Liverpool have reportedly offered soon-to-be free agent Gael Clichy a bumper two-year deal.
According to a report in The Sun, Liverpool are interested in signing Gael Clichy on a free transfer from Manchester City, and have offered the French defender a two-year contract to move to Anfield in the summer transfer window.
Clichy is a veteran of 14 seasons in the Premier League, having initially joined Arsenal as a 17-year-old in 2003. The Frenchman enjoyed a fruitful eight-year spell with them before moving to Manchester City, where he went from strength to strength.
However, 2016/17 turned out to be a topsy turvy sixth campaign for Clichy as he made 39 appearances in all competitions for City but was often caught out by quicker attacking players.
The end of the Premier League season saw Clichy call time on his spell at the Etihad, and will be available as a free agent when his contract with the Citizens comes to an end.
And if the latest reports are anything to go by, the Frenchman is set to continue his career in the Premier League, with Liverpool offering him a two-year contract to make a summer switch to Anfield on a free transfer.
The Reds were unable to mount a sustainable challenge for the Premier League title, as they fell adrift of newly-crowned champions Chelsea in the second half of the campaign. Jurgen Klopp and the transfer committee were criticised by fans and pundits alike, who pointed at the club’s inability to add depth to his squad.
The Liverpool boss has reportedly identified left-back as a major problem area in his squad, as Alberto Moreno’s inconsistency forced him to play James Milner as a makeshift left-back. While the Englishman did a fine job in an alien position, he started to struggle in the latter stages of the campaign.
Hence, it is believed that Klopp is eager to sign a specialist for the left side of defence in the summer. However, the interest in Clichy comes as a surprise as Liverpool were reported to be in the market for younger players like Ryan Sessegnon and Andrew Robertson instead.
It could be the case, though, that Clichy becomes a stop-gap for two years, alongside Milner, as a young specialist is groomed to become a long-term solution under the duo’s wings.
With Liverpool also set to compete on four fronts next season, having three options at his disposal might just keep Klopp and his men in good stead, and it remains to be seen if Clichy makes the move to Anfield in the summer.
