. Liverpool are prepared to make a second offer for Southampton’s Nathaniel Clyne.
Liverpool want to strengthen for next season and a spot that needs strengthening immediately is the spot of the right back. Glen Johnson has been released by the club and Jon Flanagan has been ruled out with injury. Javier Manquillo was brought in on loan from Atletico Madrid and even though he might stay for another season, he doesn’t look like Brendan Rodgers’s first choice. It is natural that the Reds are thus linked with various right backs including Kieran Tripper, Martin Montoya and Nathaniel Clyne.
The Reds had a A?10m bid rejected by Saints last month, but are now prepared to make a second and improved offer for the England international, reports the Liverpool Echo.
Clyne only has a year left on his contract and the south coast club offered him an extension which was rejected by the player. Koeman and co. naturally want to get the most money out of an important player and value Clyne at A?15m. For Liverpool, it might feel around A?2m extra in these circumstances.
Manchester United were linked with the player for a few months now but they focused their attention on landing Dani Alves. The Brazilian surprisingly renewed his contract with FC Barcelona following their treble winning campaign and are believed to be renewing their interest in Clyne. The Reds are therefore trying to seal a move for the player as soon as they can to avoid a potential bidding war.
Clyne began his career at Crystal Place, where he started at the age of 7. He went up the youth ranks and cemented himself in the senior squad after making his debut as a 17 year old. He was named a Crystal Palacea s Player of the Yeara after the 2010-11 season, where he featured for the side in every single game, becoming the youngest player in the Football League to do so. In July 2012, he was signed by newly promoted Southampton. Clyne has made 104 appearances since joining Southampton from Crystal Palace in 2012. His good performances over the last season even earned him a call up to the England squad and he is establishing himself as the first choice right back for England.
Clyne would be a significant improvement on the current available right-backs for the club and Liverpool look in a good position to land him. It will be interesting to see if Manchester United force the Reds into overpaying for yet another Southampton player.
