Liverpool really want to sign £80m Chelsea star for Iraola

Liverpool are very keen on signing a marquee Chelsea player, having already made an approach to secure his services.

Liverpool suffer disappointing Champions League defeat to Fenerbahçe

Liverpool were in front with 21 minutes left in Istanbul, but just 10 minutes later, their Champions League evening had fallen apart.

Wednesday’s 3-2 defeat at Fenerbahçe was painful enough without the manner of it, with Andoni Iraola‘s side twice finding a way ahead, only to surrender both advantages within four minutes.

Reuters/Ed Sykes

Trey Nyoni supplied the opening goal after 25 minutes, collecting a loose ball and seeing his shot take a deflection beyond Ederson.

The teenager’s first senior goal should have provided a platform, but instead, Mason Greenwood’s free kick struck Jeremy Jacquet and beat Alisson to bring Fenerbahçe level.

Liverpool still had opportunities to wrestle back control, with Ederson denying Bradley Barcola and Virgil van Dijk, while Víctor Muñoz had an effort cleared near the goal line.

Iraola then turned to his bench, sending on Alexander Isak, Cody Gakpo and Florian Wirtz together. Gakpo delivered the cross and Isak headed Liverpool back in front, and for a moment, the changes appeared to have done the trick.

Then came another collapse.

Nottingham Forest and Sunderland target Archie Brown arrived unmarked to score after a short corner, but six minutes later, Vedat Muriqi headed in following a throw, completing a turnaround Liverpool could not reverse.

Dirk Kuyt, once a Liverpool favourite, had overseen a famous win for Fenerbahçe.

The defeat ended their winning start in Europe and followed Sunday’s league loss to Arsenal. A promising response had turned into another frustrating result.

Iraola was particularly unhappy with the goals his team allowed, pointing to failures at set pieces.

The Spaniard had changed five starters, yet Liverpool still put themselves in a position to win, and managing that position was where the evening unravelled.

REUTERS/Phil Noble

There is work to do on the training ground, with defensive concentration and organisation firmly in the spotlight after a result that should have been avoided.

Liverpool’s longer-term defensive planning also remains a talking point, with Levi Colwill still attracting attention at Anfield.

Liverpool remain keen on Levi Colwill after approach as Chelsea plan new deal

According to TEAMtalk’s Graeme Bailey, Liverpool retain a strong interest in the Chelsea centre-back and have previously made an approach for him.

However, Chelsea resisted that interest and continue to view the England international as an important part of their future.

That creates an obvious obstacle for Liverpool, and the London club are now preparing discussions over a new contract, with Bailey reporting that an agreement is more likely to take shape in 2027.

Chelsea are said to be keen to reward Colwill’s progress since his last deal in 2023, and even if talks take a while, the 23-year-old is already contracted until 2029, with Xabi Alonso’s side also holding an option to extend his current contract.

Colwill developed through loans at Huddersfield and Brighton before establishing himself at Stamford Bridge, with the Englishman starting nearly every league game under Alonso this term and captaining the side against Brighton, Brentford and Bournemouth.

Chelsea’s position leaves the Reds with plenty of work to do if they want that interest to become something more substantial.

The reported approach shows Colwill has been more than a passing thought at Anfield, but persuading Chelsea to change their mind looks the much bigger challenge.

Previous reports have also claimed that Chelsea value Colwill at a minimum £80 million.