Club get proper response from Chelsea for £30m player
Liverpool transfer news: Liverpool’s transfer strategy this summer took an immediate left turn the second Joe Gomez went down. What was supposed to be a quiet fine-tuning of the squad suddenly turned into a frantic hunt for defensive reinforcements – right-back, centre-back, anywhere across the back line, really. Andoni Iraola needs bodies, and he needs them sharpish.
That urgency has brought Josh Acheampong into the frame. Liverpool are looking closely at three potential targets, and Chelsea’s 20-year-old talent sits right near the top of the list. The player himself isn’t entirely against a move either. He wants regular minutes. Stamford Bridge, with its massive, bloated squad and relentless internal competition, hasn’t exactly made that easy for him. Then came Xabi Alonso.
Liverpool transfer news: Reds face Alonso wall in pursuit of Chelsea’s Acheampong as Gomez injury forces rethink
Freshly arrived in the Stamford Bridge dugout, Alonso has made his thoughts clear to the Chelsea hierarchy. Acheampong isn’t for sale. Not at any price.
The new manager views the young defender as a massive piece of his long-term project. He sees a future mainstay, someone to build around over the next few years. That puts Liverpool in an awkward spot. Getting Chelsea to listen would take an eye-watering sum of money. Paying a massive markup for a kid who hasn’t even nailed down a starting spot anywhere yet? It’s a massive gamble, and hardly the type of business Liverpool like to conduct.
Making sense of a breakthrough year
Acheampong showed real sparks during the 2025/26 campaign under Enzo Maresca. Chelsea limped to a 10th-place finish, hit hard by a series of defensive injuries, which forced the young Londoner into the spotlight. 17 Premier League appearances. Eight starts. One goal.
Standing at six feet, he catches the eye quickly. He’s got that rare mix of explosive acceleration and a pass delivery that opens up tight spaces. His aerial ability isn’t half bad either. The highlight reel certainly looks nice, especially that dramatic FA Cup equaliser against Wrexham in a wild 4-2 win.
Yet, stripped of the hype, it was still a fringe season. Raw potential? Absolutely. A proven product? Not quite.
Looking elsewhere for solutions
Acheampong isn’t the only name floating around Anfield right now. Nnamdi Collins and Lutsharel Geertruida are both on the radar. Those deals feel far more straightforward, whereas chasing Acheampong feels like trying to crack open a vault without the code.
Slot needs cover right now. He can’t afford to waste weeks playing poker with Chelsea, who don’t have a single reason to sell to a direct rival.
Alonso declaring a 20-year-old untouchable before he’s even managed his first competitive game is a massive statement of intent. If he genuinely means it, Liverpool are throwing time down the drain. Splashing £34 million on Collins makes far more sense than banging their heads against a wall in West London. Some doors just aren’t worth trying to kick down.
Rohit Sarkar
