Liverpool gifted golden chance to make Klopp smile with crazy striker steal
Nantes are imploring Liverpool to make a bid for one of their strikers after calling foul on his proposed move to Eintracht Frankfurt, per a report.
Nantes striker Randal Kolo Muani has has attracted attention this season through his vibrant displays in Ligue 1. The Frenchman, 23, has bagged seven goals and three assists in the current campaign, and has regularly been linked with Liverpool over the past month.
The links to Liverpool stemmed mainly from the German media when detailing Frankfurt’s pursuit of Muani.
Per Sport Witness (citing German newspaper Bild), the Bundesliga side have been courting the marksman since the beginning of the season.
With just six months left on his current deal, he is now free to sign a pre-contract agreement with overseas clubs. That is the opening Frankfurt were waiting for, and the article (also citing Kicker) states Muani has ‘basically decided’ to move to Germany.
A medical is reportedly on the horizon for next week. However, Nantes are determined to avoid losing their frontman for nothing.
Muani move threatens to turn ugly
Per Sport Witness, Nantes are ‘threatening’ legal action against Frankfurt after believing the German side made ‘unauthorised contact’ with their player.
Frankfurt reportedly deny that claim, but it has opened the door for rival suitors to pounce.
Liverpool, along with AC Milan and Freiburg are all listed as Muani’s admirers. Nantes are ‘hoping’ one of that trio will make a January offer that would ensure they don’t lose their striker for nothing next summer. And given their weak bargaining position, the inference is they would not hold out for a huge fee.
Muani was named on Klopp’s list of attacking targets by Bild earlier this month. The Reds have drawn persistent links with a number of forwards since the window opened given Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane are away at AFCON.
Whether Liverpool will act on Nantes’ plea, only time will tell. But per the reports, a deal certainly appears there for the making if they so desire.
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Meanwhile, Liverpool have reportedly entered discussions over the signing of Luis Diaz, as Jurgen Klopp doesn’t trust two of his attacking options.
Reports suggest Klopp’s team could go big to bring Colombian forward Diaz in before the transfer window closes on January 31. The Porto forward, 25, has been in great form in Portugal this campaign. He is second in the Primeira Liga scoring charts, having hit 13 goals in 17 outings so far. Only Benfica ace Darwin Nunez has more.
According to Caught Offside, who cite Spanish outlet El Nacional, Liverpool are in talks with Porto over Diaz’s potential move to Anfield.
The Merseyside club have the funds to secure his services and are reportedly doing ‘all they can’ to make this happen. Spanish giants Barcelona are known admirers, but Liverpool are in pole position to complete a deal.
The update comes amid Klopp’s apparent ‘lack of trust’ towards two players. The report states he cannot rely on Takumi Minamino or Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to fill the boots of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane – both of whom are away at ACFON. That is despite the two stars getting on the scoresheet in Sunday’s victory over Brentford at Anfield.
Clearly, Minamino and Oxlade-Chamberlain are not on their team-mates’ level. However, they can still prove to be useful over the next few weeks and the article would appear speculatory at best.
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