Liverpool continue to be linked with a move for RB Leipzig's Konrad Laimer weeks after the transfer window slammed shut.
The Reds added to their midfield ranks on deadline day with the addition of Arthur Melo on loan from Juventus. Initially, it was understood the club would look to bolster the position next summer, but a number of injuries forced Jurgen Klopp's hand.
It remains to be seen whether Liverpool's new addition is a long-term solution, but with three of the squad's current midfield out of contract next summer, there will certainly be new faces in 2023 as there remains an undoubted need for a refresh. While Jude Bellingham has been heavily linked as the reported number-one target, there is no guarantees he will join with the rest of Europe's top clubs also eyeing a move for the England international.
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One player Liverpool were linked with in the latter stages of the window and continue to be tipped to sign is Leipzig's Laimer. A report from The Athletic earlier this month claimed the Reds enquired about the Austria international but their approach was shut down as the Bundesliga club were reluctant to lose the player so close to the deadline.
However, he's now in the final year of his contract with the club and could be available on a free transfer next summer if he refuses to pen a fresh deal, or could even be sold at a cut-price in January if Leipzig opt to cash-in before potentially losing him for nothing.
The 25-year-old began his career in the academy of Austrian side USC Abersee Youth before he joined RB Salzburg's youth set-up in 2007. He rose through the age-groups, featuring at under-15, under-16 and under-18 level before he joined second-tier side FC Liefering in 2014.
He was there just half a season before he returned to Salzburg in January 2015, this time joining their senior set-up. He made over 70 appearances during his time with the 16-time Austrian Bundesliga Champions, scoring eight goals and registering six assists.
He then completed the move to RB Leipzig in July 2017 and earned his first national team call-up shortly after for Austria's World Cup qualifiers against Wales and Georgia. However, he only earned his first cap two years later in 2019 not long after his 22nd birthday - he played 82 minutes of a Euros qualifier against Slovenia.
Now, he has 24 caps for Austria and two goals under his belt. For Leipzig, since joining the Bundesliga club in 2017, he's made over 160 appearances in all competitions with 11 goals and 18 assists. He signed a fresh deal with the club in 2020 and played alongside Liverpool stars Naby Keita and Ibrahima Konate, who both made the move to Merseyside in recent years.
Liverpool, though, were not the only clubs linked with Laimer this summer as the likes of Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Bayern Munich were also credited with interest. One report even claimed United's former interim manager Ralf Rangnick, who is now manager of the Austrian national team, recommended the midfielder to the club.
Laimer was initially brought in by Leipzig to be the long-term replacement for Keita, who departed the club to join Liverpool in 2018. While he struggled to break into the starting line-up initially, he eventually found a place at right-back in the 2017/18 season before returning to central midfield. His versatility will no doubt be a key factor that would have caught the Reds' attention as midfielder James Milner is already often deployed at full-back.
Rangnick, formerly the sporting director of both Red Bull clubs, said in 2017: "He (Laimer) made a big step up last season, and he wasn't voted the Austrian Bundesliga's best player for nothing. He will strengthen our midfield with his skill in winning and moving the ball. We're delighted to welcome another talented young player with great potential."
Interestingly, Laimer himself has previously admitted Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard is his 'role model'. He said in 2018: "I'm a player who runs a lot, and one of my big strengths is battling for the ball. The way he (Gerrard) played football, displaying such passion and emotion - I've always identified with him."
With less than 12 months to go before his deal with Leipzig expires, there is plenty for the midfielder to ponder. He's certainly not short of options and reports suggest Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann is eager to reunite with the midfielder having previously coached him at Leipzig. One thing is for certain though, he will not take the decision lightly.
"A hasty departure is not my thing," Laimer told Bild recently. "If I were to change clubs, I would want to think it through and decide calmly, not overnight.
"Especially since the first half of the season is very short anyway due to the World Cup and you wouldn’t have had time to settle in and find your feet. The Premier League is nice, but for me it’s not a must. It’s much more important to me how people talk to me, what feeling do I have about something."
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