Virgil approves as the Reds' promise of 'a big summer' takes shape

WHEN talks were significantly stepped up between Liverpool and Virgil van Dijk over a new contract earlier this year, the Reds captain was promised that a major transfer window was approaching at Anfield.

- By PAUL GORST

And having signed a new two-year extension in April, it is fair to say the Premier League champions have kept to their word.

Van Dijk has sat back and watched while the club's recruitment department have spent the thick end of £300million this summer, with more arrivals planned.

It started with the triggering of Jeremie Frimpong's release clause from Bayer Leverkusen at the beginning of June, with the Netherlands international arriving in a £29.5m deal to effectively take Trent Alexander-Arnold's spot at right-back, even if the versatile Dutchman is not being viewed as a typical like-for-like replacement.

That was followed swiftly by the £116m club-record deal for Frimpong's Leverkusen teammate Florian Wirtz, with the Reds fending off interest from Manchester City, Bayern Munich and belatedly Real Madrid for the Bundesliga player of the season.

The longstanding interest in Milos Kerkez at Bournemouth saw a £40m agreement reached with the Cherries, while Giorgi Mamardashvili's £29m transfer agreed with Valencia last year was also ratified alongside deals for £1.5m Armin Pecsi and Freddie Woodman, who joins from Preston North End as a free agent.

The £79m deal with Eintracht Frankfurt for striker Hugo Ekitike saw the France Under-21 international complete a medical on Tuesday before flying to Hong Kong to meet his new colleagues.