Liverpool are set to receive a surprise transfer windfall this summer – courtesy of a player who last represented the club 11 years ago.
HLiverpool’s summer spending has already surpassed £300 million, and the total could rise further with the club pursuing moves for Marc Guehi and Alexander Isak.
At the same time, the Reds have balanced their books with significant outgoings. Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez departed Anfield for a combined fee of over £100 million, while the academy has also provided a lucrative source of income. Jarell Quansah joined Bayer Leverkusen earlier in the window for £33 million, and youngster Ben Doak is now on the verge of sealing a £25 million switch to Bournemouth.
In addition to current sales, Liverpool are also set to benefit financially from players who left the club some time ago. Blackburn captain Lewis Travis has informed his club of his desire to move this summer, with Derby County preparing a £1.5 million offer to reunite him with former boss John Eustace.
However, according to The Sun’s Alan Nixon, Blackburn are expected to reject that bid, as part of the fee would be owed to Liverpool through a sell-on clause. Although the exact percentage is not clear, the clause is said to be significant enough for Rovers to increase their asking price to around £3 million.
Lewis Travis began his football journey with Liverpool, joining the academy at just six years old and spending a decade developing in their youth system before being released in 2014.
He was quickly snapped up by Blackburn Rovers, where former manager Tony Mowbray reinvented him as a defensive midfielder and later entrusted him with the captain’s armband when senior players were unavailable.
Now 27, Travis has established himself as one of the Championship’s most reliable midfielders, making over 250 appearances in all competitions for Rovers. His career also includes a brief stint with Ipswich Town, where he contributed to their promotion campaign to the Premier League, although he featured only nine times during a loan spell following a dispute with ex-coach Jon Dahl Tomasson.
Currently, Blackburn are managed by Valerien Ismael, formerly of West Brom and Barnsley, who confirmed to BBC Radio Lancashire that the club would consider selling Travis for the right price — a move that could also benefit Liverpool through a sell-on clause.
“We know there is interest,” Ismael admitted. “If the price is right for the club, then we will see. At the moment, that isn’t the case. When a player has a year left on his contract, it’s natural he will look at his options. But as a club, we also have our own priorities. Either we keep our captain, or another club meets our valuation.”
