Liverpool have already struck a partial agreement with a player Real Madrid would love to field at the Bernabeu, and the Reds are racing towards finalising the deal.
When Liverpool and Real Madrid meet in the transfer market, there’s generally only one winner. Los Blancos snatched Liverpool’s No 1 midfield target in consecutive windows back in 2022 (Aurelien Tchouameni) and 2023 (Jude Bellingham).
More recently, Real Madrid snapped up Liverpool target, Dean Huijsen, and we all know what happened with Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Real have their eyes on another Liverpool ace in the form of Dominik Szoboszlai. The club will overhaul their lacklustre midfield in the summer and there’ve even been claims Szoboszlai’s signing will be requested by Jurgen Klopp if he succeeds Alvaro Arbeloa in the dugout.
But according to our colleagues over on TEAMtalk, Liverpool fans need not fear Szoboszlai following in Alexander-Arnold’s footsteps.
Their insider, Graeme Bailey, revealed Liverpool are thundering towards agreeing a new and improved contract with Szoboszlai.
What’s more, Liverpool have actually secured an ‘agreement in principle’ over the salary aspect of Szoboszlai’s new deal.
Along with contract length, they are the two most important aspects of contract negotiations, and Liverpool now have full confidence they’ll finalise the deal before the summer.
While the exact salary he’ll earn is yet to come to light, it can be confirmed Szoboszlai will be placed among Liverpool’s ‘top earners’.
Bailey explained: ‘Sources indicate that negotiations are moving in a positive direction, with the club preparing to accelerate talks in the coming weeks as they enter a crucial period ahead of the summer window.
‘We understand that Szoboszlai is set to be rewarded with a new deal that will place him among Liverpool’s top earners, with a substantial pay rise already agreed in principle.
‘The move underlines just how highly he is valued at Anfield, with the club determined to build their future around the midfielder following his impressive form.’
Szoboszlai has arguably been Liverpool’s player of the season so far. The Reds have overseen what can only be termed a disastrous campaign, though Szoboszlai is perhaps the only player who is playing to a higher standard this year when compared to last.
Bailey highlighted Real Madrid’s interest in the 25-year-old, confirming the Spaniards have been ‘monitoring’ his situation closely.
But it’s Liverpool who’ll benefit from Szoboszlai’s dynamism over the coming years, and fans of the club shouldn’t be surprised if he’s rewarded with the captain’s armband when the time comes for Virgil van Dijk to move on.
Bailey noted Liverpool view Szoboszlai as their ‘captain elect’, which may surprise a few, though does make perfect sense.
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With Alexander-Arnold turning his back on Liverpool, Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah both leaving, and Alisson likely to leave Liverpool either before or at the same time as Van Dijk, the Reds won’t have too many senior players to choose from once the great Dutchman goes.
That’s not to suggest Szoboszlai would be underqualified for the role, however, given the all-action midfielder has served as captain of Hungary dating all the way back to 2022. Szoboszlai assumed that role aged just 21, and in this season at least, has looked every bit a commanding leader at club level too.
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