The Virgil van Dijk saga is now responsible for unearthing a concern amongst Reds every time reports suggest Liverpool have stepped up their pursuit of a player.
Fears of ‘tapping up’ investigations accompany every rumour indicating the club is in the race to sign a transfer target, while there is of course also still the detectable uncertainty that allows supporters to rule out a move within minutes of reading about it.
The manner in which Liverpool derailed their own attempt to sign Virgil van Dijk goes someway towards suggesting a deal for Monaco’s in-demand striker Kylian Mbappe is fairly unlikely. That said, the latest developments are certainly worth taking note of.
Liverpool are preparing another significant bid for the 18-year-old and are set to step up their pursuit with Jurgen Klopp having met with the player’s representatives in May, according to French outlet L’Equipe.
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Luring one of the hottest prospects in world football to Anfield promise to be an incredibly tough ask with Real Madrid keen on the Frenchman and Arsenal having already reportedly had an £87m bid turned down.
Klopp appears to be intent on adding a prolific goalscorer to his ranks with the Reds boss also pursuing Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette, who scored 37 times across all competitions last season.
Though it remains to be early days, recent setbacks mean there is a growing pressure on Liverpool to fulfil the need for a productive transfer window by beginning to see key deals through. The ambition behind interest in Mbappe alone won’t be enough to reassure fans at this stage.