the final one reaching £65m. However, Guehi has just 12 months left on his deal meaning he can leave for nothing next summer.

If a deal for Guehi can not be reached during this transfer window, Liverpool would be interested in landing the centre-back on a free next summer.

In addition to Quansah's possible move to Germany, there is also some uncertainty over fellow centre-back Ibrahima Konate's future.

France defender Konate has 12 months left on his contract at Anfield and is yet to agree an extension, while Joe Gomez's future is also unclear this summer.

Slobodan Maricic
BBC Serbia journalist

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Both the past and future of Liverpool's new defender Milos Kerkez have been causing quite a stir in Serbia recently. And, as with all good stories, the two are closely intertwined.

The 21-year-old plays for Hungary, but he was born in Vrbas, a town in Serbia's northern autonomous province of Vojvodina, where his football journey began.

He started out at OFK Vrbas, before moving to nearby Kula to play for Hajduk 1912.

But his football education quickly took him abroad. In Austria, he joined Rapid Vienna, then moved on to Hungary, featuring for two clubs - the tongue-twisting Hodmezovasarhely and Gyor, where he began his senior career.

Then, at the start of 2021, while still a teenager, he received an unexpected phone call from Italy that any young player would dream of.

On the line was none other than Paolo Maldini, AC Milan legend and one of the greatest defenders ever, who was keen to persuade him to join the Rossoneri.

"You can't say no when Maldini calls," Kerkez said in a later interview.

However, with chances limited at Milan, he moved to Dutch side AZ Alkmaar in 2022.

Given that he was born in Serbia, speculation around his future – particularly rumours linking him with a move from Bournemouth to Liverpool – caught Serbian media attention for weeks, but also raised one persistent question from the past: "Why isn't Kerkez playing for Serbia?"

The simple answer is that his paternal grandmother was Hungarian - a sizeable community in Vojvodina - and, according to Kerkez, she wanted him to represent Hungary.

He did just that, turning out for Hungary at under-17 and under-21 levels, breaking into the senior side in 2022, and earning a spot in their Euro 2024 squad.

But the issue resurfaced after recent comments by his father Sebastian in a podcast, claiming that the Serbian FA "didn't seem too serious" about Milos.

The Serbian FA quickly hit back, denying the lack of interest and saying they "did everything possible" to secure Milos for Serbia.

They even went on the counter-attack.

"Sebastian Kerkez openly told me," one Serbian FA official stated, "that Milos will join Hungary only because that is the easiest way for him and his wife to get Hungarian passports."

Hungary is in the EU and Serbia isn't.

And Milos Kerkez is in Liverpool.

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Radio Merseyside spoke to Liverpool.com's Matt Addison about the Reds' Premier League fixtures after they were announced on Wednesday.

"I think Bournemouth is a good game to start with," Addison said, "I think it's always an advantage to start at home first and I think it's probably a good thing that Liverpool aren't playing one of the promoted teams.

"There's still going to be a lot of atmosphere for Liverpool and a lot of expectation with that but to be at home and to be against a team like Bournemouth, I suspect it might be an advantage to play them early in the season rather than a few weeks in.

"I think you can probably look at any run of fixtures in the Premier League and think there's one or two tricky ones in there or one or two that look tricky to Liverpool. But to have Bournemouth, Newcastle and Arsenal before that first international break is as tough as it would have got.

"A trip to Newcastle is never easy and Liverpool have always managed to make it a bit of a mad game one way or another in the past couple of seasons up at St James Park.

"So it's a tough run of fixtures but the flipside of that is that if they can get one or two wins in the early spell, that will put them in a really promising position."

Listen to the full chat on BBC Sounds

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

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Liverpool are advancing talks to sign defender Milos Kerkez for a fee of around £40m-£45m.

Sources with knowledge of the situation say that the talks have yet to complete but there is expectation from all parties that the Hungary left-back will soon move to Anfield on a long-term deal.

Bournemouth have already signed his replacement Adrien Truffert from Rennes.

Meanwhile, Kerkez's father was quoted as saying "personal terms have been agreed, we just need to sort out some details but that is basically a done deal" to Hungarian outlet Blic, external.

Kerkez started all 38 Premier League matches, contributing two goals and six assists for Bournemouth as they recorded their a club-record 56 points in the Premier League, finishing ninth in the process.

Kerkez has made 23 appearances for Hungary and previously played for Gyor and AZ Alkmaar while also having a spell at AC Milan without making a senior appearance.

The reigning Premier League champions have also agreed a £116m deal to sign Germany international Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen.