How Liverpool made €100m move for Real Madrid star
Suraj Radia
- 13 Sept 2022 15:55 BST
- 3 min read
Liverpool reportedly failed with a late bid for Federico Valverde this summer after Real Madrid refused to sell the Uruguayan.
Jurgen Klopp was desperate to add a new midfielder before deadline day after Liverpool’s rough start to the season and Valverde is a player that the Reds’ boss has long admired.
The Premier League side were reportedly ready to pay €100 million for the 24-year-old but Real Madrid were unwilling to consider any proposal as they consider Valverde ‘irreplaceable’, according to Spanish outlet AS.
Valverde signed a contract last year which expires in 2027 and contains a release clause of €1bn, showcasing just how highly he is valued at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The former Penarol man is believed to be happy with life in Madrid, having been assured by manager Carlo Ancelotti that he is one of the first names on the team sheet.
Speaking after Real’s win over Mallorca, Ancelotti said: “Federico is very important for us. He’s doing very well and is still very humble. This can help you to become a terrific leader in the future.
“There are a lot of people who can be leaders by example and not by their words. That’s very important.”
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Liverpool’s midfield woes
After many years of relying on the elite pedigree within the squad, Liverpool have found themselves lacking quality and energy in midfield this season.
Klopp has perhaps been forced into an over-reliance on veterans James Milner and Jordan Henderson due to the fitness concerns surrounding the likes of Thiago and Curtis Jones.
With Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also injured and out of contract next summer, the club have run the rule over potential long-term solutions to their glaring issues in the middle of the park.
Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham is believed to be the club’s priority target and they are likely to pursue a move for the England international next summer.
Valverde talking about Steven Gerrard:
"He was a hero for so many people. When I watched him on television I thought he was an incredible player, with those diagonal passes, his shooting, the bursts forward with the ball, I could spend 24 hours a day just watching him play.” pic.twitter.com/lxeZTiYihr— Tom (@Tom1000j) September 13, 2022
Liverpool missed out on Aurelien Tchouameni during the transfer window after the Monaco midfielder joined Real for €100m and the club initially chose to hold off on signing any alternatives.
Klopp had downplayed Liverpool’s midfield concerns but the injuries to his first-choice players, coupled with his side’s failure to win in their opening three league games, prompted a change in stance.
Liverpool ended up signing Arthur Melo on loan from Juventus on deadline day, paying €4.5m up front and having the option to make the move permanent for €37.5m.
