Liverpool are reportedly interested in making a move for Spanish midfield prodigy Pedri from Barcelona in the summer transfer window.
According to a report from the print edition of Mundo Deportivo (h/t Paisley Gates), Premier League giants Liverpool are firmly interested in signing Barcelona youngster Pedri in the current transfer window.
Pedri joined Barcelona in the summer of 2019 from lower league outfit Las Palmas and was loaned back to the club for the 2019/20 campaign. Having returned to Camp Nou ahead of the 2020/21 season, the teenager was drafted into the first-team setup by manager Ronald Koeman. The youngster delivered on the faith placed by the Dutchman with some brilliant performances.
Soon enough, Pedri had become a mainstay in the middle of the park, although his form did tail off a bit towards the end of the season. And the midfielder, who turned 18 in November last year, ended his debut campaign with a grand total of 52 appearances across all competitions, in which he managed to score four goals and set up six more for his teammates.
Pedri’s rapid rise in stature in Catalonia did not go unnoticed, as he broke into the Spanish national team in March earlier this year while he was included in the roster for the UEFA Euro 2020. And, Premier League bigwigs Liverpool have taken a keen interest in the teenage prodigy heading into the summer.
Liverpool, coming on the back of a mixed 2020/21 season, are in the market for midfield reinforcements. The Reds saw mainstay Georginio Wijnaldum leave the club on a free transfer to sign for Paris Saint-Germain earlier this week. In addition to that, there have been question marks surrounding the futures of injury-prone midfielders Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain as well.
Amid speculations that Keita could be allowed to leave the club, Liverpool will need to bring in a new central midfielder in order to maintain the depth and quality within the squad. While that has led to strong interest in Leicester City’s Youri Tielemans, the Reds seem to be keeping their options open, with Pedri also emerging as a viable transfer target.
Barcelona, though, have no intentions of letting their prized jewel leave this summer. In fact, the Catalan giants are planning for new contract talks with Pedri, who is also keen on prolonging his stay at Camp Nou. The 18-year-old’s current contract runs till the summer of 2022, with the Blaugrana retaining the option of extending it for two more years.
As things stand, a new deal at Barcelona looks imminent for Pedri, with Liverpool likely to come up short in their pursuit of the Spaniard.
