Klopp brushes late Aston Villa hijack aside with midfielder ‘going to Liverpool’ after Mac Allister steal

Jurgen Klopp has successfully held off a late charge from Aston Villa and Wolves as a highly rated midfielder is ‘going to Liverpool’ this summer, according to one source.

Liverpool are in desperate need of midfield additions following news that James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will leave the club on free transfers. The Reds have already bolstered Klopp’s options in the middle of the park by snaring Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton.

It was generally thought that Liverpool would only be able to sign the World Cup winner if they matched Brighton’s valuation of him. That was rumoured to be in the region of £60-70m.

Instead, Liverpool managed to bring Mac Allister for an initial £35m, by matching a release clause in his Seagulls deal. Sky Sports claim this could rise to £55m, although that depends on add-ons.

Liverpool have now turned their attention to a second midfield capture. Following the Mac Allister deal, they immediately began talks with French duo Kouadio Kone (alternatively known as Manu Kone) and Khephren Thuram, who play for Borussia Monchengladbach and Nice respectively.

Klopp is also a fan of Celta Vigo starlet Gabri Veiga, however he is further down the wanted list at this moment in time.

READ MORE: Klopp on red alert as La Liga giants put Liverpool target who is ‘perfect’ for Premier League up for sale

Liverpool’s swoop for Kone came under severe threat on Tuesday as the Daily Mail revealed Aston Villa and Wolves’ interest in him. The report also explained how Gladbach want £35m for the France U21 international.

But it seems Liverpool have been able to push Villa and Wolves aside and are moving closer to landing Kone. On talkSPORT (via Empire of the Kop), Tony Cascarino has made a big claim about Kone ‘going to Liverpool’.

Midfielder ‘going to Liverpool’ despite Villa push

“Manu Kone is one they have been looking at. It has been talked about in France that he is going to Liverpool,” the striker-turned-pundit said.

“That has been out there for a while. I do think they are reinventing that midfield and it was necessary.”

Depending on how much money is left in the transfer budget, Thuram could follow Kone to Liverpool as well. Liverpool centre-back Ibrahima Konate has already given his blessing for Klopp to sign his compatriot.

“Khephren, he’s like a younger brother, he’s someone I saw grow,” Konate revealed. “I was with his older brother at academy level.

“I saw him perform well and progress greatly… it was incredible.

“Even when he came to join the French national team for his first cap, I saw him in training and I was really surprised by his height and his technical ability.”

Meanwhile, a Liverpool man has agreed an exit just one year after arriving on Merseyside.