‘Special’ PL attacker has just turned down move to Liverpool, signing five-year deal elsewhere

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Liverpool have missed out on the chance to sign Kaoru Mitoma, after the forward agreed a new deal at Brighton.

Mitoma has been one of the form players in the Premier League this season, leading to suggestions that Liverpool have taken a keen interest in him.

But according to London World, the Reds admiration won’t be enough to get the ball rolling on a deal.

They claim that Mitoma has indeed turned down ‘advances’ from all of Liverpool, Manchester United and Barcelona in order to sign an extension with Brighton.

All three super clubs were said to be ‘monitoring’ the 26-year-old, but will now be left empty-handed.

Mitoma’s new deal will reportedly be a five-year one, with a wage of £80k-per-week.

The Japan international is claimed to be ‘fully committed’ to the Brighton project under Roberto De Zerbi. Liverpool may have to look elsewhere.

Mitoma turns down Liverpool move

On the face of it, this may look a slightly strange move from Mitoma. Not the signing a contract part, both Alexis Mac Allister and Moises Caicedo did that just several months before leaving Brighton.

With it being unlikely that Mitoma would leave the Seagulls in January, it makes sense for him to get a pay bump between now and next summer.

But rather, some may see it as being bizarre to turn down such storied clubs in favour of Brighton.

While we can’t speak much to Man United or Barcelona though, the reality is that competition is stiff at Liverpool right now.

With the likes of Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Cody Gakpo all established, it would perhaps be a long route into the left-side of the Reds team for Mitoma.

As a result, he probably took a look at the stacked options and decided it wasn’t for him. Maybe that’s fair enough.

Sometimes you’ve got to back yourself, sometimes you’ve got to stay where you’re comfortable. Having been called ‘special’ by ESPN reporters Julien Laurens and Gab Marcotti, it’s clear Mitoma could go up a level or two. But he’s happy at Brighton, and there’s seemingly nothing Liverpool or anyone else can do about that now.