Dominik Szoboszlai has flown to Liverpool to complete his £60m move as Jürgen Klopp continues his summer rebuild at Anfield. The RB Leipzig midfielder was given permission to travel after Liverpool triggered his release clause late on Friday evening. The clause was due to expire at midnight and despite interest from Newcastle Liverpool moved swiftly for the Hungary captain, who could be unveiled as early as Sunday.
The 22-year-old has been heavily tracked by Eddie Howe after an excellent season in the Bundesliga that yielded six goals and eight assists. However, Liverpool emerged as frontrunners to sign Szoboszlai after a meeting with his agents earlier in the week and triggered his release clause of around £60m, with personal terms already agreed.
A medical has been booked as Liverpool expect to complete the deal after a direct call between Szoboszlai and Klopp. The addition of the attacking midfielder provides another piece of Liverpool’s significant summer rebuild with the £35m signing of Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton already secured. Liverpool are also interested in Nice’s Khephren Thuram after the departures of James Milner, Naby Keïta and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Szoboszlai, a midfielder who also led the German club to victory in the DFB Pokal final for the second season in succession, is keen on the move having joined Leipzig from sister club Red Bull Salzburg in December 2020.
Liverpool have a strong relationship with Leipzig and have allowed the forward Fábio Carvalho to join them on a season-long loan. The 20-year-old moved to Anfield from Fulham last summer for an initial £5m and on a five-year contract.
Meanwhile, Liverpool are to apply for a safe standing licence as they expand rail seating by 3,000 to 13,300 at Anfield. The initiative has been trialled for a couple of years, but they are now close to becoming the seventh Premier League club after Wolves, Tottenham, Manchester City, Manchester United, Brentford and Chelsea to have a licence.
As a result, fans in the Kop and the redeveloped Anfield Road end, which will open for next season and take the ground’s capacity to 61,000, will be able to stand throughout matches.
“Following an extensive review of our rail seating trial we’re delighted to confirm it has been successful and is now a permanent feature at Anfield Stadium,” said the club’s managing director, Andy Hughes. “The health and safety of our supporters when attending matches at Anfield is, and always will be, paramount.”
Enforcement recommendations from the Sports Ground Safety Authority state stadiums with rail seating for more than two years must apply for a licence. A total of 7,800 rail seats were first introduced in two areas at Anfield before the 2020-21 season, with another 2,500 installed on the Kop during last season’s break for the winter World Cup.
The next installation phase this summer will result in 3,000 rail seats added to the Kop, taking its total to 7,425, meaning just over 55% of the stand’s capacity will be rail seating, with plans to add more next year.
