Liverpool told asking price for surprise Premier League target as Klopp looks to buy two more midfielders
Liverpool have been informed by Crystal Palace that they will need to spend at least £35m to land Cheick Doucoure this summer, according to reports.
The Reds have already signed Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai this summer with James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain leaving Anfield on free transfers.
Mac Allister joined from Brighton in a bargain deal worth around £35m, while Szoboszlai swapped RB Leipzig for Liverpool for £60m.
That left Jurgen Klopp quite content with his midfield options – but interest from Saudi Arabia in Fabinho and Jordan Henderson means Liverpool will have to go back into the transfer market for more midfielders.
Fabinho is understood to be on the verge of a move to Al-Ittihad after Liverpool gave him permission to complete a £40m move to the Saudi outfit.
Unlike the Brazilian, Jordan Henderson was not left out of the Reds squad for their pre-season trip to Germany but there are rumours he has been offered £700k a week to join up with Steven Gerrard at Al-Ettifaq.
READ MORE: Liverpool change transfer tack again as surprise midfielder move should be anything but
Although there is yet to be an official bid, reports have indicated that Al-Ettifaq would be willing to pay Liverpool £10m for the England international’s services.
A number of players have now emerged as potential candidates to replace the duo at Anfield with Crystal Palace’s Doucoure one of the latest names to be linked.
And Football Insider claim that Crystal Palace ‘will demand a fee well in excess of £35million to part with’ their midfielder this summer with Liverpool ‘exploring a potential move for Doucoure’.
Fabinho and Henderson’s potential departures are ‘expected to land Liverpool a combined fee of £50million – boosting Jurgen Klopp’s summer war chest.’
Palace are likely to ‘drive a hard bargain’ for Doucoure and are ‘desperate to net a big profit on the Mali international’ following his reported £21m signing 12 months ago.
And Liverpool ‘are keen to add two more midfield signings once exits for Fabinho and Henderson are finalised’ with transfer expert explaining that the Reds wanted to add another midfielder to their squad even before interest in the duo.
“It doesn’t depend on Fabinho or [Jordan] Henderson,” Romano said on his YouTube channel.
“In any case, [Liverpool] will sign at least one more midfielder. Romeo Lavia is top of the list. They want Romeo Lavia. But I’m told that Chelsea are still there, so let’s see what’s going to happen.
“Also, we know that if Arsenal sell Thomas Partey to a Saudi Arabian club, [Lavia] could be a possibility for Arsenal. Liverpool are considering multiple options for the defensive midfield position.”
And reliable journalist Ben Jacobs backed up Romano’s claims, he told GiveMeSport: “If Liverpool free up their midfield and can bring in a sort of number six and a destroyer like Lavia, they could very well move.
“He is high on their list of possible targets. And while they haven’t placed an offer to date, like I say, if Henderson and, or, Fabinho goes then things may change.”