Barcelona on verge of €27m transfer of reported Liverpool target

Junior Firpo TEAMtalk

Barcelona are inching closer to a deal to sign Real Betis left-back Junior Firpo, according to reports.

Mundo Deportivo and Marca reported earlier in the week that Firpo was still an option for Ernesto Valverde, who is looking for cover for Jordi Alba at left-back this season.

Now transfer pundit Gianluca Di Marzio reports Barca are close to agreeing a deal of around €27million euros for the player, while Fabrizio Romano also claims Barcelona are in “advanced talks” with Betis to sign Firpo.

Firpo, 22, was mentioned as a target for Liverpool by Marca earlier this summer with Jurgen Klopp believed to be looking at the market for a new deputy to Andy Robertson at left-back after Alberto Moreno left for Villarreal on a free transfer.

The Dominican-born Spanish U21 international, who impressed for Betis last season, making 29 appearances, scoring three times and grabbing five assists, has a €50millionrelease clause, but it was believed that Liverpool would open the bidding at €30m.

That bid from Anfield though has not been forthcoming with the Liverpool Echo saying the Reds ‘are not interested’ in Firpo, and that the player has not even ‘been discussed’ by Klopp or the club’s transfer committee.

Jurgen.Klopp_.TEAMtalk

Instead Klopp looks more likely to try and use one of the several youngsters coming through the ranks to fill the void left by Moreno. 

“It’s about using this team. In the transfer window, you have to build a team that you think you want to go into the season with. But I have that team already,” Klopp told the Liverpool Echo.

“If we can bring somebody else in that makes it even better, we will see. But if not, this team is already there. And again we will have to find solutions at different moments.”