Liverpool are set to face competition from fellow Premier League outfit Chelsea in their bid to sign Barcelona midfielder Marc Casado this summer, as per reports. The Spain international is attracting interest from multiple European sides after an impressive breakout season with the Spanish champions.
National World reports that Chelsea and Liverpool are among a host of clubs to have tabled an official bid of £35 million to sign Casado. The young midfielder is unhappy with the situation of things in Barcelona and is unsure of his long-term prospects at the club.
Marc Casado came through the Barcelona youth setup and earned a place in Hansi Flick‘s squad after impressing in pre-season. He was behind fellow La Masia graduate Marc Bernal in the pecking order before the 17-year-old suffered a season-ending injury in August. The young midfielder featured prominently for Barcelona for a while, but soon found himself behind Frenkie De Jong in the pecking order.
Faced with the prospect of battling the likes of Pedri, Gavi, Fermin Lopez, and Eric Garcia for minutes, Casado will be open to leaving the club for the right destination this summer. The 21-year-old defensive midfielder made 36 appearances across all competitions for the Spanish giants but did not appear in a single game after March. He suffered a ligament injury and was an unused substitute in each of their last four league games.
Liverpool are in the market for a player of Casado’s quality as an alternative to Ryan Gravenberch in midfield, having failed to sign any of their previous targets. Casado fits into the profile of players targeted by Chelsea, with the Blues keen on strengthening their ranks ahead of a return to the UEFA Champions League.
Liverpool have turned down an offer for Luis Diaz from Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, reports have stated. The Colombia international is in demand this summer after playing a pivotal role for the Reds in their Premier League triumph in the 2024-25 season.
Sky Sports reports that Bayern Munich made an enquiry for Diaz but were met by an immediate rejection from Liverpool, who deem the forward as not being for sale. They gave the same response to Barcelona when the Spanish giants made an approach for the 28-year-old earlier in the window.
The Spanish outfit remain interested in Diaz, who has only two years left on his contract with Arne Slot’s side. The former FC Porto man scored 13 goals and provided eight assists as the Reds won the Premier League in Slot’s first season.
Sulayman has a good feel for the game, which is reflected in his descriptive articles. He double checks information via multiple sources for accuracy, and only uses top-tier platforms like Transfermarkt and Opta for statistical information. His experience and exploits in the industry have led Sulayman to cover the Nigerian Professional League for three years along with games involving the Nigerian national team. He has also worked in F1, joining hands with industry veterans to provide a smooth viewing experience in Nigeria.
Sulayman hails Lionel Messi as the one true GOAT, and his brace in Argentina’s 2005 U20 FIFA World Cup final win over Nigeria left a lasting impact on him. He also supports Chelsea at club level, having followed their dominance under Jose Mourinho. Sulayman also follows other leagues with Nigerian players like Eredivisie, Saudi Pro League, Turkish Super Lig, and more. When not writing, he enjoys cooking and eating.
Quick Links
