Liverpool transfer target ‘wants to leave’ as Jamie Carragher tips Champions League bid

Liverpool has a busy summer ahead of it. With the Premier League transfer window officially opening on June 14, it will soon be able to begin shaping the squad for the first season under Arne Slot.

Thanks to the work of the outgoing Jurgen Klopp, the first campaign for Slot will feature Champions League football, against the backdrop of the revamped competition. Liverpool will be playing more games than ever, and will need to prepare in the transfer market accordingly. Here’s your round-up of the latest Liverpool news, featuring a new name in that regard as well as a bold Jamie Carragher prediction.

Rayan Cherki wants to leave Lyon
The latest player to be spat out of the transfer rumor mill is Rayan Cherki of Lyon. The 20-year-old has long been hailed as an exciting talent, known for his tricky dribbling skills, but fell somewhat out of favor in the season just gone.

Nonetheless, Liverpool has been linked with a transfer. Per Sports Zone, it has asked for information on Cherki, and is joined by Spurs and PSG in expressing an interest.

Liverpool may well be swayed by the underlying data, which shows that Cherki has continued to perform to a high level in a number of departments despite the apparent slump in form. For his part, the attacking midfielder is believed to want a move away from Lyon, where his contract has just a year left to run.

Jamie Carragher backs Liverpool in Champions League prediction
Jamie Carragher expects his old club to do well next season, playing down the possibility of a major transition period under Slot. He believes the structure behind the scenes should guard against too much disruption.

And speaking to the Metro, Carragher tipped Liverpool to make a push for major silverware, including the biggest prize of all:

“There might be a drop-off, because Jurgen Klopp is a great football manager,” Carragher admitted. “But I still expect Liverpool to compete for all honors including the Champions League.”

A run to the business end of the Champions League would mark a strong first campaign for Slot, who exited at the group stage in his final season with Feyenoord. However, he does have European pedigree, having taken the Dutch outfit to the inaugural Conference League final.

Carragher also said it was ‘telling’ that Liverpool had named Slot as head coach rather than manager. He believes it underlines the differences to when Manchester United lost Sir Alex Ferguson, with Klopp’s replacement set to be empowered by a team around him rather than burdened with impossible expectations.