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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Jake Bayliss

Man City make Liverpool 'target' their 'number one priority' as transfer battle looms

Liverpool have booked their place in the Champions League semi-finals as the Reds’ hunt for an unlikely quadruple continues.

Jurgen Klopp made several changes to the side that faced Manchester City last weekend and faced a determined Benfica side at Anfield, who battled to a 3-3 draw. However, with their two-goal aggregate lead still intact, Liverpool will now go head-to-head with Villarreal for a place in the final.

With the club also fighting for FA Cup and Premier League glory, it is a pivotal time in the season, yet transfer reports continue to flood in as the summer window inches closer. Here is a round-up of the latest gossip and rumours surrounding the Reds.

READ MORE: What Liverpool fans sang to Jurgen Klopp shows what everyone wants

RATINGS: Luis Diaz superb and two others very good against Benfica

Who?

Aurelien Tchouameni

Where?

Football Insider

What?

Liverpool will reportedly face competition from Manchester City for Monaco midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni this summer. The 22-year-old is said to be City’s “number one target” in the transfer window after Fernandinho revealed that he may leave the club at the end of the season.

Tchouameni has earned a stellar reputation through his performances for Monaco and France, with Real Madrid and Chelsea touted as possible destinations. However, Football Insider have reported that City are preparing to “beat their rivals to a deal”.

Having moved to Monaco from Bordeaux in 2020, Tchouameni has a contract with his club until 2024. Though the report suggests that Monaco would be willing to cash in on their prize asset for the right price.

Who?

Mohamed-Ali Cho

Where?

RMC Sport

What?

Mohamed-Ali Cho is claimed to be attracting interest from a variety of clubs across Europe, with Liverpool among them. The 18-year-old striker has been a regular feature of the first team this season, having left Everton as an academy player in 2020 .

Cho has played 26 times in Ligue 1 this season and the Reds are credited with an interest in the forward, alongside Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund, AC Milan and several others. According to the report, Angers are hoping for a record sale that would exceed the £20m the club received for Jeff Reine-Adelaide’s move to Lyon in 2019.

However, with his contract set to run until 2023, clubs have allegedly begun making approaches for the teenager. The report suggests that Cho’s representatives recently met with Marseille president Pablo Longoria to discuss a potential transfer.

Who?

Rodrygo

Where?

HITC

What?

Liverpool reportedly missed out on the chance to sign Real Madrid Rodrygo, before he signed for the Spanish club. The Brazilian recently hit the headlines for his goal which helped Real progress to the Champions League semi-finals at Chelsea’s expense.

HITC have reported that while Rodrygo was playing for Santos, Liverpool contacted the club over a potential deal for the then-16-year-old. However, after his agent travelled to England to hear the Reds’ proposal, Santos decided to reject the offer.

Instead, Santos offered Rodrygo his first professional contract with the club. A year after signing his first deal in 2017, Real Madrid then reached an agreement to sign the forward for a fee in the region of £38m.

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