Report: Liverpool join Tottenham in race to sign £43m international star

Liverpool have joined Tottenham in showing a keen interest in luring £43m Napoli forward Lorenzo Insigne to the Premier League this summer, according to reports via TeamTalk.

Insigne has been with Napoli his entire career having joined their youth ranks as a youngster and he’s gone on to become a club legend after making almost 400 appearances for the Serie A outfit.

The Italian international has scored 109 goals and provided a further 85 assists for Napoli but his future at the Stadio San Paolo is in serious doubt as Insigne is in the final year of his contract and no progress has been made over an extension.

TeamTalk claims Insigne is wanting a deal worth around €5m a year but Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis is refusing to pay more than €3.5m so the two parties are at deadlock.

Napoli are desperate to agree a new deal but they may be forced to cash-in if a new contract isn’t signed soon or they risk losing the forward on a free transfer in just 12 months time.

The situation has alerted clubs throughout Europe and TeamTalk reported recently that Tottenham were showing a keen interest in signing Insigne and had contacted his agent to discuss a potential move.

Spurs are trying to strengthen their squad this summer as they look to mount a top four challenge next season and they could be eyeing Insigne as the man to help ease the goal-scoring burden on Harry Kane – should the England hitman remain at the club.

However, it looks like Tottenham will face stiff competition as TeamTalk are citing a report from Area Napoli that claims Liverpool are also in the hunt for Insigne’s signature this summer.

The report quotes Italian journalist Fabio Santini as saying that Liverpool, along with Atletico Madrid, have a ‘strong’ interest in signing the Italian international.

Santini is quoted by Area Napoli, via TeamTalk, as saying:

“To make the situation even more complicated is the intense competition for the player. I know for sure that there is a strong interest from Liverpool and Atletico Madrid on Lorenzo Insigne.”

No doubt Napoli will be desperate to keep hold of Insigne but unless he signs an extension, they may have to cash-in and it looks like Liverpool and Tottenham are keen to lure him to England.

According to TeamTalk, Insigne is valued at around £77m but Napoli may have to sell at a cut-price fee of £43m due to his contract situation, so the Premier League duo could land themselves a bargain.

Jurgen Klopp is reportedly in the market for another versatile attacker to help support the likes of Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah next season and Insigne would be an excellent addition.

The 30-year-old has been impressing with Italy at Euro 2020 and he’s still in his prime after scoring 19 goals and providing a further 11 assists last season so he’d be a superb signing for Liverpool or Tottenham if either club wins the race for his signature.