Liverpool are reportedly interested in signing Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde, with manager Jurgen Klopp, a huge admirer of the Uruguayan.
According to a report from El Nacional, Liverpool are great admirers of Real Madrid star Federico Valverde and are interested in signing the 23-year-old from the Spanish capital club in the future.
Valverde started at the academy of Uruguayan outfit Penarol before being snapped up by Real Madrid at a young age in 2016. Having initially been part of the club’s Castilla outfit, the midfielder spent a season out on loan at Deportivo La Coruna in 2017/18. Post that, he was integrated into the first team at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Since then, Valverde has not looked back, gradually growing into a vital player for the Spanish capital outfit. So much so that the report claims that the Uruguayan international has attained ‘untouchable’ status at the club, with president Florentino Perez a big fan of his talents. Despite his standing within the team, the 23-year-old’s game-time has taken some hit this season.
Valverde has had to deal with fitness issues this term, while the signing of Eduardo Camavinga also hampered his involvement, with him having to share game-time with the Frenchman when Toni Kroos was out with an injury. The midfielder has featured in 12 games across all competitions in 2021/22, contributing with a solitary assist.
Liverpool are now claimed to be interested in signing Valverde. The Reds’ manager Jurgen Klopp is a huge admirer of the midfielder’s talents and sees him as an ideal addition to the squad. It is no secret that the Merseysiders will need to refresh their options in the midfield department sooner rather than later.
James Milner is in the final stages of his career while both Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara are in their thirties, with the latter even struggling with injury issues quite a fair bit of late. Furthermore, Liverpool did not sign a replacement for Georginio Wijnaldum after he left the club last summer to join PSG on a free transfer.
Considering these factors, signing a new midfielder becomes important for Liverpool. This has seen them get linked with a host of names such as Ruben Neves of Wolves, while there is also interest in Mikel Merino of Real Sociedad. Valverde is also said to have emerged as a transfer target, even though signing him will be anything but straightforward.
The 23-year-old signed a new contract with Real Madrid earlier this year, extending his stay at the Santiago Bernabeu until the summer of 2027. The agreement also has a €1 billion release clause, which means Liverpool would have to shell out a massive fee to sign the Uruguayan international.
A deal at this stage is nigh on impossible. However, if Valverde’s game-time gets affected in the coming months, things could change quickly, potentially opening the door for Liverpool to swoop in on the Real Madrid star.
