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Liverpool stars Luis Diaz and Federico Chiesa have both been linked with transfers away(Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images)

Liverpool are on the verge of completing their sixth summer signing.

A guaranteed £69m will be paid to Frankfurt with an additional £10m in add-ons making up the rest of the deal, the step of the process being for the 23-year-old to arrive on Merseyside and undertake his medical.

Once sorted and he is announced as a Liverpool player, the striker would be able to follow Slot's team to Hong Kong, where they flew to on Sunday to kickstart a pre-season tour of Asia.



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As Ekitike is introduced to his new teammates, one he will have the pleasure of meeting is Luis Diaz.

The 28-year-old was included in the Reds' 29-man squad for the trip despite ongoing interest, particularly from Bayern Munich but also Barcelona and Saudi Arabia.

The Bundesliga champions saw a €67.5m (£58.6m) opening proposal rejected swiftly last week as the stance of Anfield's chiefs remains the same as it always has been - Diaz is not for sale and he remains a big part of the plans for 2025/26.

Still, the club are bracing themselves for a fresh attempt to sign the Colombian, meaning concerns over his future will only continue at a time the player needs focus for the Premier League season ahead.

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Dropping their Asian tour squad list amidst the Ekitike negotiations, Liverpool additionally didn't name three stars who will continue to have their immediate futures' questioned.

Biggest amongst those was another forward, Federico Chiesa.

I wouldn’t mind staying in Liverpool at all."

But the 27-year-old was also warned by new Italian national team manager Gennaro Gattuso that he is going to have to play next season to stand a chance of being taken to the 2026 World Cup.

So Chiesa, even though he scored in a behind-closed-doors friendly vs Stoke City on Sunday and was left behind from the tour to overcome a minor fitness issue, appears to have the remainder of the summer to make a big career decision.

Also left at home were young talents Jayden Danns and James McConnell.

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The former, as he was fit, should see speculation grow over another spell out on loan.

Newly-promoted Sunderland are interested again after the six months the striker spent with them at the end of last season was marred by injury.

And the latter, like Chiesa, was left out to overcome a minor injury.

However, the midfielder is also of great promise and it remains to be seen what loan avenues open up between now and transfer deadline day.