Agents jets out, Liverpool ready to strike agreement over £65m deal

Liverpool are closing in on their next summer transfer based on the recent reports.

Let's be honest, this summer has been a bit of a mess for Richard Hughes and Liverpool's recruitment team. Saying things haven't gone to plan would be putting it mildly.

By now, the club would have expected to move on some of the fringe players taking up space in the squad while also bringing in the reinforcements Andoni Iraola needs.

Instead, Liverpool are still trying to put the pieces together.

In a perfect world, Yan Diomande would already be at Anfield. He'd be preparing to face Newcastle United on Sunday and looking ahead to his first big season in a Liverpool shirt.

But football doesn't really work like that.

Diomande turned Liverpool down in favour of Paris Saint-Germain, before then choosing Real Madrid over the French champions. Instead of playing alongside Liverpool's new signings, he'll now be lining up with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Ibrahima Konate in Spain.

That has left Hughes having to go back to the drawing board, particularly when it comes to finding a replacement for Mohamed Salah on the right wing.

And this is where the frustration really comes in.

Liverpool have known for a long time that Salah was leaving. This wasn't a surprise that suddenly landed on their desk in August. There has been plenty of time to identify his successor and get a deal done.

Yet, with fewer than ten days left before the transfer window closes, Liverpool still don't appear to be any closer to finding their next right-winger.

That is starting to become a serious problem.

The club cannot afford to spend the final days of the window simply hoping something falls into place.

The longer this goes on, the more difficult it is going to become for Liverpool.

As the deadline gets closer, clubs have less reason to sell their best players, while Liverpool's need to strengthen becomes more obvious. Everyone knows the Reds are under pressure, and that is not exactly a good negotiating position for Richard Hughes.

The clock is ticking, and Hughes is going to have to make some decisions.

He may also have to take a few risks.

Andoni Iraola made it pretty clear in his previous press conferences that Liverpool need wingers. Not just one winger. Wingers. Plural.

That might seem like a throwaway comment, but it is actually pretty telling.

You don't often hear a Liverpool head coach speak so openly about the areas of the squad that need strengthening, particularly when the transfer window is still open.

It feels like a message being sent directly to the board and the recruitment team.

Iraola might appear relaxed when he is standing in front of the cameras, but there is no doubt there is pressure behind the scenes. He needs this summer to work, and so does Hughes. Liverpool are trying to move forward under a new manager, and that is going to be difficult if the squad isn't built to suit his style.

Ultimately, Iraola can only work with what he has.

He can have all the ideas in the world, but if Liverpool don't give him the right players, there is only so much he can do.

That is why Hughes now has very little room for error.

And it's probably why he is getting ready to undertake crunch talks this week. Anfield Sector is reporting that Yankuba Minteh's agent has flown into the UK on Monday morning.

Meanwhile, Ben Jacobs as per Anfield Sector is reporting that Liverpool are set to hold more talks with Brighton as they look to sign the Gambian star for £65m.

Can Hughes do it? Only time will tell.