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Liverpool midfielder James McConnell signed a new contract with the Reds before completing a loan move to Dutch giant Ajax.
The highly-rated youngster will spend the remainder of the 2025-26 season playing for the Amsterdam club, where he will be reunited with former Liverpool coach John Heitinga. The latter left Liverpool in the offseason to become the Ajax head coach, and McConnell is the second Liverpool player to join him this summer, after goalkeeper Vitezslav Jaros also joined Ajax on a season-long loan deal a few weeks ago.
Ajax technical director Alex Kroes said: "James has a real winner’s mentality and will bring the necessary extra power to the squad.
"With him, we are adding a player who, as a defensive holding midfielder, can contribute valuable qualities to the team.
"He has been part of Liverpool’s first-team set-up for several seasons and therefore knows exactly what is required at the very highest level.
"He has great potential and will be given the opportunity here to continue his development. We are very pleased that he has chosen Ajax."
Meanwhile, Liverpool head coach Arne Slot was asked during his press conference ahead of Sunday's game against Arsenal whether there are plans for the Reds to strengthen their squad further before Monday's deadline.
"I think I said after Monday evening [against Newcastle] that, again, I could make a substitution that impacted the game," Slot said.
"That's what Federico [Chiesa] did against Bournemouth, and that's what Rio [Ngumoha] did now against Newcastle.
"As always, we try to sign players that can help us, but there is no reason after the first two games to complain or to think we need more.
"If we can strengthen the squad, then we will always try to do that if it's for the right money and it's the right player.
"There are only three or four days to go now, so let's see if we do something – and if we do something, what we can do."
Liverpool remains interested in signing Alexander Isak and Marc Guehi, and although time is running out to sign both players, it appears as though the pieces are beginning to fall into place to facilitate both players' moves.
Crystal Palace is working on deals to sign two central defenders, which would pave the way for Guehi to leave, while Newcastle has agreed to sign Nick Woltemade from Stuttgart, and he is reported to be viewed by the Magpies as a replacement for Isak.
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