Liverpool pinpoint £25m England ‘leader’ as a ‘top target’ for Arne Slot – report | OneFootball

Liverpool are reportedly lining up an England international as a prospective signing in 2025.

With the future of one Three Lions player at Anfield firmly in the microscope as Real Madrid remain undeterred by the Reds’ rebuttal of their initial approach for Trent Alexander-Arnold, another who’ll hope to be a mainstay of the Thomas Tuchel era is seemingly of interest to the Premier League leaders.

Liverpool interested in Morgan Gibbs-White

According to Football Insider, LFC have a ‘concrete’ interest in signing Morgan Gibbs-White and have identified him as a ‘top target’ in this year’s two transfer windows.

It’s understood that Liverpool are keen to sign a number 10 who can link the play and provide a goal threat from behind the forward line, hence their desire to lure the 24-year-old to Merseyside.

Nottingham Forest are expected to flatly reject any January move for the midfielder, although an offer in the summer might be harder for the Garibaldi to turn down if the price is right.

(Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

What qualities could Gibbs-White bring to Liverpool?

Gibbs-White, who moved to the City Ground in 2022 for an initial £25m, has been one of the standout performers for Nuno Espirito Santo’s team this season as they begin the calendar year in the heady heights of third place in the Premier League.

He’s averaged the second-highest WhoScored match rating among the Tricky Trees’ squad this term and was hailed by Match of the Day pundit Glenn Murray as a ‘really positive leader’ who’s ‘always looking to progress the team’ with his enterprising footballing qualities (BBC).

That appraisal is borne out in a match average of 5.47 progressive passes in 2024, which places him among the top 17% of positional peers in Europe’s five main leagues last year (FBref), while his physicality is evidenced in him ranking among the top 7% of the same subset for aerial duels won per game (1.47).

Gibbs-White has been magnificent for a hugely impressive Forest side this season, but with Dominic Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Harvey Elliott and Curtis Jones already in Arne Slot’s squad, one might wonder whether the former Wolves maestro is a player that Liverpool truly need.

We reckon there are other positions which are in greater need of addressing, particularly in terms of defensive depth, although we can see why Richard Hughes might be keen on the 24-year-old. It’ll be interesting to see if anything comes of these initial rumours.