{
  "id": 3209557,
  "title": "Report: Liverpool summer signing has been trying to persuade defensive midfielder to join the Reds",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/25/report-liverpool-summer-signing-has-been-trying-to-persuade-defensive",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-25T06:40:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/report-liverpool-summer-signing-trying-064000237.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Liverpool's recent signing, Samuel Martinez, appears to be attempting to persuade a close personal friend, Matias Orozco, to join the Reds at Anfield. The Colombian attacking midfielder is set to move to England next year following his 18th birthday. It has come to light that Liverpool's scouts watched Orozco during Deportivo Cali's match against Inter de Bogota, where he reportedly played well before being substituted with a minor injury. Claims suggest that Martinez has been trying to convince Orozco, a 18-year-old friend, to join Liverpool. Deportivo Cali manager Rafael Dudamel has reportedly stated that negotiations for Orozco's move to Europe are advanced, with some reporting that the teenager has played his final game for his current club. Despite the speculation, Orozco himself has tried to dispel rumors of a possible exit from Colombia, admitting that a move to the Premier League would be a \"dream\" for him. However, it is important to note that an 18-year-old with only 28 senior matches to his name, particularly none in European football, should not be considered as an immediate solution to Liverpool's defensive midfield issues. Rather, he should be given time to develop in the academy setup or with a loan move elsewhere to gain experience. Liverpool clearly sees potential in Orozco as he could develop into a robust number 6 option who excels at breaking up opposition attacks. However, it is unlikely that he can instantly fix the current problems faced by Liverpool's defense.",
  "summary": "One player who signed for Liverpool this summer is reportedly attempting to persuade a defensive midfielder on the Reds’ radar to join him at Anfield.Last month, the Merseyside club confirmed that t...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "Special midfielder sends massive come and get me plea to Liverpool",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/25/special-midfielder-sends-massive-come-and-get-me-plea-to-liverpool",
        "published": "2026-08-25T07:10:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}