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Today — 29 October 2025Main stream

Report: Liverpool & Chelsea “in the mix” to sign 27-year-old star who is “looking the part”

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By:Saikat
29 October 2025 at 00:09

Chelsea and Liverpool continue to be linked with defenders, and the latest name on their radar is Dayot Upamecano. 

The 27-year-old French international has performed well for Bayern Munich, and both clubs are interested in securing Upamecano’s signature. It will be interesting to see if they come forward with an offer in the coming months. 

Graeme Bailey claimed on TBR: “In England we are thinking and talking about Marc Guehi, but in Europe the name many are talking about is French star Dayot Upamecano – who has really been looking the part at Bayern Munich under Vincent Kompany.

“Speaking to sources at a couple of Premier League clubs, they actually believe Upamecano is more likely to stay than leave, but I can tell you Bayern are really worried that Upamecano will have offers presented to him in early 2026 if an agreement with Bayern is not reached.

“And Chelsea, Liverpool and Man City are all very much in the mix for him, they all rate him highly.”

Chelsea could use Dayot Upamecano

Chelsea have looked vulnerable defensively, and they need more depth in that area of the pitch. Most of their defenders are struggling with injury problems. The 27-year-old will add more quality and depth to their squad. 

He has done quite well for the German champions, and he has the qualities to succeed in the Premier League as well. He has been linked with the move to England in the past, and it remains to be seen whether a move materialises in the coming months. 

Liverpool keen on Upamecano

Dayot Upamecano in action for Bayern Munich
Dayot Upamecano in action for Bayern Munich (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

On the other hand, Liverpool need more depth defensively as well. They have looked quite poor at the back this season. They need to improve in that area of the pitch. Upamecano could be the ideal long-term replacement for his compatriot, Ibrahima Konate. Konate will be out of contract at the end of the season, and Liverpool need to fill the void left by him. 

The 27-year-old is at the peak of his career, and this is the right time for him to take on a new challenge. The move to England could be ideal. He has won the league in Germany, and he may now seek a new challenge. 

Chelsea and Liverpool are among the biggest clubs in the world, and the opportunity to join them can be hard to turn down for Upamecano. 

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Report: Chelsea and Liverpool keen on “outstanding” 28-year-old Bundesliga star

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By:Saikat
28 October 2025 at 23:24

Chelsea and Liverpool are interested in signing the Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae. 

The 28-year-old has done quite well for the German club, and he helped them with the league title last season. He could prove to be a useful acquisition for both Premier League clubs. As per Fichajes, Tottenham are keen on Min-jae as well.

Chelsea and Liverpool need Kim Min-jae

Chelsea have had multiple injury problems at the back this season, and they need depth in that area of the pitch. The 28-year-old South Korean could prove to be a useful acquisition. He has shown his ability in Italy and Germany. He knows what it takes to play for big clubs, and he could make an instant impact at Chelsea. He has the physicality and technical attributes for Premier League football as well.

On the other hand, Liverpool are keen on the player as well. They need to replace Ibrahima Konate, who will be a free agent at the end of the season. It remains to be seen whether they want 28 year 28-year-old Bundesliga star as his replacement.

Will Bayern sell Min-jae?

Kim Min-jae in action for Bayern against Inter
Kim Min-jae in action for Bayern against Inter (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)

The German club paid around €50 million to sign the defender. It will be interesting to see if they are prepared to sell him for a reasonable amount of money. He has been an important player for them, and Joshua Kimmich has described him as “outstanding” in the past.

Chelsea and Liverpool need to tighten up at the back if they want to win major trophies. The 28-year-old could help them improve in that department. It remains to be seen whether the two clubs follow up on their interest with an official proposal in the coming weeks.

The defender is at the peak of his career, and he will look to hit the ground running in the Premier League. It will be interesting to see where he ends up.

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Yesterday — 28 October 2025Main stream

Huge salary on offer: What Liverpool are willing to do to sign “outstanding” South American

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By:Saikat
28 October 2025 at 19:53

Liverpool are looking to improve their defensive unit with the signing of the Ecuador international defender Joel Ordonez from Club Brugge. 

The 21-year-old central defender has done quite well for the Belgian club, and Liverpool views Ordonez as an option to improve their defensive unit.

They have looked vulnerable at the back season, and they will need to replace Ibrahima Konate at the end of the season as well. The French International will be a free agent soon, and Liverpool need to start planning for life without him.

Liverpool could use Joel Ordonez

The 21-year-old Ecuador International could prove to be an excellent addition. He has proven himself in Belgium, and he has done quite well at the international level with his country as well. Ordonez has been labelled as “outstanding” in the past. He has been linked with Chelsea as well.

He has the physicality and technical attributes for English football, and Liverpool are ready to break the Bank for him. According to a report from Bolavip, Liverpool would be willing to pay around €40 million for the defender. They are ready to offer him a huge salary in excess of €3 million per season.

Ordonez could fancy Liverpool move

Joel Ordonez vying for the ball
Mario Pasalic of Atalanta battles for a header with Joel Ordonez of Club Brugge. (Photo by Francesco Scaccianoce/Getty Images)

The defender will be attracted to the idea of joining the Premier League champions. It would be a huge opportunity for him, and he will look to prove himself in England. The money on offer is quite tempting for the player as well. It remains to be seen whether his club is willing to accept the €40 million offer when it is presented.

Liverpool should look to get the deal done in January. They have been in disastrous form in recent weeks, and they will look to get their season back on track. Signing the right players in January could help them bounce back strongly.

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Liverpool manager Arne Slot criticised for “embarrassing” comments – “It’s his job”

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By:John Menzies
27 October 2025 at 20:04

Arne Slot is under pressure at Liverpool, who have lost their last four matches in the Premier League – a run that has seen them drop from 1st to 7th in the standings. The reigning champions have been defeated by Crystal Palace, Chelsea, Man United and Brentford, who were 3-2 winners at the weekend.

In the aftermath of that defeat at the Gtech Community Stadium, Slot admitted that his side struggle against “teams (that) have a certain playing style”, which relates to those who are more direct. But these remarks have not gone down well with some.

Arne Slot slammed for comments on Brentford

Arne Slot, Manager of Liverpool
Arne Slot’s Liverpool side have lost their last four matches in the Premier League. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

As per Football Insider, Mick Brown responded to Slot’s comments, which he was not a fan of.

“Of course Slot is under pressure at Liverpool and he’ll be frustrated. The result wasn’t good enough, and to lose four games in a row in the Premier League is a disaster, so there are going to be questions asked of him. But you can’t start looking down your nose at other teams and aspects of the game.

“Coming out afterwards and complaining about other teams playing long throws and long balls, it’s embarrassing. It’s his job to prepare for and deal with those. Not every single team is going to play the same way, it’s just the way the game is.

“He can’t be surprised coming up against Brentford, who have made a name from utilising set pieces and maximising the assets they’ve got in their team. It’s up to Liverpool to deal with that, and they didn’t have an answer against Brentford. It’s the same after the game against Man United, when he moaned about other teams changing their starting XIs, honestly it’s embarrassing and it makes him look bad.”

Liverpool and Slot will be desperate to bounce back as soon as possible. They face Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup in midweek, before hosting Aston Villa in the Premier League – a match that will be very tricky for them, given the two teams’ contrasting form.

The post Liverpool manager Arne Slot criticised for “embarrassing” comments – “It’s his job” appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Micah Richards explains reason for Virgil van Dijk struggles at Liverpool

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By:John Menzies
27 October 2025 at 19:23

Liverpool have had a very difficult few weeks, and their poor form continued at the weekend with a defeat at Brentford. It is now four Premier League losses in a row for Arne Slot’s side, who have slipped to 7th in the standings.

Much has been made of the struggles that new signings Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz have had, but some of their players that were at such a high level last season have failed to replicate that form – and among them is captain Virgil van Dijk.

Alan Shearer and Micah Richards on Virgil van Dijk struggles

Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool
Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Speaking on The Rest Is Football (via TBR Football), Alan Shearer took aim at van Dijk, as well as centre-back partner Ibrahima Konate, for their performances against Brentford.

“They are so bad all over the pitch. And I mean, say what you want about them in midfield – the lack of protection – or up front, the lack of connection between their signings. But defensively, oh my word.

“I mean, Van Dijk and Konate. The two fullbacks have had a lot of stick and a lot of criticism, and I understand that, and I get that. But the two centre-backs? They are all over the place. They’ve been terrible. And they were at Brentford — they were awful, both of them, I mean, Van Dijk and Konate, weren’t they?”

Micah Richards agreed with Shearer, although he believes that van Dijk’s struggles are more down to him having little help from Konate.

“Yeah, they were awful. And I think what we’re seeing now is Van Dijk needs help. How many times in previous seasons has Van Dijk bailed them out? You look at partnerships and we’ve always talked about Van Dijk and how good he is. He needs Konate to bail him out at the moment, and that’s not happening. So you can’t have two centre halves not playing well at the same time.”

Liverpool must stop the rut as soon as possible if they are to give themselves the best chance of retaining their Premier League title, which is currently slipping away.

The post Micah Richards explains reason for Virgil van Dijk struggles at Liverpool appeared first on CaughtOffside.

‘Their body language is not right’ – Rooney names two Liverpool stars having negative impact

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By:Ahad Shaukat
27 October 2025 at 19:15

Following a worrying dip in form at Liverpool, Wayne Rooney has flagged serious concerns around the performances and leadership dynamics of two of the Reds’ senior figures, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk.

The Reds have slipped to seventh position in the league after four Premier League defeats in a row.

Just a month ago, they were sitting comfortable at the top but defeats against Crystal Palace, Chelsea, Manchester United and Brentford have completely turned their season into a disaster that not many people expected.

Wayne Rooney has questioned Salah and Van Dijk

Performances of several Liverpool players have come under scrutiny this season and it is easy to see why, considering how poor they have been recently.

Rooney has questioned two of their most experienced and senior members of the squad, Van Dijk and Salah, who both recently signed new deals at the club, for the negative impact they have had over the team.

Speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show, he said:

“I think Van Dijk and Salah, obviously, they’ve signed new deals and whatever, but I don’t think they’ve really led that team this season.

“I think body language tells you a lot, and I think we’re seeing slightly different body language from the two of them, and they’re the top two players in that team, and if their body language is not right that affects everyone else.

“And I don’t know, maybe I might be wrong on this, but if I was a Liverpool fan or the manager, that’d be a big concern for me.”

Liverpool have been poor recently

Mohamed Salah applauds the Liverpool fans
Mohamed Salah applauds the Liverpool fans (Photo by Christian Kaspar-Bartke/Getty Images)

The timing of the criticism compounds the concern.

Liverpool have splurged on high-profile attacking signings and defenders this summer, yet the results have been underwhelming.

A run of four straight league defeats means the Reds have lost momentum just as the title race intensifies.

“The sooner you sign him, the better” – Liverpool told to make ambitious move in January

The post ‘Their body language is not right’ – Rooney names two Liverpool stars having negative impact appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Former referee gives verdict on Liverpool penalty decisions – “It’s clear”

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By:John Menzies
27 October 2025 at 17:31

Liverpool are in a very poor moment, having lost for the fourth Premier League match in a row at the weekend. Arne Slot’s side went down 3-2 to Brentford, a result that saw them drop to 7th in the standings.

Slot was not happy after the match in London, and there was focus on multiple penalty decisions that did not go his side’s way at the Gtech Community Stadium.

Mark Clattenburg agrees with van Dijk, Gakpo penalty calls

Dango Ouattara wins a penalty after a foul by Virgil van Dijk. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

As per TBR Football, Mark Clattenburg spoke on the multiple big calls from the Brentford-Liverpool match, including the penalty that the home side were awarded for a foul by Virgil van Dijk. The ex-referee was clear that the decision to award a spot-kick against the Dutch defender was the right one.

“Virgil van Dijk clearly made contact with Dango Ouattara’s foot on the line of the penalty area. The line of the penalty area is part of the penalty area, so any contact would result in a penalty kick. First impression was that the contact was outside, but all the angles show it was on the line.”

Clattenburg also claimed that it was the right decision not to award a penalty for Liverpool after Cody Gakpo went down under a challenge inside the Brentford area.

“Cody Gakpo wanted a penalty kick when he was challenged inside the penalty area. The referee’s decision not to award a spot kick was an excellent one, as it’s clear that Gakpo sees the leg of the defender and throws himself to the ground.

“Referees look for unnatural action from attackers when awarding a penalty kick, and it’s clear from the replays that Gakpo’s arms are above his head; if the fall was natural, the arms would be outstretched, breaking the fall.”

Liverpool will be desperate to bounce back as soon as possible. They host Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup in midweek, before seeking to return to winning ways in the Premier League as they host in-form Aston Villa at Anfield on the weekend.

The post Former referee gives verdict on Liverpool penalty decisions – “It’s clear” appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Liverpool and Chelsea given update on defender target as “worry” revealed

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By:John Menzies
27 October 2025 at 16:55

Next summer, there could be a number of top centre-backs on the market as free agents, and Liverpool could be at the centre of everything. Ibrahima Konate could fall into this category, but the same can also be said for some of their transfer targets – one of which is Dayot Upamecano.

Upamecano sees his Bayern Munich contract expire in eight months’ time, and as things stand, no agreement has been reached to extend his stay in Bavaria. Liverpool are one of the clubs interested in the France international, although they face competition from Chelsea and Man City, all of whom will be eagerly watching the situation unfold.

Bayern Munich concerned about losing Dayot Upamecano

Dayot Upamecano in action for Bayern Munich vs Eintracht Frankfurt
Dayot Upamecano in action for Bayern Munich vs Eintracht Frankfurt (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

According to Graeme Bailey (via TBR Football), Upamecano is more likely than not to stay at Bayern, although there are fears that he will not sign a new contract at the Allianz Arena.

“We really have a fascinating summer looming, given some of potential big name free agents that might be available, and especially in the centre-half market. In England we are thinking and talking about Marc Guehi, but in Europe the name many are talking about is French star Dayot Upamecano – who has really been looking the part at Bayern Munich under Vincent Kompany.

“Speaking to sources at a couple of Premier League clubs, they actually believe Upamecano is more likely to stay than leave, but I can tell you Bayern are really worried that Upamecano will have offers presented to him in early 2026 if an agreement with Bayern is not reached. And Chelsea, Liverpool and Man City are all very much in the mix for him, they all rate him highly.”

It will be interesting to see how the situation unfolds with Upamecano, but without a doubt, he would be an excellent signing for the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea and Man City.

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“The sooner you sign him, the better” – Liverpool told to make ambitious move in January

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By:Ahad Shaukat
27 October 2025 at 16:44

After four consecutive defeats in the Premier League, Liverpool have dropped from first place to seventh.

Arne Slot’s side are now seven points behind Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, who have now become the favourites to win the Premier League title this season.

It has all turned into a disaster for the Reds after a promising start this season.

Their latest defeat came against Brentford when once again, their defense looked shaky and conceded three goals after their failure to deal with the aerial threat of Keith Andrews’ side.

Liverpool have struggled defensively this season

Their defense has come under scrutiny this season and the performances of Virgil Van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate have been criticised.

Former Reds defender Glenn Johnson has become the latest person to voice his concerns about the Liverpool defense and he wants Slot to take action soon, as early as the January transfer window.

Johnson has suggested that the Merseyside club should make a move in the January transfer window to sign Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi as he could be the ideal player to sort out the defensive issues at Anfield and support Van Dijk.

“Guehi, everyone’s been speaking about him for a while,” Johnson told Ace Odds, as reported by Liverpool.com.

“I think he’s got all the credentials to slot in perfectly.

“More importantly for me, I think he’s the right age to be able to do it with Van Dijk for a year or two. Whether Van Dijk has been himself or not is debatable.

“But in terms of being alongside someone you can learn an awful lot from playing with or training with or being in the dressing room with, that I think can be massive for Marc’s future as well. The sooner you sign him, the better.”

Can Guehi help Arne Slot solve his defensive issues?

Marc Guehi of Crystal Palace in action
Marc Guehi of Crystal Palace in action (Photo by Tom Dulat/Getty Images)

Guehi was heavily linked with a move to Anfield in the summer transfer window. The England international even competed his medical ahead of a potential move to Liverpool but Palace decided to pull the plug in the last minute.

The defender is now set to become a free agent next summer and his availability as a free agent has alerted all the top Premier League clubs along with European giants like Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.

Johnson wants his former club to forget about signing him for free next summer and pay a transfer fee in January to sign him and sort out their defensive troubles.

‘He has to be taken out’ – Gary Neville tells Arne Slot to drop struggling Liverpool star

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‘He has to be taken out’ – Gary Neville tells Arne Slot to drop struggling Liverpool star

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By:Ahad Shaukat
27 October 2025 at 16:30

Liverpool suffered yet another Premier League defeat, their fourth in a row, at the hands of Brentford.

Arne Slot’s side are struggling to find form after starting the season impressively.

In their last four matches in the league, they have suffered defeats against Crystal Palace, Chelsea, Manchester United and Brentford.

The defending Premier League champions have lost ground in the Premier League title race with Arsenal now sitting seven points above them in the league standings.

A number of Liverpool players have received criticism for their performances and the one player that Gary Neville has pointed fingers at is summer signing Milos Kerkez.

Gary Neville wants Liverpool to drop Milos Kerkez

After joining the club from Bournemouth in the summer, Kerkez instantly became a starter at the club, ahead of experienced left-back Andy Robertson.

However, the Hungarian defender has looked shaky at the back and his failure to find consistency is now becoming a huge cause of concern for Slot and the Reds.

Speaking on the Gary Neville podcast, the football pundit said:

“Earlier on in the season I felt as though their full backs weren’t right, and maybe Konate at times wasn’t right, but Van Dijk was holding them together and Alisson was in goal and you’ve got two world-class performers there.

“But the virus is catching. It’s not just going into the left back, who I think now is becoming a worry – the left back, Kerkez scored but watching him, he has to be taken out I think.

“I’m worried about the right-back. Frimpong’s not a right back. Conor Bradley’s being given his head and I’m supportive of that because I think there’s a lot of talent there, but it’s difficult when your team is conceding goals and the pressure’s on.”

Kerkez has failed to make an impact this season

Milos Kerkez of Liverpool
Milos Kerkez of Liverpool (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Although the season is still young, Kerkez has looked completely off colour.

During his time at Bournemouth, he was known for his defensive quality and his explosive runs supporting the attack but this season, the left-back has struggled defensively and his lack of confidence doing that is eventually resulting in his attacking game getting affected as well.

Considering that he knows the demands of the Premier League and has played in England for a long time, it is actually worrying for the Merseyside club to see him play like this.

Whether Slot has failed to integrate the left-back or it is Kerkez who is struggling with the demands of playing for a top club, remains to be judged, but his performances have been well under par and opponents are starting to expose that area of the pitch.

Just In: Liverpool owners confident of appointing 58-year-old manager to replace Arne Slot

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