Southampton are reportedly ready to make an offer to sign Liverpool defender Neco Williams, who is also being chased by Nottingham Forest and Fulham.
According to an exclusive report from Football Insider, Southampton are preparing an offer to beat Nottingham Forest and Fulham to the signing of Liverpool youngster Neco Williams this summer.
Williams spent the second half of the last season on loan at Fulham and played his part in helping the Cottagers earn promotion by finishing on top of the EFL Championship standings. Now back at Liverpool, the Welsh international has fallen down the pecking order after the Reds signed Calvin Ramsay from Aberdeen this summer.
Williams, thus, is expected to depart Anfield and several Premier League clubs are interested in signing the Liverpool academy graduate. Fulham, who were impressed with his performances last season, are keen on signing the right-back permanently. However, as per the report, the Cottagers have fallen behind Southampton and Nottingham Forest in the race for Williams.
Southampton had previously approached Liverpool over the possibility of signing the 21-year-old full-back. However, things had gone quiet on that front as Nottingham Forest looked set to sign Williams from Liverpool.
Indeed, the Welsh international is believed to have agreed personal terms with the newly-promoted Premier League club already. But, Liverpool’s valuation of their defender is proving to be an issue for Steve Cooper’s side, who have already had a bid of around £12 million rejected by the Merseysiders.
Liverpool are holding out for a total package worth around £20 million for Williams. With Nottingham Forest hesitating about meeting that figure, Southampton are back in the business to sign the full-back.
With Valentino Livramento set for an extended spell out on the sidelines after suffering a serious knee injury, Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side need to bring in a new right-back. To that end, the Saints have narrowed in on Williams as their target. The south coast club are now readying a formal offer to sign him from Liverpool.
But with Williams’s heart set on a transfer to Nottingham Forest, only time will tell where the young Liverpool full-back will end up before the 2022/23 campaign starts next month.