Liverpool and Barcelona are reportedly waging a battle for the services of Denis Zakaria, who would favour joining the Reds.
According to a report by Catalan outlet El Nacional, the race to sign Denis Zakaria is heating up with every passing day. Liverpool and Barcelona are reportedly the clubs at the forefront of the chase for his signature, with the Reds holding the edge over the Blaugrana.
Denis Zakaria has established himself as one of the best midfielders in Bundesliga since joining Borussia Monchengladbach from BSC Young Boys in July 2017. What has also been impressive about the 25-year-old is his ability to bounce back to top levels following a long-term injury, which is exactly what he has done since overcoming a knee injury.
To date, the Swiss international has made 140 appearances for Gladbach, chipping in with 11 goals and eight assists along the way. However, the Bundesliga giants are in a precarious position over Zakaria’s long-term future, as he has entered the final year of his contract, with a new deal unlikely to be signed. Such a situation has alerted Barcelona and Liverpool, among others.
The interest from Barcelona makes a world of sense, considering Sergio Busquets is in the final phase of his glittering career. In addition, the Catalan giants need an injection of experience in their midfield unit, having relied on upcoming young stars like Pedri, Gavi and Nico Gonzalez in the past year.
To that end, Zakaria is a viable target for Barcelona, who have been tipped to be one of his favoured destinations next summer. On the other hand, Liverpool are also in contention to sign the Swiss midfielder, and for a good reason.
The Reds chose not to bring in a replacement for Georginio Wijnaldum in the summer, promoting Harvey Elliott instead. While the youngster has done well in the time he has spent on the pitch, it is worth noting that James Milner is in the twilight of his career, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has been heavily linked with a move away from Liverpool, which might explain the interest in Zakaria.
Now, Liverpool have been handed a major boost in pursuit of the 25-year-old, who would prefer joining them instead of Barcelona, as they would offer him a better chance to vie for silverware and compete in the UEFA Champions League. So, it will be interesting to see if the Reds can pounce on such a development or if Barcelona can claw back in the race to sign Zakaria next summer.
