Liverpool to pay £500,000 for defender as first January deal nears

Jurgen Klopp Liverpool

Liverpool are closing on their first signing of the January transfer window after reportedly agreeing a near £500,000 deal to sign Birmingham youngster Calum Scanlon.

The Reds are expected to have a relatively quiet January transfer window. However, they could look to bolster their defence if the right player comes on to the market. They have also been linked with a deal to sign Renato Sanches from Lille in an £18m deal.

However, they are ready to bolster their academy ranks too and The Times now reports a deal for Scanlon is close.

They claim the Reds have agreed a near £500,000 package to take the 15-year-old to their Kirkby academy. Capable of playing on the left side of defence or in midfield, Scalon is seen as very much a future star.

A number of injuries this season has seen a number of Liverpool academy stars thrust into the first-team line-up. The likes of Curtis Jones, Neco Williams, Rhys Williams and Caoimhin Kelleher have all featured for the senior squad. Leighton Clarkson and Jake Cain have also made it into matchday squads.

And while Scanlon won’t be considered first-team ready for a few years yet, he is another one for supporters to keep an eye on.


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McManaman wants Klopp to buy defender

With Liverpool short at the back, former Reds winger Steve McManaman has urged Klopp to sign a new defender in January.

With both Joe Gomez and Virgil van Dijk looking at lengthy lay-offs, Liverpool have been short at the back.

Virgil van Dijk Liverpool

Midfielder Fabinho has filled in admirably. However, McManaman believes a top defensive signing must be made a priority in January.

“The only area where you would say Liverpool might need someone is in the centre of defence,” he said.

“People keep talking about the fact they let Dejan Lovren go and never really replaced him. That is true, but you don’t expect them to get two or three injuries in that one position.

“Would I bring someone in in January if I had the money to get a good centre half? The answer would be yes. But I don’t know what the financial situation is at Liverpool Football Club.

“If Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez are going to be out for significant periods of time, you can play Fabinho and Joel Matip there. Fabinho’s been excellent in the centre of midfield area and you’d be taking him away from there.

“So if you’re still in the hunt for the major competitions and you’ve got the finances available, I would certainly go out and try to buy a really good central defender. That would be a no-brainer for me. Then if you’ve got too many defenders you sort it out at the end of the season.”

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