Liverpool Seal Summer Deal for Austrian Prospect Ndukwe; Rodrygo Talks Heat Up

Liverpool have wrapped up a deal to sign Austria Wien's teenage defender Ifeanyi Ndukwe on a summer arrival, with Fabrizio Romano delivering his customary seal of approval on the move.

The Reds, despite already breaking their transfer record twice in 2025—forking out £100m for Florian Wirtz in July and a further £125m for Alexander Isak on deadline day—show no signs of slowing their spending spree as January approaches.

Ndukwe, still just 17, will remain with his Austrian club until the summer to continue his development, with the deal formally commencing in July once he turns 18 in March. Austria Wien have accepted Liverpool's proposal, with the youngster rejecting previous overtures from Inter Milan back in April before committing to the Merseyside project.

Reinforcements on Multiple Fronts

Slot's squad-building ambitions stretch beyond the long-term prospect. The Reds remain in the market for an experienced centre-back this month to provide cover alongside Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate, having previously missed out on Marc Guehi last summer. That pursuit may yet be revived in the coming weeks.

Equally pressing is the need for attacking reinforcements following Alexander Isak's leg injury last month. Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo appeared a viable target until Manchester City moved to the front of the queue.

That setback has opened the door to alternative possibilities. Paris Saint-Germain's Bradley Barcola and Real Madrid's Rodrygo have both entered the conversation, with the Brazilian winger now the subject of concrete interest.

Rodrygo in the Frame

Liverpool are prepared to table a bid approaching €90m—approximately £78.3m—for the Madrid winger, according to reports from Spain. The figure is thought sufficiently tempting to move Real Madrid towards a sale, particularly given Rodrygo's limited minutes under Xabi Alonso this season.

The 23-year-old has featured in just seven league starts during 2025/26, suggesting the Spanish giants may be open to moving him on. Arsenal are also keeping close tabs on his availability, intensifying the competition for his signature should Liverpool pursue the matter further.