Revealed: The Real Madrid star Liverpool will try to sign
FT Desk
- 19 Sept 2022 19:51 BST
- 3 min read
Liverpool want to bolster their midfield and Real Madrid have a surprise player they would be willing to spend €100 million on…
Liverpool's need for a midfielder is pronounced. They missed out on Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham and Leicester's Youri Tieleman's this summer, and instead settled on a loan deal for Juventus's Arthur Melo.
The Brazilian is currently training with the reserves as he looks to build up his fitness and tactical understanding of the Reds' system under Jurgen Klopp. They need him up to speed quickly, with Thiago Alcantara, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all injured.
Valverde has pulled ahead of Rodrygo, Hazard and Asensio in the Real Madrid pecking order 💪https://t.co/sbe1j0sq9u
— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) August 24, 2022
Aurelien Tchoumeni is one €100m midfielder on Real Madrid's books following his big-money summer arrival from Monaco, but los Blancos reportedly feel that they have another one in the shape of Federico Valverde.
Liverpool also had a bid for the Uruguayan turned down this summer, and his price is set to keep rising with Carlo Ancelotti fast becoming his biggest fan.
10-goal prediction
"What was strange last year was that he only scored one goal, in the Super Cup I think," Ancelotti said after Valverde had scored his fourth of this season already, to ultimately win the Madrid derby against Atletico on Sunday.
"If you can't get a player like that to score at least 10 goals in a season then you should rip up your coaching badges and retire.
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"Because he has a rocket of a right foot. Tonight, he took the shot with his left foot. I've never seen him shoot like that with his left, so it shows he's confident in his abilities, and he has a lot of abilities.
"He's more than just energy. But, to say he's best in the world in his position, we might have to wait a little longer."
That won't stop Real driving up Valverde's asking price. This summer they managed to persuade Manchester United to part ways with €80m for a 30-year-old Casemiro after all.
