‘Main’ Liverpool target ‘seduced’ by Klopp as Prem giants ‘go with everything’ to sign PSG star
According to reports, Liverpool are showing interest in PSG and Italy star Marco Verratti, who is among their ‘main’ midfield targets.
Liverpool have splashed out roughly £95m this summer to sign Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai from Brighton and RB Leipzig respectively.
The Premier League giants are being forced into the market for further midfield reinforcements as Jordan Henderson and Fabinho are set to secure their moves to the Saudi Pro League in deals worth around £50m combined.
A new defensive midfielder is understood to be a priority for Liverpool, with Crystal Palace’s Cheick Doucoure, Fulham’s Joao Palhinha and Southampton’s Romeo Lavia among their potential additions.
But Spanish outlet Fichajes are now claiming that Liverpool actually have their eyes on PSG centre-midfielder Verratti.
The 30-year-old signed for the Ligue 1 giants in 2012 and he has played over 400 times for them over the past 11 seasons.
PSG are overhauling their squad this summer. Lionel Messi has already left, while Neymar and Kylian Mbappe could still leave the club in the coming months.
Verratti played 38 times for PSG last season and he is under contract until 2026, but he is being linked with a move elsewhere.
Last month, he was linked with a move to Premier League champions Man City and now Liverpool are seemingly in the running to sign him.
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Fichajes are reporting that Liverpool are ‘going with everything’ for Verratti, with ‘Jurgen Klopp has turned his attention to him as the main candidate to strengthen his squad’.
The midfielder is ‘not entirely satisfied’ at PSG and he’s ‘expressed his desire to make the leap to the Premier League’.
Regarding Liverpool, the idea of joining the Premier League club and working under Jurgen Klopp is ‘seductive to him’.
Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke is meanwhile reporting that Doucoure is of interest to Liverpool but Crystal Palace’s ‘asking price is now £50m’.
‘Liverpool’s transfer chiefs are drawing up a list of targets – and one name in the shortlist is Crystal Palace’s Cheick Doucoure, I’m told. The Merseysiders like him after his good debut season at Palace, where he won their Player of the Season award.
‘He could replace Fabinho in that defensive midfield role, and sources say Liverpool are now exploring a potential move.
‘Doucoure only joined Palace last summer for £21million – and I’m told they will drive a hard bargain as they look to bank a big profit if he is to leave the club. It could take a fee well in excess of £35million to prise him away from Selhurst Park. I’m told the latest overnight update is that the asking price is now £50m.’
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