Liverpool frustrated by Xabi Alonso again as new transfer chief faces consequences | Football | Sport

Numerous top talents, including Manchester United-linked Jeremie Frimpong and reported Arsenal target Victor Boniface, are said to have reconsidered their futures following Alonso’s public announcement and there is a growing feeling that they ‘could be persuaded’ by the manager to remain within his plans for the 2024/25 campaign.

With a rebuild plotted for the summer, newly-appointed Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes will need to show that he is able to pivot to new transfer targets at the end of the season now that Wirtz is likely to snub an approach.

The ex-Bournemouth chief does not start until the conclusion of the current campaign, by which time Liverpool will hope to know their next manager. Amorim is known for deploying a 3-4-3 formation which would therefore mean that signing a No. 10, like Wirtz, is unlikely to be a priority.