Liverpool transfer news LIVE: Kalidou Koulibaly, Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Rhian Brewster – latest updates

Liverpool “extensively scouted” Lille winger Jonathan David before deciding on a move for Diogo Jota, according to The Athletic.

The 20-year-old was one of a number of players identified as a potential option, including Watford’s Ismaila Sarr.

David scored 23 goals for Gent last season before moving to Ligue 1 side Lille.

Marko Grujic is set to leave Liverpool after the signings of Thiago and Diogo Jota.

The Reds now have plenty of options in midfield and the 23-year-old, who has spent the last two season on loan at Hertha Berlin, is considered surplus to requirements.

“There’s no doubt now that they’ve made those two big signings, the focus will shift to outgoings," journalist James Pearce said on the Red Agenda Podcast.

“In that midfield department clearly Marko Grujic will move on. There’s interest in him from Borussia Monchengladbach.”

Liverpool were “always confident” of securing the signing of midfielder Thiago, according to The Athletic’s Raphael Honigstein.

The 29-year-old completed his £25m move to Anfield last week and impressed on his debut against Chelsea on Sunday.

And Honigstein, speaking on his podcast, claimed Liverpool were the clear favourites to sign Thiago from the start of the transfer window, even amid reported interest from clubs including Manchester United and Chelsea.

"I think there was some cursory interest, there might have been one or two preliminary talks or people just enquiring what the situation is," he said.

"I’ve always been told by someone close to Liverpool that they were always very, very confident that Thiago had decided to go for them and it was just a case of striking a deal between Bayern and Liverpool.

"There might have been a few flirts, a few people sniffing around, but it looked like Liverpool was always going to be the most likely outcome."

Aston Villa have emerged as contenders to sign Watford forward Ismaila Sarr.

France Football report that that the 22-year-old, supposedly a target for Liverpool, could instead make a switch to Villa Park.

The Reds were reportedly in for Sarr before completing the signing of Diogo Jota, though there has been talk that they might still be interested in the Watford man.

Barcelona are not interested in sending Ousmane Dembele on loan to Liverpool, according to France Football.

The Reds reportedly made contact over the possible signing of the France international, who has been in and out of the Blaugrana team since joining for £135m in 2017.

But Barcelona are not willing to loan the 23-year-old out, instead preferring a permanent transfer to raise funds.

Liverpool legend John Aldridge has claimed Rhian Brewster is within his rights to seek out a move.

The 20-year-old striker looks set to leave the club having fallen down the pecking order under Jurgen Klopp.

Brewster, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Swansea, has been heavily linked with Crystal Palace and Sheffield United, while Aston Villa and Leeds are also said to be interested.

“If he’s not going to get games at Liverpool in the foreseeable future having seemingly now moved further down the pecking order, you can’t blame him for wanting to move on," Aldridge wrote in the Liverpool Echo.

“It would be shrewd to have a buy-back option though because Liverpool are then covering themselves with a kind of insurance policy, having put years worth of training and development into the boy.”

In case you missed it yesterday:

Jamie Carragher has claimed Jack Grealish is not “quite good enough” to play for Liverpool.

The Aston Villa man has been linked with several top clubs this summer, but opted to sign a new contract with his boyhood club.

“I think Jack is in a position similar to Zaha at Palace, where the type of money to get him out of the club you are talking £60 or £70 million,” Carragher said on Sky Sports.

“I don’t think they are quite good enough to play for Liverpool or Manchester City, and teams just below the top four I don’t think they’d want to pay the money to get him.”

Liverpool have made another approach to sign Ousmane Dembele on loan, according to France Football.

Barcelona signed the winger for £135m in 2017, but he injuries and inconsistent form have disrupted his time in Catalonia.

It remains to be seen whether the Blaugrana are open to a loan move, though Liverpool appear to be keen to further strengthen in attack following the signing of Diogo Jota.

Former Liverpool winger Jordan Ibe is expected to leave Bournemouth for Derby in the coming days.

Derbyshire Live report that the 24-year-old is set to undergo a medical at Pride Park.

Ibe, who showed promise at Liverpool before his departure in 2016, has been out of action for over a year and will have to be eased into Phillip Cocu’s Derby side.