Liverpool agree £25m deal for Conor Bradley

Liverpool have moved to sign midfielder Conor Bradley from Championship side Bolton Wanderers for around £25 million, according to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano.

The Reds’ need for a right-back has been desperate since Joe Gomez picked up a serious knee injury in pre-season. Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté have been forced to cover that position, leaving the defence exposed at the back and out of balance. Liverpool have already lost Kostas Tsimikas for weeks with a groin problem, while Gomez’s replacement, Jayden Danns, has struggled for form. A permanent solution is now urgent.

Bolton’s financial crisis and Bradley’s desire for Premier League football have created a clear path to a deal. The 21-year-old Irish international has started every Championship game this season and is rated highly among scouts. Romano says the contract is “99% done” and a medical is expected within days. Liverpool are also preparing for a possible bid for Chelsea’s Reece James, but Bradley’s arrival would allow them to push for both.

If the transfer completes, it will ease Liverpool’s defensive crisis and give them depth ahead of a congested fixture list. The club has not signed a permanent right-back since signing Nathaniel Clyne in 2012, and injuries have cost them dearly. A fit Bradley would also allow Trent Alexander-Arnold to return to his preferred midfield role, improving the team’s balance. Liverpool’s next move could still go in a different direction, but for now, they appear ready to solve their biggest weakness.