Walk On: The Athletic FC's Liverpool show

James Pearce and Andy Jones join Tony Evans prior to Liverpool completing the signing of Eintracht Frankfurt forward Hugo Ekitike.The Athletic's Bundesliga correspondent Seb Stafford-Bloor is also back to give us the lowdown on what to expect from the imminent arrival who looks set to supplement the forward options available to Arne Slot.The panel also discuss what other transfer business the Reds could look to conduct or sanction, with a centre-back high on the priority list while Luis Diaz has been the subject of a rejected bid from Bayern Munich.James brings us up to speed on the tour of Asia with the Reds currently in Hong Kong ahead of taking on AC Milan on Saturday, there's also analysis of the record-breaking sale of Olivia Smith by Liverpool Women to Arsenal with The Athletic's Women's Football Writer Megan Feringa before Tony pays tribute to the late Joey Jones.Email: walkon@theathletic.comHost: Tony EvansWith: James Pearce, Andy Jones, Seb Stafford-Bloor and Megan FeringaProducer: Guy Clarke Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

James Pearce and Simon Hughes are alongside Tony Evans as Liverpool kicked off their pre-season schedule in emotional circumstances against Preston North End.James was in attendance at Deepdale as Liverpool played for the first time since the tragic passing of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva. The tributes at the games and reaction of the supporters is discussed as well as the leadership shown by Arne Slot through the difficult time for the club.Looking to the rest of pre-season, the panel preview the upcoming tour of Asia in which the Reds will play games in both Hong Kong and Japan while assessing which youngsters could be afforded opportunities on tour. Within that, we also analyse how difficult the task is for the younger members of Slot's squad in trying to work their way into the first team picture with the Premier League champions.Email: walkon@theathletic.comHost: Tony EvansWith: James Pearce and Simon HughesProducer: Guy Clarke Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tony Evans is joined by James Pearce and Simon Hughes as tributes continue to be shared following the sudden and sad passing of Liverpool striker Diogo Jota and his younger brother Andre Silva.We're also joined by The Athletic's Jack Lang who travelled out to Gondomar last week to observe the public wake and funeral in the hometown of the Silva family. We hear the impact Jota had on the local community and the influence he had on the wider region too.The panel also discuss how Liverpool process and deal with grief as the club beginning to prepare for the start of the new season with confirmation Sunday's pre-season friendly with Preston North End at Deepdale will go ahead as planned.Email: walkon@theathletic.comHost: Tony EvansWith: James Pearce, Simon Hughes and Jack LangProducer: Guy Clarke Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tony Evans, James Pearce and Simon Hughes reflect on the tragically sad news Liverpool forward Diogo Jota has died at the age of 28 along with his brother Andre Silva.The brothers were travelling by car in Spain when their vehicle left the carriageway and burst into flames in the early hours of Thursday morning.In this episode, we pay tribute to Diogo Jota sharing memories of the person and the player. The Athletic's Tim Spiers, who covered Wolverhampton Wanderers when Jota initially moved to England also shares his memories having interviewed him a number of times during his time at Molineux.Host: Tony EvansWith: James Pearce, Simon Hughes and Tim SpiersProducer: Guy Clarke Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andy Jones and Mark Carey are alongside Tony Evans to react to news Liverpool have turned down an approach for Luis Diaz by Bayern Munich before looking ahead to how well equipped Liverpool are ahead of the return for pre-season.The panel look through each department of the squad discussing the impact Giorgi Mamardashvili's arrival could have, Ibrahima Konate's contract situation before analysing how Florian Wirtz joining Liverpool could influence the team's playing style.Plus, looking ahead to what else could come we analyse the need for a new centre forward.Email: walkon@theathletic.comHost: Tony EvansWith: Andy Jones and Mark CareyProducer: Guy Clarke Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Discussing Liverpool's vibrant transfer activity, the hosts explore the potential impact of Milos Kerkez's arrival and the center-back dilemma with Jarell Quansah possibly heading to Bayer Leverkusen. They also ponder the future of Darwin Nunez amid interest from Napoli. Conversations reflect on Nat Phillips' legacy and Harvey Elliott's rising star after his recent goal for England U21s. The panel balances humor and seriousness while navigating the thrills and challenges of transfers, emphasizing the ongoing excitement among fans.

The conversation dives into the latest on Wirtz's potential signing and his upcoming medical, with implications for Jarell Quansah. The discussion also covers Liverpool's homegrown player quota, possible academy stars stepping up, and Milos Kerkez's links to the club. Listeners learn about the tactical challenges of integrating new talents while addressing the departures of key players like Andy Robertson. A humorous look at the childhood experiences shaping football talent adds a personal touch to the strategic analysis.

Seb Stafford-Bloor, The Athletic's Bundesliga correspondent, delves into the future of rising star Florian Wirtz. He explains why Wirtz might prefer Liverpool over Bayern Munich and Manchester City, highlighting his impressive skills and playing style. The panel also discusses Federico Chiesa’s ‘cult’ status and his potential transfer implications, blending critical analysis with humor. Additionally, they touch on the uncertain futures of players like Harvey Elliott, exploring the emotional ties fans have with these athletes amid club dynamics.

The hosts dive deep into Liverpool's transfer news, focusing on the intriguing near-completion of Florian Wirtz's record-breaking move. They discuss the arrival of Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth and the implications of Caoimhin Kelleher's departure to Brentford. The conversation shifts to goalkeeping dynamics with Giorgi Mamardashvili stepping up as the new number two. Additionally, they analyze Luis Diaz's future amid ongoing squad reshaping and provide insights into the club's strategic moves in the evolving transfer market.

Simon Hughes and James Pearce are alongside Tony Evans to get into the latest around Liverpool's pursuit of Florian Wirtz as the Reds look to secure the signing of the Bayer Leverkusen star.The panel begin by reflecting on seeing Paris Saint-Germain win the Champions League, having been knocked out by the French champions in the last 16 of the competition before moving onto the latest transfer news. As well as Wirtz, there's reaction to the signing of Jeremie Frimpong as well as interest in Bournemouth's Milos Kerez before attention turns to outgoings with Caoimhim Kelleher set to leave for Brentford - and Jurgen Klopp's former assistant manager Pep Lijnders on the verge of joining Manchester City!Plus, we finish with our inaugural Walk On End of Season Awards...enjoy!Listener feedback survey: https://forms.gle/sa2K5fnNK7RUU5MD6Host: Tony EvansWith: Simon Hughes and James PearceProducer: Guy Clarke Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.