Liverpool

Liverpool

Premier League • England

Liverpool transfer news: Bundesliga midfielder chance gets Liverpool thinking as ‘conversations’ about move revealed

Konrad Laimer, Austria v Denmark June 2022

Liverpool reportedly have interest in RB Leipzig midfielder Konrad Laimer as they chase reinforcements before the end of the transfer window.

Jurgen Klopp’s side have made three signings so far this summer, looking towards both the present and the future of the club. While Darwin Nunez, Fabio Carvalho and Calvin Ramsay are all exciting prospects, they already feature in Klopp’s first-team plans.

But calls have risen for Liverpool to sign a second midfielder alongside Carvalho in recent weeks.

Many of their current options including Thiago Alcantara, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are injury-prone.

Klopp insisted for a while that Liverpool would not make any more signings this summer. Earlier this week, though, he confirmed that the Reds are planning a late swoop for a new midfielder.

As a result, the focus has turned to who Liverpool could target with less than a week to go before the window shuts.

According to 90min, RB Leipzig star Laimer has emerged as an option on their radar.

Liverpool keen on Laimer alongside Bayern Munich

The 25-year-old has only one year left on his deal and has had strong links with a move to Bayern this summer. But German source Kicker claims that Bayern do not want to pay Leipzig’s €30million (£25.4million) valuation.

And Bild adds that the best effort from the Bundesliga champions has been a €24million (£20.3million) proposal.

90min claims that Laimer remains keen on a move to Bayern either this summer or next year.

Playing in a central midfield role, the 24-cap Austria international has played 164 times for Leipzig, scoring 11 goals and assisting 18 others.

Liverpool have shown a strong fondness for signing players from the Red Bull football stable before. Sadio Mane, Ibrahima Konate, Takumi Minamino and Naby Keita all either moved to Anfield from Leipzig or RB Salzburg – or played at the clubs earlier in their careers.

‘Conversations’ over Leipzig star’s exit

Leipzig CEO Oliver Mintzlaff has claimed that while he believes Laimer will stay this summer, the transfer window can be unpredictable.

“I assume that Konny will stay,” Mintzlaff told Leipziger Volkszeitung.

“But the transfer window is still open and we’re still holding a few conversations,” he told the Leipziger Volkszeitung.

“The tendency is very, very large for him to stay with us.”

Reds could have found strong option

Liverpool have been famed for getting their transfer strategy exactly right under Klopp’s management. And the manager has insisted that only the right midfielder will arrive for the right price.

The Reds should of course not step away from that strategy, despite the lack of time left this summer.

With Laimer, though, they look like they are following their transfer methods to a T.

At only 25, the Austrian has plenty of years left in him and would have room to develop into his prime at Anfield.

His extensive Leipzig experience would also help him settle with Klopp’s methods, too.

Liverpool do not have a midfielder aged between 22 and 27 – that is one of their major downfalls in that area.

They have two teenagers in Carvalho and Harvey Elliott, with Curtis Jones, 21, the next in line. After that, Keita is the next youngest at 27. As such, Laimer would fill another key hole for Liverpool in that regard.