Overview
- James Pearce of The Athletic reports Liverpool are in advanced talks to sign 17-year-old centre-back Ifeanyi Ndukwe from Austria Vienna.
- Fabrizio Romano has indicated agreement is in place with an expected €3m–€5m fee, with Ndukwe set to start in Liverpool’s under-21s.
- Because Premier League clubs cannot register overseas players under 18, any Ndukwe move would be completed after his March birthday for a summer arrival.
- Links to Club Brugge’s Joel Ordoñez feature claims of a £35m fee plus £8m in add-ons, though other reporting says there is no truth to a near deal and no club confirmation.
- Liverpool’s search for defensive cover reflects a thinned centre-back group with Giovanni Leoni out long term, Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté as the only established fit options, and Arne Slot signaling caution on costly January spending.