Liverpool have reportedly held talks with Bayern Munich forward Serge Gnabry over a summer switch to Anfield.
According to Anfield Central, Liverpool have made contact with German international Serge Gnabry, valued at €80 million by Bayern Munich, regarding a summer switch to Merseyside.
The 26-year-old is primarily a right-winger but can play anywhere along the frontline. One of Bayern’s standout performers this past season, Gnabry amassed 17 goals and ten assists in 45 games across all competitions. Only Robert Lewandowski outscored him at Bayern Munich through the campaign.
The German international’s contract at the Allianz Arena will expire in the summer of 2023, meaning he could potentially walk away as a free agent in a year. The Bundesliga champions will do well to sell him this summer if there is no intention of penning a new deal.
Gnabry’s predicament has understandably attracted attention from some of Europe’s top clubs. Apart from Liverpool, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, and Juventus have all thrown their name into the hat. The Reds are set for a summer rebuild and could give themselves a shot in the arm by securing the 26-year-old.
Talks have already taken place between the player and the Reds. Gnabry is seeking £250,000 per week in wages, comfortably making him one of the club’s top earners. Liverpool are ready to splash the cash but will only go as far as £200,000 per week. Whether this is a negotiable figure is debatable.
The player is also seeking to be valued, something that should not be a problem on Merseyside. Liverpool love their own but are also not afraid to stand their ground when it matters.
Both Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah have been the cornerstones of Liverpool’s success under Jurgen Klopp. While their roles in the club’s success cannot be understated, the club will not break their wage structure to meet their demands. It is difficult to see them adopt a different stance in regards to Gnabry.
A move to Liverpool will be a win-win for both parties. Liverpool get themselves another young, exciting winger to aid in their rebuild while Gnabry gets to play in a juggernaut of a team managed by arguably the world’s best manager. But then, as we have seen in recent times, the 26-year-old will have to serve the system and not the other way around.
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With Bayern Munich leading the race for Mane, it will be interesting to see how both transfers could potentially be interlinked. To spice up matters, both Gnabry and Mane are also represented by the same agency.
While Gnabry is valued at €80 million, Bayern believe they can get around €40 million for their star man, a fee that has also been referred to in regards to Mane. Whether a direct swap is an option that will be discussed remains to be seen.