Liverpool eyeing £52m ace deemed ‘one of the best defensive midfielders’ around
Liverpool have had to turn their attentions elsewhere in wake of two missed opportunities to bolster their midfield.
The Reds reportedly had their sights on Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, but they’ve lost out on both to Chelsea.
With just two weeks to go in the summer transfer window, Liverpool will be looking to move quickly for alternatives.
Other names (some previously linked) are doing the rounds, including Sofyan Amrabat and Ryan Gravenberch.
Then we have Joao Palhinha of Fulham, and speculation linking him with Liverpool seems to be intensifying.
Sacha Tavolieri has taken to Twitter to claim that he is “still part of the options in the midfield for Liverpool FC.”
The journalist included a tweet he sent in July, in which he said the Reds were “the most keen club to get him”.
In terms of price tag, Liverpool could potentially expect to pay around £52million for Palhinha.
Our view
Palhinha would be a good shout for Liverpool for sure. We’ve all seen what the 28-year-old is capable of in the Premier League.
As Dean Jones said to GiveMeSport in June, “he has been one of the best defensive midfield players in the league over the course of the past season.”
Palhinha made more tackles than any other player in the Premier League last season, averaging 4.2 per game.
While £52million if a hefty fee, it has been scaled down from prior reports suggesting Fulham wanted around £90million.
There’s a lot for Liverpool to think about on this front. Palhinha is quality, but he won’t be cheap.
And at 28 years of age, his resale value won’t be particularly high in the latter stages of, say a four-year contract.
