Earlier this week, we covered an article from Il Messaggero about Liverpool’s interest in Baldé Keita and the fact the Reds had had a bid rejected.
Their interest in the Senegalese winger, as well as the latest in Mohamed Salah and Gelson Martins, suggests they are looking for a player similar to Sadio Mané, capable of playing in a fluid attack and able to both score and assist with ease.
According to Il Messaggero on Thursday, Jürgen Klopp’s side only bid €20m for the Lazio forward, which at one stage would have been enough, but his form towards the end of the season saw Claudio Lotito, Lazio’s chairman, raise his asking price to around €30m.
Instead of coming back with an improved bid, Liverpool merely moved onto the next target, in this case Mohamed Salah.
And this is when things get very strange because, despite refusing to pay Roma €40m for the Egyptian, €40m is the exact sum the Premier League side are prepared to spend on Gelson Martins.
Surely, when it comes to the transfer window, you start with your top target and work your way down the list of alternatives?
Instead, it seems Liverpool started with Keita Baldé, yet refused to pay €30m, then moved onto Salah, bid around €30m but were reluctant to spend €40m, before shifting their attention to the Sporting CP forward, who they seem prepared to write a €40m cheque for.
What happens if the Portuguese side say no to their €40m and ask for €50m (which is what has been suggested)? Will Liverpool just turn their attention to an even more unrealistic target in Ousmane Dembélé instead and bid €50m?
It’s all very strange. Almost comical, if true.
