Liverpool News Roundup: Reds receive a fitness boost as key player is fit for Leeds United clash, Real Madrid ahead in the race to sign Bundesliga star, and more - 9 September 2021
After a relatively quiet summer transfer window, Liverpool will hope to make the best use of their resources after the international break and mount a title challenge.
On that note, here's a look at the latest Liverpool news and rumors as on September 9, 2021.
Tite’s explanation backs what Liverpool did with their Brazilian trio
Liverpool did not permit the trio of Alisson Becker, Fabinho and Roberto Firmino to travel to South America to represent their national team.
While the move has earned them criticism from the Brazilian FA, their manager Tite has revealed that the players’ health is of paramount importance.
“A fair decision is to respect laws, a fair decision is first and foremost the health of people," Tite said, via GE.
"The fair decision is that the sport is important, but it has a scale of importance in which health is above, the laws are above.”
Considering the players were at risk of contracting the virus in Brazil and had to undergo a mandatory quarantine of 10 days, Liverpool have stood by their decision not to release the players.
It remains to be seen if the Brazilian contingent will be able to feature come Sunday as they have been banned for a period of five days by FIFA.
Real Madrid jump the queue to sign Haaland next year
Borussia Dortmund are reportedly willing to sell Erling Haaland to Real Madrid next year after the Whites respected their decision and backed off a fortnight or so ago.
Haaland was linked with a move to Real Madrid in the final few days of the recently concluded transfer window after they were rebuffed by PSG in their chase of Kylian Mbappe.
However, Borussia Dortmund made it clear that Haaland wasn’t for sale, and Real Madrid did not try to force the issue as per Diario Madridista.
Liverpool too are interested in signing him, but it remains to be seen if they will be able to compete with Real Madrid’s financial power.
Klopp says Van Dijk is fit for the clash against Leeds United
Virgil van Dijk was seen limping off the field post the Netherland’s recent international game against Turkey.
Jurgen Klopp, however, allayed any injury concerns in Liverpool’s pre-match press conference ahead of their clash against Leeds United.
"With Virgil, that was obviously a scary moment, you can imagine. I sent him a message after the game, ‘Are you alright?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘100 per cent?’ ‘200 per cent.’ ‘Come on, send me a video of you without limping...’ ‘I’m only limping off.’
"So he called me from the bus and said, ‘Boss, I’m fine!’ I said, ‘Why are you limping then?’ He said, ‘My wife asked the same!’ So, yeah, that was a bit of a tricky moment but apart from that, no, all fine [for the other international players]," Klopp said.