- Liverpool close to agreeing deal for Thomas Lemar, according to French reports
- Forward was linked as Philippe Coutinho replacement in January
- Reds reportedly put off by £90m price-tag
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Once a player is linked to Liverpool, there is no getting away from him.
Monaco’s Thomas Lemar has long owned a place on the Reds’ transfer radar having been subject to a bid upwards of £70million during last summer’s transfer window.
Lemar surfaced as a target again in the January market as a possible alternative to Philippe Coutinho following his £142million switch to Barcelona.
Whilst Monaco outlined a refusal to sell mid-season, Liverpool seemingly took a step back after being put off by the Frenchman’s £90million price-tag.
Jurgen Klopp even went as far as ending his interest in the 22-year-old, according to the Liverpool Echo.
In an possible twist, the Reds have now been deemed close to agreeing a deal in principle for the forward, claim Le 10 Sport.
The feeling is Lemar hasn’t quite hit the heights of last season, perhaps understandably given the mass exodus of star players from the club prior to the current campaign.
Given the success of Klopp’s signings since his arrival at the club, Reds have good reason to support his apparent reluctance to fork out Monaco’s hefty asking-price.
Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund’s Christian Pulisic has re-surfaced as a potential Coutinho replacement, although is supposedly valued at a similar fee.
The USA international similarly hasn’t managed to replicate a sparkling 2016/2017, but has showcased the traits designed to see him excel upon a transition from his wider role into a central playmaking position.