Liverpool Targets Givairo Read as Right-Back Solution
Liverpool’s search for a long-term answer at right-back has a new focal point – and he’s lighting up the Eredivisie.
The Premier League side are closely tracking Dutch youngster Givairo Read after the 20-year-old’s blistering start to the season with Feyenoord, with Arsenal and Manchester City also circling.
Dutch starlet on England’s radar
Read has forced his way into the conversation with a run of form that is hard to ignore. The Feyenoord right-back has already produced five assists in just seven Eredivisie appearances this campaign, driving their unbeaten start and pushing his name to the top of scouting reports across Europe.
That output hasn’t come out of nowhere. Read was already on the verge of a move to England in the summer. Nottingham Forest lodged a bid, while Everton made a strong play of their own. Roma were also in the frame, their interest tied in through the Friedkin Group’s ownership links with Everton, but despite the noise no agreement was reached and Read stayed put in the Netherlands.
Liverpool, though, were watching all of it. Alongside Arsenal and Manchester City, they tracked his situation throughout the window and have not stepped away. If anything, his early-season form has only sharpened their focus.
Liverpool’s right-back puzzle
The attraction for Liverpool is obvious. They are wrestling with a right-back dilemma.
Jeremie Frimpong has struggled to find rhythm this term, his inconsistency opening the door for Andoni Iraola to experiment. The Liverpool boss has turned to Barcelona loanee Ronald Araujo on the right in each of their last three league games, and the Uruguayan has responded by tightening his grip on the role.
Araujo’s performances have been strong enough to make the position feel his for now, yet his natural home is in the centre of defence. If he continues at this level, the conversation at Anfield may quickly shift to whether he can eventually succeed Virgil van Dijk at the heart of the back line.
That leaves room – and a clear argument – for a specialist right-back to arrive. Read fits that profile: young, aggressive going forward, already productive in the final third. His attacking numbers are a major part of why England’s elite are paying attention, and why interest that flared in the summer has not cooled.
January move on the table
Sources believe Read could emerge as a genuine option for a January transfer. The groundwork has been laid; what remains is for one of Liverpool, Arsenal or Manchester City to turn admiration into a formal bid.
At 20, he stands on the brink of a decisive phase in his career. A move to the Premier League would be a major leap – in pressure, in profile, in expectation. For now, though, his task is simple: keep performing for Feyenoord, keep racking up contributions, keep forcing the issue.
His five assists have already ensured he stays firmly on the radar of England’s biggest clubs. That spotlight will only intensify over the international break.
Read has been called into the Netherlands under-21 squad for their upcoming European Championship qualifiers against Norway, Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Those matches hand him another platform, another stage on which Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City will be watching closely.
If he delivers again, the question won’t be whether the Premier League comes calling – but which giant moves first.
