Transfer News: Liverpool in three-way tussle with Dortmund and Schalke for Diego Laxalt

Liverpool are reportedly locked in a three-way tussle with the likes of Borussia Dortmund and Schalke 04 to land Genoa superstar Diego Laxalt

According to a TuttoMercatoWeb exclusive, Liverpool are ready to step up their interest in Genoa midfielder Diego Laxalt. The Reds are in a three-way tussle for the Uruguayan, along with with the likes of Borussia Dortmund and Schalke 04, who are both eyeing a deal for Laxalt.

Diego Laxalt arrived in Italy in 2013, when he was signed by Inter Milan from Uruguayan club Defensor. The player since endured loan spells at different Italian outfits before being snapped up by Genoa in the summer of 2016 on a permanent deal, after the 24-year-old impressed on-loan at the club.

Laxalt continued his impressive spell at Genoa with a solid campaign, where he appeared in all but two Serie A matches as Genoa narrowly escaped relegation. Despite the 24-year-old managing just a goal and 4 assists in the said matches, his work-rate and contribution on the pitch is something that has impressed the on-lookers.

Liverpool themselves are looking for a midfielder with great work-rate to complement Jurgen Klopp’s gegenpressing style. Also, the addition of depth at every position is a true bone for contention, something the lack of which saw their title challenge fizzle out in the 2016-17 campaign.

Jurgen Klopp seems intent on alleviating the aforementioned lack of depth and has thus reignited interest in the player. Laxalt will enter the last year of his contract in July, 2017 and could be available for a cut-price fee, something which will interest Liverpool and the other interested clubs.

Liverpool, though, seemed to have struck a deal with AS Roma for the transfer of Mohamed Salah in a move that could possibly break the Reds’ transfer record, which currently belongs to Andy Carroll. Hence, the Premier League outfit may cede their interest in Laxalt.

Borussia Dortmund, too, will undergo an overhaul of sorts, with a change in manager as Peter Bosz replaced Thomas Tuchel at the helm. The club is already linked with several players in the market and Laxalt is one of them.

Schalke on the other hand, endured a disappointing campaign that saw the club finish 10th in Bundesliga. The club will be keen on returning to the upper echelons of Bundesliga in the 2017-18 campaign under the tutelage of Domenico Tedesco, who will take over the reigns, arriving from Erzgebirge Aue for the new season.

The player, though, is likely to gain regular first-team football at Genoa itself and while a move to Fiorentina, who are also interested in the 24-year-old, may interest him, the midfielder is likely to stay at his current club and rather look to move after a solid campaign under his belt.

Still, the clubs are likely to test the player and the club’s resolve with an approach in the near future and it will be interesting to see what Laxalt chooses.