A report claiming that Liverpool was aiming to make a deadline day signing of a European champion has taken a new turn.
Greek journalist Stephen Kountourou initially suggested yesterday that Liverpool was interested in Olympiacos defensive midfielder Santiago Hezze. This sparked a flurry of analysis on social media about the Conference League champion.
As the story gained traction, James Pearce from The Athletic investigated whether Liverpool was truly considering Hezze as a last-minute reinforcement for the holding midfielder role.
For those hoping for an exciting deadline day move, it appears Hezze is not in Liverpool’s plans. Kountourou later quoted Pearce’s post, aligning with the view that Liverpool is not pursuing Hezze.
The primary evidence linking Liverpool to Hezze seemed circumstantial: the private jet that transported Federico Chiesa to Liverpool and took Stefan Bajcetic to Salzburg was also listed as flying from Salzburg to Athens.
Would Hezze have been a good addition?
Whether Hezze would have been a worthwhile signing for Liverpool depends on the fee. As an influential defensive midfielder capable of scoring and assisting from distance, Hezze showed his value with Olympiacos last season.
However, he might not yet meet the high standards Liverpool seeks for a starting number 6 role.
Given Hezze’s profile—being a solid and young midfielder with European experience—it’s surprising he remains in Greece. This could be due to an inflated asking price following Olympiacos’ successful season. Most of their squad has been retained, likely because the prices for these players are higher than anticipated.
