Liverpool are expected to ‘dig deeper’ for Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly in the coming days, having finally secured their Premier League title.
The Reds were crowned champions for the first time in 30 years on Thursday evening, courtesy of Manchester City’s defeat to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
It means their season is now effectively completed, with the club already out of the Champions League and FA Cup and with little else to play for, aside from several records, in the remaining eight league games.
That could give them a headstart on planning for the summer transfer window, and according to Tuttomercatoweb, that’s very much on the cards.
They report that ‘Liverpool presses’ to sign Koulibaly from Napoli this summer, having been linked with his signature for several months.
Jürgen Klopp is reportedly keen to strengthen his defence and find a partner for Virgil van Dijk and has identified Koulibaly as that man.
They are expected to move ‘in the coming days’, now that they can start planning with the title secure, but Napoli’s asking price remains an issue.
Aurelio De Laurentiis rates Koulibaly at €100m, a huge price in any market but especially one in which clubs’ finances have been hit hard by the Coronavirus outbreak.
That price is likely to ‘drop a little for everyone’, but at the moment it’s unknown at what point De Laurentiis will consent to a sale.
Liverpool certainly don’t have those kind of funds, proven by them pulling away from signing Timo Werner, and so TMW posit a swap deal.
They believe that Dejan Lovren could end up on the market and, if so, perhaps there is a way for him to be included as part of a swap deal.
That would get Liverpool their man at a reduced rate and let them keep Joel Matip, who has also been linked with a move away should Koulibaly arrive.
