Liverpool turn down chance to sign £38m Brazil midfield enforcer | OneFootball

Liverpool have been linked with making a midfield refit this summer.

The Reds have been relying on the same cast of midfield characters for a couple of seasons now. And given their performances under Arne Slot in the 2025/26 Premier League season it’s clear they are getting diminishing returns.

Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister were both beneath their 2024/25 Premier League title-winning best last term - culminating in Slot losing his job as head coach.

Accordingly it has been mooted that the outgoing champions would enter the market for a new player either at No6 or No8.

Liverpool to sell midfielders before buying

Any inbound deals would of course depend on exits. There isn’t infinite money to throw around following Richard Hughes’ £450m transfer splurge last summer.

Plenty of cash has been spent already this summer on Victor Munoz and Jeremy Jacquet and therefore it appears to be a case of one-in, one-out for the midfield sector.

Cash could be raised through the sales of Harvey Elliott and Stefan Bajcetic - with both players linked to the exit door. And Curtis Jones could end up joining Inter Milan if the Italian champions end up meeting the €40m asking price.

Liverpool spoke with Joao Gomes

Liverpool it has been revealed on Football Transfers have been offered the opportunity to sign Joao Gomes from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The 25-year-old is a long-term target for the Merseysiders - stretching back to his days as a midfield enforcer for Flamengo in his homeland of Brazil.

The Selecao international opted for a move to Wolves in 2023 but links with Anfield have never really gone away.

Following the Old Gold’s relegation to the Championship it had been suggested that Gomes would move to Liverpool despite a contract extending to 2030 with the club holding an option for a further year.

However with Gomes now closing in on Aston Villa on a £38m deal there is no chance of the Reds’ following up their interest.

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Liverpool turn down Joao Gomes deal

Indeed Liverpool turned down the opportunity to sign Gomes - on his existing Wolves terms - in favour of looking over other midfield targets.

It is understood that Joao Gomes was keen to join Liverpool with the club having reached out to his representatives for talks.

“Having weighed up that deal, the Reds’ recruitment team had a change of heart and opted for a different type of profile,” the report reads.

Now it appears as though Adam Wharton will be the No1 target for midfield reinforcements - despite Crystal Palace’s valuation of around £100m for the England international.

Wharton, 22, joined Palace back in 2024 from Blackburn Rovers - inking a deal until 2029. The left-footer has gone on to win the FA Cup and UEFA Europa Conference League with the Eagles - now being identified as the ideal choice by Reds’ recruiters.