Leicester City are reportedly the favourites to sign Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana, beating Arsenal and three other clubs to his signature.
According to a report by Daily Star, Arsenal are set to face defeat in the pursuit of Adam Lallana. Set to leave Liverpool as a free agent in the summer transfer window, the English midfielder is now expected to join Leicester City, who are winning a five-way tussle to sign the soon-to-be free agent.
After a couple of forgettable years, when he was hampered by injury troubles, Lallana has enjoyed a decent campaign for Liverpool this term. With 22 appearances across all competitions under his belt so far this season, the 32-year-old has proven to be a valuable member of the Liverpool first-team setup, primarily making his mark in cup games.
However, while he is admired by Jurgen Klopp for his work-rate, his contract is set to run out this summer. And, with little developments over a renewal, it looks likely that he will leave Liverpool as a free agent, especially with the Reds already eyeing replacements. Lallana’s situation, meanwhile, has alerted Arsenal, among other clubs.
The Gunners could be in the transfer market for a midfielder this summer, with Dani Ceballos expected to return to Real Madrid at the end of his loan spell. While Arsenal do know the price they will have to pay for the Spaniard, allocating €50 million from a tight transfer budget might be out of question.
As a result, Arsenal have been linked with a number of midfielders in recent weeks, with Adrien Rabiot seeming to be a priority. However, Arsenal now face competition from Everton in the race to sign the disgruntled Juventus midfielder, meaning they need to keep their options open.
To that end, Lallana is a player who has been linked quite regularly since the turn of the year. The fact that Arsenal will not have to pay anything to sign him further makes him an appealing target. However, Arsenal are touted to face defeat in the five-way race to sign the Liverpool midfielder.
The report claims that Leicester City are set to sign Lallana when he leaves Liverpool, with the Foxes beating the likes of Arsenal, Crystal Palace, Everton and West Ham United. Interestingly, Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers was in-charge at Liverpool when Lallana joined from Southampton in 2014.
The Liverpool star should be a good fit at Leicester, giving Rodgers an additional defensive midfield option, considering the Foxes’ struggles in the absence of Wilfred Ndidi. Lallana could also play a more advanced role, with his versatility being an added bonus. And, the fact that Leicester could offer Champions League football makes them an attractive option.
Lallana, though, might have to take a pay cut on his wages, owing to the financial implications of COVID-19. For now, though, it looks like he is set to join Leicester when he leaves Liverpool, with Arsenal likely to have to set their sights elsewhere for midfield reinforcements.
