Liverpool ready to pounce for ‘powerful’ striker also wanted by club Klopp has already done business with

Liverpool have been linked with Real Betis attacker Assane Diao by reports in the Spanish press, but they will have to fend off competition to sign him.

Diao is just 17 years old but is already featuring for Spain at under-19 level. Furthermore, he has been drafted into first-team training by Real Betis, although he is yet to make his senior debut. Described as a ‘powerful’ player by AS, it is claimed that he has admirers in the Premier League and Bundesliga.

Liverpool are the only English suitor to be specifically identified in the report by AS. Supposedly, they have reached out to Diao’s representatives, since he is in the final year of his contract with Real Betis.

It is not entirely clear if they want to buy him now or wait until they can sign him when he becomes a free agent in 2024.

But Liverpool appear to be ready to invest in the future of their attack by investing in Diao before he makes too much of a name for himself elsewhere.

One problem for Liverpool is that Diao is also of interest to RB Leipzig. The Bundesliga outfit have a good track record of developing players, which was one of the factors that convinced Fabio Carvalho to go there on loan from Jurgen Klopp’s side this summer.

In theory, RB Leipzig could deny Liverpool the chance to work with another attacking talent if they win the race for Diao.

For the time being, Real Betis boss Manuel Pellegrini wants to make the most of his own chance to work with the Senegal-born starlet. The former Manchester City manager has been impressed by Diao’s versatility already.

But with no agreement in sight to extend his contract in Andalusia, Real Betis may have to come to terms with the idea of Diao building up his career elsewhere.

A possibility is lingering, therefore, that Diao – who has mainly played as a left winger for Real Betis’ reserve team over the past season – could become part of the Liverpool setup.

In attack, Klopp can already call upon Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota. Therefore, there would be no immediate pressure on Diao to come in and play regularly for the first team.

But Liverpool may be looking at the bigger picture in this instance, hoping they can nurture Diao’s talent into something that could be useful in the long term.

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