'It's done' - Liverpool deal agreed as Fabrizio Romano confirms 'everything is done' to sign Inter Milan target
Fabrizio Romano has provided an update on Liverpool's move for a young centre-back as they seek to plan long-term for the position
Liverpool have agreed a deal to sign talented 17-year-old centre-back Ifeanyi Ndukwe from Austria Vienna, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
Reports emerged on Friday from Austria that a deal had been agreed but The Athletic refuted the transfer was that advanced but did confirm that talks were taking place.
Inter Milan have been linked with the teenager and were even said to have made an offer after sending scouts to watch him in action. Now he appears to be on his way to Anfield but the move will not happen until the summer.
That is due to post-Brexit transfer regulations, with Ndukwe not able to make the move until he turns 18. Clubs in Germany and Italy made attempts to sign the player in the summer but he opted to remain in Austria and has now got his move to Liverpool.
“We have a here we go for the future of Liverpool,” said Romano on his YouTube channel.
“And it's about Ndukwe, this talented centre-back, coming from Austria-Wien, 17-year-old, will turn 18 very soon, and in the summer, 2026, Ndukwe will become new centre-back for Liverpool. It's done. It's a here we go.
“The player has already agreed the terms. I can tell you that last summer transfer window, Italian clubs and German clubs wanted to sign the boy, but Ndukwe decided to wait, and now Liverpool decide to sign him. The deal is done now, for the summer.
“Everything is done, everything is agreed. The boy will start pre-season with Liverpool in the summer, and a very interesting one, very tall, but also fast, and so considered as an interesting talent by Liverpool.”
Centre-back is a position that the Reds need to start future planning for. Ibrahima Konate is out of contract this summer and has yet to agree a new deal. He was strongly linked with a move to Real Madrid on a free transfer when his deal ran out but the Spanish giants have since pulled out of the running for the Frenchman.
Whether that leads to him signing a new deal remains to be seen but there have been questions over his performances this season.
Meanwhile, captain Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez are both out of contract in 2027 which leaves just Giovanni Leoni, who is currently out injured with an ACL problem.
Liverpool have been linked with several centre-backs, with Marc Guehi the leading name on that list. Brentford captain Nathan Collins is also said to be of interest.