Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder and long-time Liverpool target Manu Kone will reportedly be available for an astonishing cut-price deal in the upcoming January transfer window.
According to Italian outlet Calciomercato, Liverpool could bolster their midfield ranks even further in the upcoming transfer window with the capture of long-term target Manu Kone from Borussia Monchengladbach. The report claims a bid in the region of €24–25 million should be enough to lure him away from the German outfit.
The France star featured highly on the Reds’ wanted list after being watched at close quarters on several occasions by Liverpool scouts. He was one of the names that was constantly on Jurgen Klopp’s radar as Liverpool desperately searched to add to their midfield in the recent summer transfer window.
That came after the free-transfer departures of James Milner, Naby Keita, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, as well as Saudi Pro League clubs pinching Jordan Henderson and Fabinho.
Any pursuit of Kone broke down, though, as the Borussia Monchengladbach star picked up a knee injury while at the Under-21 Euros with France, while his current club priced him out of a move, forcing Liverpool to pursue different players. They went on to sign Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, and Wataru Endo, while also landing Ryan Gravenberch from Bayern on deadline day.
However, Liverpool could still bring Kone to Anfield, as Calciomercato have provided an intriguing report looking at his future amidst links to Italian giants Juventus.
It now seems that the Reds could sign the Frenchman for a surprisingly lower fee than initially expected but face stiff competition for his services. It’s being reported that an offer of just €24–25 million could be enough to tempt Monchengladbach to sell Kone in January, which is a big drop compared to the minimum €40 million the German side were demanding to open negotiations for their prize asset this past summer.
While no apparent reason has been stated, it’s certainly not a contractual one, with the 22-year-old under contract until 2025, while the German club also hold the option to extend his deal by a further year. Nevertheless, that falling price tag of €25 million is sure to gain Klopp’s attention, given the sizeable reduction from earlier this summer.
However, Juventus also hold a genuine interest in the midfielder as a potential replacement for Paul Pogba, who is currently under investigation for alleged doping breaches and risks a long period out of the game.
What’s more, the Bianconeri are understood to have “already enquired” about signing Kone in January. Thus, Liverpool will have to get their act together quickly and make a fresh approach if they want to land their long-term target in the new year.
