Liverpool Targets Givairo Read as Right-Back Solution
Liverpool’s search for a new right-back has zeroed in on one of the Eredivisie’s breakout names – and they’re not alone.
Givairo Read, the 20-year-old Feyenoord full-back, has forced his way onto the shortlists of Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City after a blistering start to the season in the Netherlands. All three Premier League heavyweights are tracking him closely, with Liverpool viewing him as a serious candidate to solve an increasingly awkward problem on their right flank.
A flying start in Rotterdam
Read has been a driving force in Feyenoord’s unbeaten opening to the Eredivisie campaign. He isn’t just ticking along in the background; he’s shaping games.
Five assists in seven league appearances from right-back tell the story. His delivery, his timing in the final third, and his willingness to join attacks have pushed his profile up several levels in a matter of weeks. That output has only reinforced the interest that built up over the summer.
Back then, a move to England came very close. Nottingham Forest lodged a bid for the defender, while Everton were strongly in the mix as well. Everton’s push was strengthened by parallel interest from Roma, with both clubs under the Friedkin Group umbrella. Even with that combined pull, Feyenoord held firm and Read stayed put.
Liverpool, Arsenal and City were already watching then. None of them pulled the trigger. They’re still watching now – and with far more urgency.
Liverpool’s right-back riddle
Liverpool’s renewed focus on Read is rooted in their own defensive jigsaw.
Jeremie Frimpong has struggled to find rhythm this season, his form dipping enough for Andoni Iraola to rethink the balance of his back line. The Liverpool manager has turned to Barcelona loanee Ronald Araujo at right-back in each of the club’s last three league matches, a move that has steadied the team but raised new questions.
Araujo has impressed and, on current form, has made the position his own. Yet his natural role is at centre-back. If he continues to dominate defensively, the temptation will be to groom him as Virgil van Dijk’s long-term successor at the heart of the defence rather than keep him marooned on the flank.
That leaves Liverpool weighing their options. Read, with his attacking thrust and age profile, fits the template of a long-term solution on the right.
A January battle brewing?
Sources indicate that Read is firmly on the radar for a potential January move. Whether that becomes a concrete transfer battle depends on which of the interested clubs decide to step up and formalise their interest.
At 20, he is entering a decisive phase of his development. A jump to the Premier League would represent a huge leap – in expectation, intensity and scrutiny – but his current form suggests he is edging towards that level.
For now, the stage is the Eredivisie. His five assists have helped keep Feyenoord unbeaten and ensured that scouts from England’s elite continue to file glowing reports. Every game is another data point, another nudge towards a decision.
Audition on the international stage
Read’s next platform comes with the national badge on his chest. He has been called up to the Netherlands under-21 squad for their upcoming European Championship qualifiers against Norway, Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Those fixtures will be watched closely. Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City are all expected to monitor his performances again as they weigh up whether this is the moment to move from admiration to action.
If Read keeps delivering at this rate, the question may not be whether he leaves Feyenoord – but which Premier League giant wins the race to bring him over.
