Liverpool ‘reach agreement’ for first summer signing with five-year deal on the table | Football | Sport

Liverpool have reportedly reached an agreement to sign Colombian teenager Samuel Martinez on a five-year deal. It is claimed that the club are progressing through the final paperwork after outbidding several other European heavyweights for the Atletico Nacional attacking midfielder.

Journalist Pipe Sierra has claimed that Martinez will remain at Nacional to continue his development for the time being. It is understood that the fee will be around £740,000, with the Colombian club retaining a percentage of any future sale. The deal would be a significant coup for Liverpool, with the talented youngster having also attracted interest from Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund. The 17-year-old has earned six caps for Colombia Under-17s, though he is yet to score in those outings.

Martinez will make his way to Merseyside once he turns 18, meaning he won’t officially become a Reds player until 2027. Liverpool may well need to reassess their transfer approach this summer following a disappointing season under Arne Slot.

The Reds have tumbled from Premier League champions to a side battling merely to secure Champions League qualification.

Liverpool, who currently occupy fifth place – the final qualification spot – remain vulnerable to being overtaken by Bournemouth, after the Cherries drew 1-1 at home against Manchester City to keep their top-five ambitions alive and ensure Arsenal succeeded Arne Slot’s side as champions.

Nevertheless, it would take an extraordinary pair of results on Sunday’s final day to deny Liverpool their place among Europe’s elite.

Bournemouth would need to claim victory at Nottingham Forest while Liverpool suffer defeat at home to Brentford, requiring a six-goal swing in favour of the South Coast outfit, given the Reds’ current goal difference advantage.

Brighton’s loss at Leeds United at the weekend confirmed Bournemouth as the only side still capable of gatecrashing the Champions League qualification spots.

Liverpool could yet finish fourth should they overcome Brentford and Aston Villa, who hammered the Reds 4-2 last Friday, slip to defeat in their final fixture at Man City.

Following Villa’s Europa League triumph against Freiburg on Wednesday, a Champions League qualification berth will be handed to whoever finishes sixth, which, at present, could be either Bournemouth or Brighton.