Klopp monitoring £60m-rated Man Utd, Arsenal striker target ‘very carefully’ as Liverpool raid nears
Liverpool are reportedly monitoring Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez, who is also a major target for Premier League rivals Manchester United and Arsenal.
Jurgen Klopp added Colombian winger Luis Diaz to his ranks in the January transfer window, beating Tottenham to the signing of the former Porto attacker. However, it appears that the Reds are not done with adding to their attacking ranks – with another top star on their radar.
According to Marco Conterio, the edtior of TMW, Klopp is ‘very carefully’ monitoring the Argentine frontman.
He told Inter News: “Inter are moving and watching many players, but they are also watching many clubs be interested in their players. One above all is Lautaro Martinez, who is very popular in England. Liverpool are monitoring him very carefully.”
The Reds are said to be looking at the 24-year-old as a long-term replacement for Roberto Firmino.
Martinez plays centrally at Inter and would be a straight swap for Firmino, although Diogo Jota has often excelled in place of the Brazilian in that position that season.
According to The Times, Spurs agreed a £60million deal with the Italian outfit to sign Martinez in August. However, the move never come off for a player Antonio Conte previously coached at the San Siro.
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The north London outfit have now switched to other targets ahead of the summer window opening. But United and Arsenal could still rival the Reds for the signature of Martinez.
The Argentina international has scored 88 goals in 226 career games. He has also notched 12 times in 34 outings in all competitions for Inter this season.
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Meanwhile, Liverpool defender Joe Gomez has been urged to leave this summer – and Jurgen Klopp has been told why he should let him go.
Gomez has been linked with a move away after falling down the defensive pecking order at Anfield. Following a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a knee injury, he has returned to find Joel Matip and Ibrahima Konate as preferred partners for Virgil van Dijk.
Aston Villa, of course managed by former Reds captain Steven Gerrard, are looking at making a move.
And Newcastle are also said to be interested. As much as he isn’t being used by Klopp, he would be a great asset for both sides.
He’s aged just 24, has 11 England caps to his name and offers the versatility to play at right-back too.
Gomez’s current contract runs until the summer of 2024. So a fee of £30million has been tipped for a transfer at the end of the season.
And pundit Paddy Kenny believes Liverpool should take that because it can be reinvested into more useful signings.
He told Football Insider: “It’s a tough one for Liverpool, he’s still a young player.
“The thing is he’s only played 12 Premier League games across the last two seasons. It’s alright keeping him and having him as back up but does he not want to go out and play football?
“They could get a good fee for him so that’s one side of it. But as a player, I would want to be out there playing.
“If he wants to get back in that England squad he needs football and Liverpool should let him go.
“Then they can put that money back into the squad with a few big transfers.”
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