• Right-back will now undergo medical and finalise personal terms
• Nathaniel Clyne will be Liverpool’s sixth signing of pre-season
Liverpool have agreed a £12.5m deal with Southampton for Nathaniel Clyne and the right-back is set to become the club’s sixth signing of the summer. Clyne, who has been capped five times by England, will undergo a medical at Liverpool – most likely next week, after he returns from a holiday – and finalise his personal terms on a five-year contract.
The 24-year-old has pushed for the transfer, having made it clear that he did not want to agree to fresh terms at Southampton. His deal with them was due to expire next summer. Southampton were reluctant to sell but Clyne informed them he wanted to progress his career at Anfield. Manchester United had shown an interest in him but Liverpool are on the brink of being rewarded for their persistence.
Southampton valued Clyne at £15m but they have settled for less, with £2m of the money to be paid upon appearance-based criteria. They had rejected Liverpool’s opening offer, which was worth up to £10m. Clyne will follow three former Southampton team-mates to Anfield – Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren and Rickie Lambert moved there from St Mary’s last summer – and he hopes to kick on after his fine season last time out, which brought him recognition at international level. Brendan Rodgers, the Liverpool manager, sees him as the perfect fit for his attacking style, with Clyne regarded as defensively sound and also a threat going forward.
Rodgers has found right-back to be a problem position with Javier Manquillo having struggled there last season after his arrival on loan from Atlético Madrid, Jon Flanagan being ruled out because of a serious knee injury and Glen Johnson falling from favour.
Johnson failed to convince the club that he warranted a new contract and he will leave as a free agent at the end of the month. Rodgers turned to Emre Can, even though the German midfielder was uncomfortable at right-back and he will now hope that Clyne can provide the solution. Liverpool have moved quickly to restrengthen after the disappointment of last season, when they faded towards the end to finish sixth and they have signed Roberto Firmino, James Milner, Danny Ings, Adam Bogdan and Joe Gomez. The deal for Firmino, the Brazil forward from Hoffenheim, is worth £29m – the second highest outlay on a player in the club’s history. Liverpool could recoup much of their summer spending if they were to sell Raheem Sterling, who wants to leave and has been the subject of a failed £40m bid from Manchester City.
City indicated that £40m was their final price but they could yet bid again.
Clyne’s sale has looked likely for several weeks and Southampton have put contingencies in place. They have signed Cédric Soares from Sporting Lisbon for an initial £3.6m while they have explored the possibility of taking Carl Jenkinson on loan from Arsenal. They have long placed great store on succession planning.Jamie Carragher, the former Liverpool player, joked that he had played a part in Clyne’s transfer. Saw Nathaniel Clyne at St Mary’s last season after a game and told him to sign for LFC,” Carragher tweeted. He took the advice! I’m on the transfer committee now.”