Liverpool have made a €10m bid to sign defender Aissa Mandi, with the Spanish side considering a sale this summer.
COPE report that the La Liga team are working on plans for next season and new manager Manuel Pellegrini met with club chiefs in person for the first time yesterday.
The meeting was designed to ‘discuss the current situation’ at the club and plan for the future, particularly in terms of incoming and outgoings.
So far there is one significant departure on the cards, and that is Zouhair Feddal’s potential move to Sporting Lisbon, although that deal is currently on hold.
However, Mandi’s name has now been added to the list of potential exits, with Liverpool having already made a bid for his services.
The Reds have been linked with a new centre back this summer, with reports suggesting they may go big for the likes of Kalidou Koulibaly.
Their need for another central defender has become more pressing this week, with Dejan Lovren leaving for Zenit St Petersburg in a £10.8m deal.
Sources have now told COPE they are looking to reinvest that money immediately with an offer of €10m for Mandi.
They say the Premier League champions are ‘very interested’ in signing the 28-year-old and while the offer is ‘far’ from his termination clause, Betis may be tempted to let him go as the deal for Feddal drags on.
Mandi currently has a deal at the club until 2021 but, as of today, there is little chance of a renewal happening.
His current contract contains a €30m release clause but the fact he is in the final year of his deal means Betis’ demands will have to be ‘significantly lower’ should they look to sell him this summer.
Clearly, this is something Liverpool are looking to take advantage of and secure another bargain deal to supplement their squad.
