From ‘£1.5m Portsmouth bid’ to Liverpool move: The reported target now eyed at Anfield, West Ham and Southampton
Pompey reportedly pursued the defender last summer - now Anfield could be his destination as sides eye the former Marseille man.
He was a reported Pompey transfer target whose name first surfaced in the January.
Intriguingly, defender Roggerio Nyakossi was mentioned with regard to a £1.5m bid from the Blues last summer, as they strengthened their back line ahead of the 2025-26 campaign.
Liverpool keen on reported £1.5m summer Pompey target
Belgian side OH Leuven were said not to be interested in doing a deal at that price for the 22-year-old, who is now making big waves ahead of a high-profile summer move.
Clubs like Southampton and West Ham were reportedly keen on the Swiss under-21 player in January, with sides from the Bundesliga and Serie A also showing interest.
But it’s the emergence of English powerhouses Liverpool as potential suitors for Nyakossi, which has really elevated the transfer narrative surrounding the player.
A number of reports have emerged in recent days, with Belgian outlet Het Nieuwsblad among those to offer details of a potential switch to Anfield this summer for the 6ft 4in man.
Nyakossi is contracted until the summer of 2027, and the player is said to have made it known he wants to link up with Arne Slot’s side.
One potential fly in the ointment, however, is Nyakossi’s former club Marseille hold a buyback clause for the player, after his move to Belgium from France in 2025 for a reported £800,000.
With his deal running until the summer of 2027, Leuven are believed to want a fee south of the £14m they received when Dutch defender Ezechiel Banzuzi moved to RB Leipzig last summer.
Nyakossi has once again caught the eye this season. The left-footed central defender has made 21 appearances and returned two goals with his turn of pace a standout attribute for a player of his size.
Pompey’s defensive transfer chase over the past season
Pompey’s own transfer hunt last summer took them elsewhere in the final reckoning, with around £1m paid to bring in former Peterborough United defender Josh Knight from Hannover 96.
It’s been a difficult maiden campaign for Knight, however, after signing a three-year deal at Fratton Park, with his form fluctuating amid 10 starts and four sub appearances.
Knight has not featured since the end of November, with a stress fracture of his back which was initially identified as bone bruising. However, Pompey are not completely ruling out the 28-year-old returning before the end of the season.
With the likes of Knight, Conor Shaughnessy and Hayden Matthews injured, the Blues made another central defensive recruit a January transfer priority - after Aji Alese’s arrival.
They heavily pursued a deal for Dundee defender Luke Graham, with an initial bid of £1.5m rejected for the Scottish under-21 international.
With the SPL outfit standing firm on keeping Graham at the window’s climax, Pompey turned their attention to Senegal defender Madiodio Dia, who arrived from Norwegian outfit Haugesund for £600,000.