Liverpool are planning to bring in a Senegalese wonderkid to fill the voids left in the centre of their midfield.
What seemed like the Reds' most overcrowded position has been rapidly vacated in recent weeks with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, James Milner and Naby Keita all departing Anfield. Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister have arrived as replacements – but the exodus doesn't appear to be over just yet.
With stalwarts Fabinho and Jordan Henderson both targets for the Saudi Pro League, manager Jurgen Klopp has a tough job on his hands to reshape his side with adequate replacements – but one wildcard has emerged as a surprise option.
During an interview with Tuttomercato, agent Gerald Sagoe confirmed that his client, Pape Demba Diop, has been a target for Liverpool in recent weeks.
“Yes, towards the end of last season while he was busy with the national team, we were contacted by Liverpool and we had preliminary meetings in Paris,” Sagoe said.
“Three French teams have expressed interest and some Italian teams, including Napoli, have expressed interest. Together with my lawyer, Alessandro Mazzucato, we will have some appointments in Germany in the next few weeks. Let’s see what happens.”
Playing in the second tier of Belgian football, Diop would be the kind of gem that would be a huge coup for Liverpool to pick up on the cheap, allowing them to invest more heavily elsewhere in the team. New director of football, Jorg Schmadtke, may well be to thank for the move, too, with the German having facilitated plenty of deals between Belgium and the Bundesliga in the past.
In fact, Schmadtke once sold Victor Osimhen to Belgian side Charleroi for just €3.5m while working at Wolfsburg.
Diop is valued by Transfermarkt to be worth €300k.
More Liverpool stories
Liverpool transfer news is ramping up ahead of a huge overhaul at Anfield this summer.
Benjamin Pavard of Bayern Munich has been linked, while James Ward-Prowse is said to be on the shortlist. Celta Vigo's Gabri Veiga is a target and Khephren Thuram of Nice is said to be close to joining – but Manuel Ugarte is one star who won't be moving to Merseyside.
Meanwhile, Diogo Jota has told FFT that Liverpool can win the title in 2024.
