Liverpool In Battle To Sign £39m French Star, Talks To Get Underway This Weekend

The transfer window may be closed but managers are working hard on their plans for the summer so we’ll bring you all the latest gossip from around the globe. Today, Liverpool are linked with Clement Lenglet…

Liverpool face a battle with Barcelona to sign Clement Lenglet with Barcelona ready to enter talks to sign the £38.9m-rated Sevilla defender, according to a report by TeamTalk.

Lenglet only joined Sevilla from Nancy last summer in a £4m deal but the youngster has developed in to one of the most highly-rated centre-backs in European football this season. The 22-year-old has been virtually ever present in La Liga and he played a key role in helping Sevilla reach the quarter finals of the Champions League where they eventually lost to Bayern Munich.

The defender’s impressive form has led to interest from the Premier League as TeamTalk claim Liverpool have expressed their interest in signing the player ahead of the summer window.

Jurgen Klopp has been tipped to sign another central defender to partner Virgil van Dijk this summer and it seems Lenglet has has emerged as a prime target for the Liverpool boss.

However, it seems the Merseysiders will have to fend off stiff competition as TeamTalk are citing a report from Diario AS that claims Barcelona are ready to formalise their interest in Lenglet.

The Spanish publication suggests that Barca have lined-up the French U21 international as a potential replacement for Samuel Umtiti and are ready to open negotiations with Sevilla this weekend.

In a further blow to Liverpool, the report says Barca are hoping to steal a march on the Reds by agreeing to meet Lenglet’s £38.9m (€45m) release clause in full to secure his signature.

If they do, then it will be down to the player to decide whether he wants to move to the Nou Camp and it would obviously be an extremely tempting proposition for the defender.

READ MORE –> Liverpool transfer news

However, there is still time for Liverpool to step-up their interest and match whatever Barcelona are prepared to pay, and no doubt Klopp would be confident of persuading Lenglet to choose Anfield over the Nou Camp if it came down to a straight shoot-out between the two clubs.