Sky Sports honcho Fabrizio Romano reckons Liverpool could strike a deal for Lille midfielder Renato Sanches this summer.
The Portugal international is valued at £18million [Transfermarkt], but it’s unclear how much the Reds would have to spend to get him in the current market.
Speaking on his Here We Go podcast, the transfer guru suggests Sanches could be a ‘main target’ for Liverpool in a few months, with the Reds already keeping tabs on the player.
The timing of this update ties in quite snuggly with Gini Wijnaldum’s anticipated Anfield exit, with TuttoMercatoWeb speculating the Lille man could replace our Dutch maestro.
In fact, the Italian outlet’s report goes as far as to suggest Liverpool have already agreed a deal with the player.
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Lille are presently facing financial issues, caused by a trifecta of the pandemic, a TV deal collapse and poor performances on the field over the last few seasons. Sanches signed for the Ligue 1 side last summer, but these factors are believed to play a part in their supposed sale to Liverpool.
Let’s indulge the rumour for a moment – the potential move poses a massive upturn in midfielder’s career, which fits with his progression after leaving Bayern Munich.
For Liverpool, the 23-year-old could fill the gap which could be potentially left behind by Wijnaldum, who is looking increasingly likely to depart Anfield as the clock ticks on his expiring contract.
It makes sense, but that doesn’t mean it’s true. TMW aren’t typically a reliable source for even Italian football news, but this one could be worth taking note of given Romano has now weighed in on the matter.