Transfer gossip: Liverpool to get Barcelona cast-off as they pursue Reds target
Liverpool might struggle to get Leroy Sane but they might get the winger Barcelona discard to buy the Bayern Munich man.
BARCELONA STAY SANE
Barcelona are said to be ‘on alert’ as Leroy Sane is yet to commit his future to Bayern Munich, presumably eyeing the kind of late-contract, lucrative move that saw him leave Manchester City for Bayern Munich.
On Sunday we brought you the claim from Germany that Liverpool are ‘probably’ interested in Sane as a long-term replacement for Mo Salah, and now SPORT have jumped into action to emphasise that Barcelona will want to be in that particular fight.
Sane has so far refused to discuss a new contract with Bayern, meaning that they may be forced to sell next summer.
‘The player fits perfectly with the winger profile that Xavi Hernández is looking for,’ says SPORT, who presumably mean that Sane has the profile of a winger that has contributed eight goals and six assists in just 11 Bundesliga appearances this term, while he’s also added a goal and an assist in the Champions League.
RAPH JUSTICE
Barcelona need a new winger because Raphinha has massively disappointed this season, completing just one 90-minute game in La Liga and contributing just two goals and one assist. Xavi has played left-back Joao Cancelo or 16-year-old Lamine Yamal ahead of the Brazilian international on the right wing.
Raphinha is now available and reports in Spain from Fichajes suggest that Liverpool could be interested – again as a long-term replacement for Mo Salah – along with Tottenham, who have been linked with the former Leeds winger in the last few days. He is said to be available for little more than £60m, which could be a bargain if he can recapture his form from last season.
WEST HAM STRIKER SEARCH
West Ham reportedly want to sign Feyenoord goal machine Santiago Gimenez as David Moyes eyes a long-term replacement for Michail Antonio. Tottenham have also been heavily linked with Gimenez for some time, so we could potentially see a bidding war take place for him in January.
The Mexico international signed for Feyenoord in July 2022 and he has gradually become one of the Dutch giants’ most important players.
Last season, Gimenez scored an impressive 15 goals in 32 league appearances for Feyenoord, firing his team to their first Eredivisie title since 2017. The striker has been in even better form this season, netting an outstanding 13 goals in just 12 league appearances so far.
West Ham are also being linked with Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke, but he would probably be more expensive than Giminez, because the Premier League is weird like that.
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