Liverpool have signed Dominik Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig on a five-year deal for £60m.
The Hungary captain becomes the fourth most expensive player of all time at Anfield behind Virgil van Dijk (£75m), Alisson Becker (£65m) and Darwin Nunez (£64m initial). He'll wear the No.8 shirt made famous by legendary former captain Steven Gerrard.
The Reds moved quickly to sign the 22-year-old this week after discovering the existence of a £60m clause in his contract with Bundesliga club Leipzig, which expired on June 30.
Liverpool officials met Szboszlai's representatives at the top of week and held productive discussions with the Hungarian-based EM Sports agency before Leipzig were officially approached on Friday when the Reds made it known they intended to trigger the terms of the midfielder's release.
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Newcastle United had also been interested and were able to offer Szboszlai Champions League football for the coming campaign but the ECHO understands the attacking midfielder made it known he was desperate to work with Reds boss Jurgen Klopp.
As a result, the Magpies were forced to move on to other alternatives, clearing the pathway for Liverpool to conclude talks with Leipzig before he was given permission on Friday night to fly to England for a medical on Saturday afternoon, which was undertaken at a facility in the north west.
It is understood the breakthrough in talks initially came when the two clubs were thrashing out the terms of Fabio Carvalho's season-long loan move to Leipzig, which was confirmed on Friday afternoon.
The move is further evidence of a major midfield rebuild this summer at Anfield following the addition of Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton & Hove Albion last month. The Reds snared the World Cup winner for £35m in early June after discovering a release clause in the Argentina international's contract, which was only signed in October last year.
It marks the first significant deal of Jorg Schmadtke's time as sporting director following the German's arrival on Merseyside on a short-term contract at the start of last month. The 59-year-old's arrival preceded the signing of Mac Allister but he was given a formal handover of duties from the outgoing Julian Ward once the new No.10 had moved from the south coast.
Fitness problems and issues around form blighted the midfield last term as the Reds slipped to their worst finish of any full season under Klopp and the departures of James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain only furthered the need for midfielders this summer.
Szobozslai has been likened to former England captain David Beckham by his former manager at Red Bull Salzburg and Leipzig, Jesse March, and he registered 10 goals and 13 assists last term as die Roten Bulls won the DFB Pokal and finished third in the Bundesliga.
It's unclear now, however, if Liverpool will continue pursuing other midfield targets following the arrival of Mac Allister and Szboszlai. The club had drawn up an extensive list of targets that included Bayern Munich's Ryan Gravenberch, Khephren Thuram of Ligue 1's Nice, Southampton teenager Romeo Lavia and Celta Vigo's Gabri Veiga.
It's believed that Liverpool are assessing the merits of a number of centre-backs with Chelsea's Levi Colwill among those under consideration, while Wolfsburg's Micky van de Ven has also been linked in recent weeks.
