Liverpool were forced to enter the market for a new centre-back after Joel Matip was ruled out for the rest of the season due to an injury suffered against Tottenham Hotspur on January 28th.
The Reds finished the winter market by signing Ben Davies and Ozan Kabak, with the latter arriving on loan from Schalke.
Prior to signing these two players, Jürgen Klopp’s side looked at Duje Ćaleta-Car and the Marseille defender confirmed he received an offer from the Merseyside club.
SC Braga’s David Carmo was also identified as a target and earlier this month, multiple reports from Portugal stated Liverpool wanted to take him on a €4m loan deal with an option to buy set at €20m.
The transfer never took shape because Braga didn’t have sufficient time to find a proper replacement.
Carmo was ‘one step away’ from signing for the English champions in the winter market, but the ‘deal was not closed for five million’. This is confirmed to AS by those who participated in the negotiations with the Anfield club.
Braga wanted a loan fee of €4m and an option to buy set at €25m. Liverpool, however, only came to offer €20m.
The difference of €5m in valuations is the reason why Carmo didn’t end up at Anfield in the winter market.
Last week, the player suffered a serious injury and will be out for the rest of the season.
