Liverpool and Everton Battle for Jamie Leweling Before Transfer Deadline
Liverpool and Everton are circling the same late-window target – and the battle lines have been drawn on Merseyside.
Leweling in the middle of a Merseyside tug of war
Both Liverpool and Everton are pushing to sign Stuttgart forward Jamie Leweling before the transfer deadline, according to reports in Germany, with the versatile attacker suddenly one of the most talked-about names in the final hours of the window.
Everton have already made their move. A concrete proposal is on the table for Leweling, who can operate anywhere across the front line and has emerged as one of VfB Stuttgart’s most valuable assets.
Liverpool, for now, are hovering. Sky Deutschland report that the Reds remain interested and are attempting to bring Leweling in before the deadline, even if the chances of another senior attacking arrival are described as slim elsewhere.
Leweling has not made a decision. Staying at Stuttgart is still firmly an option. That’s no surprise given his numbers: last season he delivered 23 goal contributions in 50 competitive appearances, form that has made him one of the most sought-after players in the Swabian club’s squad.
Stuttgart, though, are braced. With significant interest and the clock ticking towards Tuesday’s deadline, they expect more offers to land before the window slams shut.
Gakpo stays, City turned away
Liverpool’s stance in attack has already been shaped by one major call: Cody Gakpo is going nowhere.
A right-sided forward had been on the agenda at Anfield if Gakpo completed a blockbuster switch to Manchester City. City tested Liverpool’s resolve with an £85m bid and Gakpo himself had accepted the move.
Liverpool blocked it.
Fabrizio Romano revealed on Monday that the club decided to keep the Dutchman after failing to find a suitable replacement, with City now turning their attention to Iliman Ndiaye and Enzo Fernández instead.
That decision appears to have cooled expectations of a big-money wide player arriving at Anfield before the deadline, even with the late noise around Leweling.
Liverpool’s window: big deals done, focus on youth
It has already been a heavyweight summer for Liverpool. Jeremy Jacquet has arrived from Stade Rennais for £55m, Victor Munoz from Osasuna for £34.5m, Ronald Araujo on loan from Barcelona, Ifeanyi Ndukwe from Austria Vienna for £2.57m, and Bradley Barcola in a headline £106m deal from PSG.
Despite that, a fresh senior winger is unlikely. In a joint report for The Athletic, Gregg Evans and James Pearce state that Liverpool are not expected to make another major addition out wide before the deadline, even with their interest in Leweling.
Instead, the club’s late business is skewing younger.
Eighteen-year-old goalkeeper Lucca Brughmans is close to joining from Genk in a €33m move. The plan is straightforward: sign him now, then send him straight back to Belgium on loan for the rest of the season, unless late interest emerges in Giorgi Mamardashvili and forces a rethink in the goalkeeping department.
On the flanks, Liverpool have also agreed a fee of around €5m with Saint-Etienne for 18-year-old winger Djylian N’Guessan. The France under-20 international is not one for the present; he is scheduled to link up with Liverpool next summer.
A late twist, or business done?
So Liverpool stand at an intriguing crossroads: a squad already heavily reinforced, a key forward in Gakpo retained, and two teenage prospects lined up for the future.
Yet, across the city, Everton have moved decisively for Leweling, while Liverpool keep a watching brief.
The question now is simple: does this window end with quiet consolidation at Anfield, or with one last jolt in the shape of a Stuttgart forward stepping into the Merseyside spotlight?
