Liverpool news: Arne Slot boos divide Reds duo as £43m target's transfer almost certain

 Liverpool boss Arne Slot faces an uphill challenge to win back the hearts and minds of fans after large sections of the Anfield crowd booed them off against Chelsea on Saturday. The Reds look to be stuttering to a top-five finish after the Blues ended a seven-game losing streak in the Premier League by drawing 1-1 on Merseyside.

Liverpool have lost 11 and drawn eight games this season, a deeply underwhelming return for the Premier League champions after spending upwards of £450million last summer. In today's Liverpool news, two Reds stars have moved to address the hostile reaction of fans on Saturday as the pressure on Slot grows.

The clamour for major surgery on Liverpool's squad is also growing with every point dropped. Elsewhere today, Liverpool have been linked with a £43m swoop for a winger who could replace the outgoing Mohamed Salah.

Reds stars disagree on Anfield booing

Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch has stated that his side didn't deserve to be booed off the pitch on Saturday afternoon. Gravenberch put the Reds ahead with a stunning strike after just five minutes, before Enzo Fernandez levelled when his low free-kick crept in at the Kop end.

The Dutch star was unhappy with the fans' response at the full-time whistle. He told TNT Sports: "To be honest, we need them (the fans) behind us. OK we didn't win, but I don't really think we deserved this [reaction]. The fans have to be behind us for the full 90 minutes because when they were behind us in the second half, we were pressing really well.

"We need them. Hopefully they wouldn't do it again in the next two games. Yes, of course we are [disappointed] because we have to share the points. We wanted the three points but obviously they are a very good team, who play well here, so in the end I do think they deserved a point as well."

However, Reds defender Joe Gomez says he understands the fans' frustrations this season. Gomez said: “We feel it. It's the last thing we want. For us older boys who have experienced so many good times here, it does hurt. If it didn't then you shouldn't still be here. We want to make it right.

"I understand the frustration, yeah, 100%. We’ve all said on record a few times this year we know this is not where we want to be and the position we want to be in. We understand it. I hope you could see the urgency that we want to win.

“I guess it just is a summary of our year and it's a reaction to the whole year, and that's fair enough. The fans pay their hard-earned money to come and watch us and they're entitled to show their frustration, in the same way they cheer us."

Reds eye £43m star

Monaco's right winger Maghnes Akliouche has emerged as a potential target for Liverpool this summer. Replacing Salah will not be an easy task for Arne Slot and sporting director Richard Hughes.

However, more targets are being linked with the Reds as the summer window edges closer and, alongside names such as RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande and Paris Saint-Germain’s Bradley Barcola, the 24-year-old French international Akliouche has been linked.

French outlet L’Equipe have reported Akliouche has attracted interest from the Reds and that the young star is “almost certain” to leave Monaco this summer. PSG are also rumoured to hold an interest while Akliouche is also said to have turned down “persistent” efforts from Tottenham a year ago.

The outlet states that Liverpool are “more interested” and that the player's £43.3m price tag “wouldn’t be a deterrent.” Akliouche turned 24 in February and has already played 137 times for Monaco.

In five seasons in Ligue 1, Akliouche has scored 23 goals and registered 28 assists. This season, he has featured 41 times, scoring four times and notching up eight assists from the right wing and number 10 position.