Liverpool transfer news as the Reds reportedly join the race for a $65m-rated talent. Meanwhile, a young star at Jordan Henderson’s new club is eye-catching.

Liverpool vs Manchester United is a rivalry that has defied common sense in recent times. The old adage that the form book goes out of the window in this fixture has rarely been truer.

The Reds recorded one of their all-time great results last season with a 7-0 rout of the old enemy, but fell short of the Red Devils in the chase for Champions League football.

Earning a measure of ‘revenge’, Manchester United just knocked Liverpool out of the FA Cup, despite being worse in more or less every department.

An Ajax colleague of Jordan Henderson is supposedly interesting Liverpool. (Image: Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Certainly, Liverpool will finish the season by far the happier of the two sides, despite the aberration of this result. The win has given Manchester United a slim hope of silverware, but Jürgen Klopp is still seeking to sign off with three trophies, having already banked one.

Prospective signings would surely prefer Liverpool — though in a rivalry that has been so topsy-turvy of late, there are no guarantees. A potential transfer battle in the summer may provide answers.

Meanwhile, the Reds also like the look of a youngster at Ajax, currently lining up in the first-team alongside Jordan Henderson. Here is the Liverpool.com verdict on the transfer gossip to emerge around the Reds today.

Jorrel Hato (Ajax)
Liverpool is ‘keeping an eye’ on Jorrel Hato of Ajax. That’s according to Football Insider.

Just 18, Hato has cemented himself in the Ajax side. That means that since January, he has been featuring regularly alongside former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson.

No doubt the Reds could put in a call to get a recommendation if needed. But they probably don’t need Henderson in order to see Hato’s potential, with the versatile youngster having impressed at center-back and left-back.

While there are question marks over Hato’s physicality at the moment, Liverpool is said to consider him a ‘proper footballer’ with similarities to Nathan Aké. Manchester United and Arsenal also hold an interest.

Liverpool.com says: With a double ‘r’ and single ‘l’ , the arrival of Jorrel Hato would see a huge spike in Liverpool’s (expected misspellings of Jarell Quansah). Apart from that, Henderson’s young colleague looks like a potentially smart investment in the back line.

Between them, Jorrel and Jarell could form half of the Liverpool back line for a decade to come. With Trent Alexander-Arnold still to fully hit his prime and Ibrahima Konaté also one for the future, the ‘ageing’ defense could suddenly have quite a youthful look.

But it would be a big leap straight from the Eredivisie into the Liverpool back line, and the Reds would be forgiven for wanting to watch and wait a little longer. The only question is whether Hato will still be attainable a year or two down the line.

Donyell Malen (Borussia Dortmund)
As Manchester United triumphed over Liverpool, a representation of the off-pitch pecking order was sitting in the stands. Despite being coveted by the Old Trafford hierarchy at one point, Michael Edwards was at the game as a representative of FSG.

He could yet get another one over on his would-be employers, with Liverpool and Manchester United said to share a transfer target for the summer. According to BILD, both clubs admire Donyell Malen of Borussia Dortmund.

The report claims Liverpool already tried to attract Malen ‘several times’. He has been linked with a move to Anfield as far back as 2021, before he made the switch to Dortmund, so it’s possible he could even have been an Edwards target during his spell as sporting director.

Now in a more overarching head of football position within the ownership group, Edwards would likely delegate any chase for Malen, perhaps to Richard Hughes. It is said Borussia Dortmund would likely accept an offer of around $65m (£51m/€60m).

Liverpool.com says: Whether from Liverpool or Manchester United, it’s fair to suggest Borussia Dortmund would be lucky to get that kind of sum for Malen. He has not regressed since joining from PSV, but nor has he really kicked on, and the 25-year-old would now represent something of a punt.

However, the links with Liverpool are long-standing, and it’s easy to see why. On paper, he does fit into the style of play — although with Klopp on his way out, that’s subject to change.