Liverpool transfer pursuit hits STANDSTILL as Deadline Day approaches
Cameron Smith
- 28 Aug 2023 06:45 CDT
- 4 min read
Liverpool’s pursuit of Crystal Palace midfielder Cheick Doucoure has hit a standstill, with the Reds running out of time to complete a deal before Transfer Deadline Day.
Jurgen Klopp has already signed three midfielders this summer - Wataru Endo from Stuttgart, Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton and Dominik Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig - but the Liverpool boss is keen to sign at least one more player to bolster his options in the middle of the park.
Doucoure, 23, has been touted for a move to Anfield to complete that wish, but the former Lens star remains a Palace player amid a transfer standstill between the south London club and Liverpool.
READ MORE: Premier League 2023/24 summer transfers: All the Done Deals
RMC Sport have reported that Liverpool are heavily interested in the Mali international, but their pursuit of his signature has not advanced in recent days.
Furthermore, Liverpool have reportedly not yet submitted an official offer to Crystal Palace, despite the fact they view Doucoure as a potential long-term heir to Fabinho, who joined Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad earlier this summer.
The Reds only have a limited time-frame to reignite their pursuit of Doucoure before the summer transfer window slams shut on 1 September.
READ MORE: Liverpool eye former Arsenal target
Klopp’s side have seen six central midfielders leave the club so far this window - namely, James Milner, Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Fabio Carvalho (loan) and Fabinho.
Palace’s Doucoure asking price
Crystal Palace are set to demand a combined €163 million (£140m) for Doucoure and Eberechi Eze, with the Eagles valuing each player at a price of least €81.5m (£70m).
The Selhurst Park club signed Doucoure for just €22.6m from Lens last summer, while he has a €22.7m Estimated Transfer Value (ETV), according to FootballTransfers’ cutting-edge AI-driven algorithm.
The 23-year-old still has four years left on his Crystal Palace deal having signed a five-year contract upon joining in 2022.
