Offer made: Liverpool enter transfer race for 22y/o winger; club holding out for record sale
Liverpool have reportedly tabled an offer for Japanese winger Keito Nakamura, but they’ll need to improve upon it in order to sign the player.
According to Foot Mercato, the Reds have offered €7m (£6m) for the 22-year-old and are willing to loan him back to his current club LASK Linz, but they have swiftly rejected the proposal as they want €11m (£9.45m) for him, which’d be a record sale for the Austrian side.
In fact, Lille are believed to be the frontrunners to land the two-cap international, with Eintracht Frankfurt also showing an interest.
Nakamura enjoyed a fine 2022/23 season for LASK, scoring 17 goals and setting up another eight in 34 matches across all competitions (Transfermarkt).
While predominantly a left winger, he’s capable of adapting to a number of positions, having played all across the forward line and midfield, also making one appearance in a number 10 role (Transfermarkt).
That productivity and versatility will surely appeal to Jurgen Klopp, even if the Reds are well stacked for high-quality forwards as it is, and with the caveat that the 22-year-old is playing in a league ranked 11th on UEFA’s associaton club coefficient.
Other areas of the squad must take precedence for now, with Liverpool fervently chasing midfield and defensive recruits, so the summer transfer budget will be very much focused on those positions.
However, if those targets can be acquired and there’s still some money in the bank for further signings, maybe then a more serious pursuit of Nakamura can be considered.
#Ep83 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Neil Jones
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