Liverpool ‘close’ to beating Barcelona to €60m Man Utd target after ‘desperate’ Klopp ‘asks’ for signing

Lewis Oldham
Liverpool target Inacio
Goncalo Inacio in action for Portugal.

According to reports, Liverpool have established themselves as the ‘favourites’ in the race to sign Manchester United target Goncalo Inacio.

Liverpool were focused on overhauling their midfield during the recent summer transfer window. They are fifth in the 2023 Premier League net spend table after £150m was invested to recruit Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch.

With Jurgen Klopp already spoilt for choice in attacking areas, Liverpool are expected to pursue a new centre-back in January or next summer as they attempt to sign a long-term replacement for Virgil van Dijk.

Inacio was consistently mentioned as a potential target during this year’s summer transfer window. There was a €39m release clause earlier this year but he recently penned a new contract to commit his future to Sporting Lisbon so he will now cost a higher fee.

The 22-year-old has already made just short of 150 appearances for Sporting Lisbon and the four-cap Portugal international has established himself as one of the best young defenders in Europe.

Spanish outlet Nacional are reporting that Inacio has ‘managed to bring together the best clubs in Europe in the auction to get him from Sporting Lisbon’.

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It is noted that PSG came close to signing him in the summer but he ‘kindly rejected the proposal presented to him’ as he ‘wanted to continue progressing’ in Portugal.

But it is now ‘only a matter of time before he ends up leaving Lisbon’. It is suggested that Barcelona and Real Madrid are ‘candidates’ to sign him, while several other reports have recently indicated that Man Utd are also in for him.

Inacio ‘can leave’ Sporting ‘in exchange for 60 million euros, the figure stipulated in his termination clause and at the moment, Liverpool are the favourite to buy him’.

The report adds: ‘Jurgen Klopp also desperately needs to strengthen the axis of the rearguard, and find a luxury partner for Virgil Van Dijk, and among the most convincing candidates is the Portuguese footballer.

‘The ‘reds’ intend to bet very heavily on Inácio, and in addition to being willing to pay what it would cost, they guarantee him a place as the undisputed starter.

‘So they have overtaken Barça, which cannot assume the cost of the operation, and Madrid, which cannot promise the Sporting pearl a leading role. Klopp is close to taking the lead.’

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