Liverpool are reportedly hoping to leapfrog Real Madrid in the race to sign Youri Tielemans by offering a €40 million bid to Leicester City.
According to a report from El Nacional, Liverpool are considering a €40 million approach for Youri Tielemans. The Leicester City midfielder could depart the King Power Stadium in the summer after a successful spell at the club, with Liverpool and Real Madrid emerging as the two likely destinations.
Liverpool are prepared to make the first move by tabling a €40 million bid for the talented midfielder, who has enjoyed immense success since joining the club in early 2019. During his ongoing three-year spell at the King Power Stadium, he has racked up 131 competitive appearances, emerging as one of the best midfielders in the Premier League.
However, Tielemans’s stint at Leicester could soon be over, with coach Brendan Rodgers hinting at his potential exit in a recent press conference. It has put a number of clubs on alert, although it appears Liverpool and Real Madrid are the two clubs best placed to wrap up a deal for the talented Belgian.
Liverpool, who have also been linked with a January swoop for Renato Sanches, are desperate to add a new midfielder to their squad in light of their lack of long-term replacements for the ageing trifecta of James Milner, Thiago Alcantara and Jordan Henderson.
Meanwhile, Naby Keita faces an uncertain future at the club as well, amid interest from West Ham United and Barcelona. As a result, Liverpool are prepared to splash the cash on Youri Tielemans, with the Belgian being identified as the ideal man to help them usher in the new era in midfield alongside Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott.
However, the report does suggest that although Tielemans and Leicester City have agreed to soon sanction a sale, the player will not join a direct rival, potentially giving Real Madrid the upper hand in his pursuit.
Although Los Blancos are not too keen on splashing €40 million for Tielemans, president Florentino Perez is confident that Leicester City could be coaxed into shipping their star asset to the Santiago Bernabeu, knowing the midfielder’s move to Liverpool could further derail the Foxes’ hopes to competing for the top four next season.
Meanwhile, Leicester City themselves are planning ahead for a future without Tielemans. They were notably in the market for Inter Milan outcast Matias Vecino, although perhaps not as a direct replacement for the 24-year-old.
