Juventus star Kenan Yildiz on four-man Liverpool shortlist

Liverpool are thought to be eyeing one of Italian football’s brightest prospects, as it was recently revealed that the Reds have a four-man “backup” transfer shortlist.

The Reds were busy in the summer, with Arne Slot splashing the cash on the likes of Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz.

Unfortunately, hopes of successfully defending their Premier League crown are hanging by a thread, as the Merseysiders lie well adrift of the summit as the new year approaches.

That may prompt Slot into action this January in order to save their season.

And according to recent reports, it appears there are several players who are under consideration at Anfield.

According to Bild’s Tobias Altschaffl, there is a “backup” list of transfer targets at Liverpool as the transfer window draws near.

The headline names on it are Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise and Juventus starlet Kenan Yildiz, who has taken the Italian Serie A by storm in the last couple of seasons since breaking through for the Bianconeri.

At 20 and playing for one of Italy’s top clubs, prising Yildiz away from Turin is easier said than done.

Having worked his way into Juventus’ first team since joining from Bayern Munich’s youth team in 2022, jumping ship to the English top flight before conquering Serie A could be considered a risky move for his progression.

Meanwhile, Liverpool are not the only team in the mix, with Arsenal also thought to be in the running.

What isn’t made clear is whether this backup list, in fact, represents their transfer plan for January.

Having made plenty of signings in the summer, it may be fanciful to suggest that there are other targets – particularly those ranking higher than Olise or Yildiz – with opportunities often at a premium during January in the first place.

Interestingly, alongside the aforementioned duo on this list are Real Madrid’s Rodrygo and Everton midfielder Iliman Ndiaye.

The latter has been linked in recent weeks and would certainly ruffle a few feathers given his existing Merseyside connections, while the notion of the Toffees even contemplating business makes such a deal seem unlikely.

Given that Olise is also not thought to be a realistic target from Bayern, perhaps there is a reason these players have been earmarked as “backup” options. Having said that, luring Yildiz to the Premier League would nevertheless be an exciting coup.

Graduated in Sport Journalism (BA) with first-class honours from the University of Brighton and has since had bylines in The Times, sports business publication SportsPro, Football FanCast and The Gooner fanzine.