Liverpool set to beat PSG to defender transfer with appealing release clause

Suraj Radia

• Updated: 23 May 2023 08:37 CDT
• 2 min read

Liverpool are on course to beat Paris Saint-Germain to the signing of Goncalo Inacio after they opened talks with Sporting Lisbon to sign their young defender.

Inacio came through the academy at Sporting and has established himself as a regular in Ruben Amorim’s side, leading his boyhood side to the Primeira Liga title in his debut season in 2021.

A report in French outlet Le Parisien has stated that PSG director Luis Campos appreciates the profile of the left-sided defender, with the Ligue 1 side looking to strengthen in that area this summer.

PROFILE: Everything you need to know about Goncalo Inacio, Liverpool's latest transfer target

However, the report claims that PSG have yet to made a move for Inacio and that it is Liverpool who are pressing the most for the 21-year-old and discussions between them and Sporting are already said to be underway.

Inacio recently made his debut for Portugal’s national side and has a contract until 2026, although he is thought to have a release clause of €45 million in his deal – a figure which Sporting will demand in negotiations.

The Portuguese side have also not given up hope of convincing Inacio into signing an extension to his contract in order for them to raise his release clause.

Inacio release clause proves too tempting for Liverpool

Liverpool are in the process of revising their summer plans after ruling themselves out of the race to sign Jude Bellingham despite having prioritised signing the Dortmund midfielder for the better part of two years.

Bellingham looks set to join Real Madrid after Liverpool deemed Dortmund’s asking price of more than €100m to be too expensive, with attention now focused on other midfielders such as Brighton pair Moises Caicedo and Alexis MacAllister.

TARGETS: Liverpool eye MacAllister and other Premier League star

Along with a midfielder, Jurgen Klopp’s side are looking for a left-sided centre-back, hence the chase for Inacio, with the Sporting man deemed a more realistic option than RB Leipzig’s Josko Gvardiol.

Liverpool will look to sign at least two midfielders this summer, minimising the amount available to spend on a defender, but Inacio’s appealing release clause means that the Reds may take the plunge on a player whose value is only set to increase in the future.