Yet to get their summer business underway, Liverpool chiefs have reportedly held a meeting with another Premier League club to find out about one of their player's desires and what it would take to complete a deal.
Liverpool transfer news
It's no real surprise that the Reds have endured a silent summer so far, given that Arne Slot is yet to even take charge of his first game. With Richard Hughes arriving to take the sporting director role and Michael Edwards returning in a higher role than ever before, however, Liverpool shouldn't be ruled out of stealing the headlines just yet this summer.
Those at Anfield have already been linked with the likes of Anthony Gordon and whilst a deal failed to materialise, the Newcastle man reportedly had his head turned by the prospect of such a move. Whether it is a pursuit that Liverpool revive now that Newcastle are past the PSR deadline and the need to sell key stars, remains to be seen.
Instead, Hughes and Edwards have seemingly set their sights on a different Premier League star in an attempt to add to their defensive depth. According to Caught Offside, Liverpool chiefs have held a meeting with Wolverhampton Wanderers to find out the status of Rayan Ait-Nouri. The Reds gathered information on whether the left-back would like to join as well as how they could complete a deal for the €45m (£38m) rated defender this summer.
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With other Premier League clubs Chelsea and Manchester City also reportedly eyeing moves and the left-back open to an exit this summer, time may well be of the essence for Liverpool if they want to make Ait-Nouri Slot's first arrival. At 23 years old, he would become the natural heir to Andrew Robertson's role at Anfield, handing Slot a solution to a problem which is yet to really become a major dilemma.
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Although talks of retirement would only humour 30-year-old Robertson at this stage, there's every chance that he could begin to edge past his peak in the coming years, allowing a player entering his prime, such as Ait-Nouri, to step in. Back in the Champions League, competition for places wouldn't exactly be a bad thing either, with Kostas Tsimikas potentially on his way out this summer.
Premier League stats 23/24 (via FBref)
Rayan Ait-Nouri
Andrew Robertson
Assists
1
2
Key Passes
25
62
Tackles Won
44
24
Ball Recoveries
136
104
A player who performed better off the ball than on it, Ait-Nouri's energy is a trait that would have worked well under Jurgen Klopp and could yet hand Slot a boost if he carries the same fundamentals that saw the German succeed at Anfield.
Gary O'Neil won't be too keen to show his left-back the door though, having told Wolves' official website last season: "I’m enjoying working with Rayan, I think he’s an incredible talent, a great guy and he brings a real enthusiasm and life to the place. We can use him anywhere so, unfortunately, at the moment we have to because we don’t have many others.
“But he is talented enough when we roll him in and play him in midfield a few times and we played him as a right 10 in the second half today, and he’s come on loads – his work rate and everything about him."