Liverpool looking at Dutch wonderkid as West Ham & Newcastle battle for £17m striker

In Friday’s round-up of the freshest Premier League transfer rumours, we’ve got news for fans of Everton, West Ham and Newcastle – but we’re going to start, for the second day in a row, with a story that concerns a potential Liverpool target.

Whether it’s simply because they’re the only ‘big six’ side with plenty of money to spend in January or because the transfer team at Anfield really is going into overdrive ahead of a big transfer window, we’re seeing an unholy amount of players coming up in connection with a move to Merseyside – and now that includes 21-year-old Ajax star Devyne Rensch.

Caught Offside claim that the Reds are “eyeing up” the gifted young defender and have scouted him in recent matches, as have Tottenham Hotspur. Partly, that’s because Rensch’s contract with the Amsterdam outfit runs out next summer, which could make him a budget target for the new year or a free signing come next June.

Contract negotiations between Rensch and his club are ongoing, however, so he could end up extending his stay in the Netherlands after all – but Liverpool seem keen to persuade him that his future lies elsewhere.

The 3AM Verdict: Rensch can play as a centre-half or as a right-back and has two caps for the Dutch national team, so he’s no slouch, and he could be a valuable squad option for two clubs with concerns about defensive depth in the long run. We suspect that there’s a fair chance he ends up extending at Ajax, but we’ll find out soon enough.

Brazilian star hunted by Premier League sides

Next up, here’s a story from TBR Football which sends us back to last summer, when we heard the name Yuri Alberto quite a few times, especially in connection with West Ham, who reportedly had a £14m bid turned down by Corinthians back in 2023.

It looks like they haven’t forgotten the Brazilian, however. The 23-year-old has scored 11 goals this season, enough to persuade the Hammers to try their luck once more. The problem is that this time, they aren’t his only suitors – Newcastle United are among the teams pursuing him, with Nottingham Forest and Everton also namechecked. Apparently, Yuri Alberto has now spoken publicly about his desire to play in the Premier League, and that’s clearly put quite a few clubs on alert.

The 3AM Verdict: There were also stories that claimed Yuri Alberto had come close to signing for Southampton this summer, so it’s almost a surprise that he isn’t in England already. He should, supposedly, set any side that wants him back about £17m, which sounds like a fair price point for a talented but not prolific striker.

Everton battle for Nigeria international

Lastly for today, a story from Sport Witness which cites sources in the Turkish media when claiming that Everton are considering an attempt to hijack a proposed move which would see AC Milan and Nigeria midfielder Samu Chukwueze move to Besiktas.

The 25-year-old is “very much on their radar” and had been expected to move to Istanbul in order to find some first-team minutes, but could now have further options. There is a complicating factor, however – Milan would prefer to loan him out, and Everton have already filled their two international loan spots, meaning that either Jesper Lindstöm or Orel Mangala would need to leave to make room.

The 3AM Verdict: Chukwueze was impressive at Villarreal and this would, on paper, but a very good signing for Everton, but it does look like a complicated deal to get over the line. Apparently Chukwueze’s compatriot and friend Victor Osimhen has been talking up the quality of life over in Turkey, as well… We won’t hold our breath on Everton’s behalf, basically.