Liverpool open talks in deal for £130m Premier League forward

Liverpool are wrapping up winger deals - in and out - before the transfer deadline.

The summer window slams shut on Tuesday and by then the Reds’ frontline should look very different.

Bradley Barcola - and one more - will be onboarded while Harvey Elliott, Federico Chiesa and Cody Gakpo should be on their way out the door.

Gakpo will earn the 2024/25 Premier League champions around £85m when his deal to join Manchester City goes through.

Liverpool hold talks over signing Bournemouth's Rayan

And the money will be used to finance a deal for an as-yet unknown new right-winger.

Will it be Ismaila Sarr? Or will it be Yankuba Minteh?

Sarr, 28, was the subject of a £50m approach last week and there remains the possibility that the Merseysiders return with a late offer to Crystal Palace.

Minteh, meanwhile, is injured and not expected to play until October or November. Nonetheless Liverpool like the Brighton 22-year-old - who is valued at around £80m.

Beyond those two and it would appear that Richard Hughes has got other irons in the fire.

Liverpool now in contact with Rayan

Because Matt Thielen is reporting on X that Liverpool have opened talks with Bournemouth over a deal for Rayan.

The 20-year-old Brazil forward was on the radar ever since his days as a teenage sensation at Vasco da Gama. But Richard Hughes stayed out of the race last winter - when the elegant left-footed attacker moved to Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth.

The Cherries put together a package worth around £30m for Rayan - with the Brazilian inking a deal until 2031. That contract is reported to contain a 2027 release clause at £130m - which Liverpool have been tipped to trigger.

Rayan has £130m 2027 release clause

According to Thielen however Hughes and Iraola are ready to bring forward their plans to sign Rayan to this summer.

“Liverpool have made recent contact with Bournemouth over the availability of Rayan,” he writes on X.

“The club originally planned on making a move next summer but Gakpo's exit could accelerate those plans.

“Bournemouth, however, would be prepared to play hardball this late in the window.”

The Reds are leaving it late to sign a priority target but Rayan is perhaps the one that makes most sense. He’s been well-scouted and has been a consistent performer under this manager already.

Rayan scored five times in 15 matches for Iraola at Bournemouth - contributing another two assists. He took to the Premier League like a duck to water - and now the door is open to a sensational £130m+ move to Anfield.