According to reports coming out of Spain, Liverpool appear to have been given a potential boost to their hopes of signing one transfer target.
Earlier this month, El Nacional reported that Aurelien Tchouameni is a priority target for Jurgen Klopp at Anfield, with the German willing to sanction a possible offer of €80m (£71m).
Eduardo Inda of El Chiringuito de Jugones has now claimed (via Fichajes) that Real Madrid are open to selling the midfielder due to his apparent ‘drop in performance’, adding that the Champions League holders ‘would welcome’ the Frenchman’s sale at the right price.
However, one potential barrier to a move is the player’s eagerness to remain at the Bernabeu.
You may recall that Tchouameni was on Liverpool’s radar last summer too, with the 23-year-old subsequently revealing to Le Parisien that the Reds had made the first offer for him, but he got his preference of a move to the Spanish capital from AS Monaco.
That, along with his apparent current desire to stay with Real Madrid, makes us wonder if he’d have any interest in coming to the Reds, and it’s a question the Anfield hierarchy should be asking.
The Frenchman is a fine player both in and out of possession – as per FBref, he ranks among the top 1% of midfielders in Europe’s five main leagues over the past 12 months for pass completion (91.9%) and intercerptions per game (2.16).
However, he’s had a frustrating tendency to pick up niggly injuries and illnesses, having had three separate spells of absence already this season (Transfermarkt).
With Liverpool reportedly showing a much more concrete interest in the likes of Alexis Mac Allister, Mason Mount and Ryan Gravenberch, that mightn’t leave much scope to bring in Tchouameni as well.
In truth, we don’t expect the 23-year-old to swap Madrid for Merseyside, but if Klopp is firmly intent on trying to sign him, Los Blancos’ apparent openness to a sale could work in the Reds’ favour.