Liverpool signing Dominik Szoboszlai is more likely after £60m clause expires

Liverpool transfer target Dominik Szoboszlai’s release clause expires at midnight tonight. Before then, the RB Leipzig player can be snared for £60million without the need for club-to-club talks courtesy of the option in the player’s contract. Anyone wanting to sign the playmaker after then though must negotiate a fee with Leipzig rather than simply exercising the clause.

Representatives of the Hungary international, also wanted by Newcastle, met with Liverpool officials earlier this week. Sky Sports say the meeting went well but that the Reds are not going to rush into a decision to sign the 22-year-old as they canvas their options after signing Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton.

Khephren Thuram of Nice and Bayern Munich’s Ryan Gravenberch are two other midfielders they are very keen on. But that they met Szoboszlai’s people clearly indicates they have significant interest. However, in Liverpool’s case, the release clause becoming extinct after midnight may actually see them ramp up their interest, rather than walk away.

That is because paying the clause would seemingly require Jurgen Klopp’s outfit to pay the full £60m at once. However, negotiations with Leipzig would instead be for a deal which Liverpool could pay his fee in instalments, or with add-ons making up some of the amount, as they do with other deals.

Mac Allister was signed for a guaranteed £35m rising to £55m with add-ons and bonuses. The Reds have meanwhile done plenty of business with Leipzig’s owners Red Bull in recent years, signing Ibrahima Konate and Naby Keita from Leipzig since 2017. They also bought Takumi Minamino from Red Bull Salzburg – Szoboszlai’s former club before Leipzig – in 2020.

At present, Fabio Carvalho is due to join Leipzig from Liverpool on a season-long loan while Sadio Mane is another ex-Salzburg player who turned out at Anfield. Liverpool will hope such a strong relationship with Red Bull can help them sign Szoboszlai on more favourable terms, be that in the form of a lower overall fee, a fee that is paid out across several years or with a chunk of the payment being add-ons.

Salzburg are however due to take 20 per cent of any amount paid for the Hungarian attacking midfielder, meaning it isn’t guaranteed the deal will get any easier next month or in August. Yet it is easy to see why Klopp would love to work with the player.

Szoboszlai is an attack-minded midfielder with healthy numbers – 10 goals and 13 assists across all competitions in 46 matches last term as well as 10 goals and nine assists in 45 games the year before that. He’s also extremely versatile, capable of playing as a No 8 on either side, a left winger, a right winger or as a No 10.

And given his profile and his age, 22, coupled with his experience (248 club and international appearances), it is no surprise he is a target for Liverpool. Szoboszlai ticks all the boxes but it will not be an easy deal to do given his immense potential, having cost £17m even three years ago when he swapped Salzburg for Leipzig.

Yet his release clause becoming defunct will not signal the end of Liverpool’s interest. It should have exactly the opposite effect as sporting director Jorg Schmadtke looks to sweet talk Leipzig into accepting a lower fee or a deal that better suits the Premier League giants.