€28m ‘warrior’ is ‘heading to Liverpool’ in January to fulfil ‘dream’ – shock report | OneFootball

Liverpool have opened talks to sign Wilfried Singo from Galatasaray in the January transfer window, according to a French report, as TEAMtalk analyses whether there is any grain of truth in the rumour that the Ivory Coast international defender is on his way to Anfield.

The Anfield faithful are well aware of Liverpool’s quest to sign a new centre-back in 2026. Ibrahima Konate is having a torrid campaign and is also out of contract at the end of the season, while Virgil van Dijk is 34 now and has not been at his best for Liverpool so far this campaign.

TEAMtalk’s transfer correspondent, Fraser Fletcher, reported on December 2 that Liverpool are in direct talks with Marc Guehi’s representatives and are ready to pay up to £30million (€34.3m, $40m) to Crystal Palace for his signature in January, with the defender out of contract at last season’s FA Cup winners next summer.

However, there is interest in Guehi from Barcelona, too, and Palace themselves may not be keen on losing their star defender in the middle of the season, even though Eagles manager Oliver Glasner has already said that he will not sign a new deal.

Amid Liverpool’s confirmed interest in Guehi, a French report has claimed that another international defender could end up at Anfield in January.

Foot-Sur7 has reported that Liverpool are ready to offer an initial €28million (£24.5m, $32.6m) to Galatasaray for Wilfried Singo.

The report has noted that Singo ‘is heading to Liverpool during the winter transfer window’, adding that ‘preliminary negotiations have already taken place’.

‘Liverpool, who seem poised to make his dream of playing in the Premier League a reality, according to those close to him, could initially pay €28 million to secure his transfer,’ according to the report.

‘The English club could then add another €10 to €15million (up to £13.1m, $17.5m) in performance-related bonuses.’

Singo joined Galatasaray from AS Monaco only in the summer of 2025 and has been limited to 10 appearances because of a hamstring strain.

The 24-year-old is a very versatile player who has operated as a centre-back, right-back and right-midfielder so far in his career.

In December 2024, when Singo was still at AS Monaco, Get Football News France described the defender as ‘eccentric’ and noted: ‘It is his immense pace that also allows him to be so aggressive. Failing to win the ball back, he knows that he has the speed to make up for it and recover’.

Then AS Monaco manager Adi Hutter used Singo as a centre-back both in a back three and a back four, as well as at right-back.

Hutter said about Singo last season: “He can bring a lot in terms of set-pieces. He is a top header of the ball, with his technique and determination with the head.

“He’s a warrior and a fighter. He can help us a lot in the backline, especially with set-pieces.

“He’s a really good defender. He can play in lots of defensive positions.”

Singo has featured as a centre-back and right-back for Galatasaray so far this season.

How reliable is the Wilfried Singo to Liverpool rumour?

Foot-Sur7 is not one of the most prominent or well-known sources in France. It is a modest news outlet, so such a big claim about Liverpool and Singo has to be taken with a pinch of salt.

Now, of course, just because Foot-Sur7 is not a major news outlet does not mean that it cannot get concrete and valid transfer news.  The report also made its way to BBC Sport’s Gossip column.

However, until and unless other more reliable sources back this claim, one must treat this rumour with caution.

If indeed Liverpool are ready to bid for Singo, then we will get to hear more from the Turkish press and the English media in the coming days.

Having said that, we must note that Liverpool’s interest in Singo has been reported in England before.

In November 2025, Anfield Index podcaster Dave Davis reported that Liverpool are scouting Singo.

Davis said about Singo on Anfield Index’s Transfer Market Metrics podcast: “He only moved in the summer, and Liverpool have definitely had scouts watching this player.

“He plays in a couple of different positions, and he’s a very different option, if he plays right-back, to what you get from Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong.

“If you also look at how Slot used Geertruida at Feyenoord, both as a right-back and to make a back three, then it makes you wonder whether that’s the plan.

“Some of the concerns, like a lack of height and a lack of physicality, Singo ticks a lot of those boxes.”

Davis further added: “The info that we got is that he is used to moving around a lot because he was at Torino and Monaco before heading to Galatasaray.

“He does represent the Ivory Coast, so he will be away for the African Cup of Nations over the winter.”

Dr Phil Barter, an FA-licenced coach, noted: “His numbers are really good, but you’ve also got to remember that he’s playing in the Turkish league.

“He’s very good at being in the right place, and if there’s one thing about all of the defenders Liverpool are targeting, is that they’re all pro-active.

“He’s good in the air, and he seems to have an ability to read the play and position himself to deal with the second ball or the cross.

“At 24-year-old, he could be that mid-level defender we’ve been speaking about and I can see why we’re looking at a player like him.”

It was also in November that Turkish news outlet, Sabah, reported that, along with Manchester United and Arsenal, Liverpool have been scouting Singo.

Meanwhile, a winger Liverpool have earmarked as the perfect successor to Mohamed Salah starred for his club in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Liverpool are ‘open’ to selling one of their world-class players next summer, and we are not talking about Mohamed Salah.