Liverpool have reportedly kept tabs on the situation of Spanish defender Nacho, who could be on his way out of Real Madrid this summer.
According to a report by Spanish publication AS, Real Madrid defender Nacho has popped up on the radar of Liverpool ahead of the summer transfer window. The Spanish international is also being tailed by Serie A duo AS Roma and Juventus.
Nacho joined the Real Madrid academy aged 11 in 2001 and subsequently made significant progress within the club’s youth setup before making grade in the first-team squad in 2011. However, it was not until the 2013/14 season that he started turning out somewhat regularly for the first-team.
Since then, he has been a nifty utility player for Los Blancos, with his versatility allowing him to play across the defensive line. Till date, the 31-year-old has turned out 220 times for Real Madrid, even chipping in with 11 goals and 4 assists. However, with his current deal having a little over a year remaining to run out, Liverpool have had their interest being ignited in the Spanish defender.
Liverpool have been in all sorts of trouble on the defensive front this season, with the absence of Virgil van Dijk having a telling effect on the Reds and their defence of their Premier League crown. In addition, the fact that Joe Gomez and Joel Matip have been missing has also compounded the woes.
To solve some of their issues, Liverpool signed Ben Davies permanently and Ozan Kabak on loan in the January transfer window, but both face an uncertain future at Anfield due to various reasons. As a result, it is prudent for Liverpool to remain in the market for a central defender, with Real Madrid star Raphael Varane being one of their targets.
In addition, Sevilla centre-back Diego Carlos is also on their radar while a move for Napoli veteran Kalidou Koulibaly has been continuously mooted. To that end, Nacho also appears to be a viable target, with the Real Madrid defender’s versatility only adding to the allure around him.
Having said that, Zinedine Zidane is eager to keep hold of the 31-year-old, who has proved his worth in recent weeks. In fact, it is being suggested that Zidane is ready to persist with a back three when Real Madrid take on Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League, due to the impact he had in the absence of Sergio Ramos.
Meanwhile, apart from Liverpool, AS Roma and Juventus are also in pursuit of the Spaniard. What now remains to be seen is if Real Madrid do turn their attention towards tying Nacho down to a new deal or if some suitor manages to swoop him away in the summer instead.