Liverpool are ready to try and hijack Tottenham’s attempts to sign Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly in the winter transfer window, according to 90min.
The online news portal claims that Tottenham chased Kelly in the summer as Ange Postecoglou looked to overhaul his defensive options. Spurs told Davinson Sanchez to Galatasaray and were willing to offload Eric Dier if a suitable offer arrived.
Spurs signed Pedro Porro, Micky van de Ven, and highly-rated youngster Ashley Phillips in the summer but Postecoglou was keen on making at least one more addition to his squad and had identified Kelly as an ideal fit.
The report says Tottenham saw a £20m offer for the 6ft 3in star rejected by Bournemouth on deadline day. The Cherries demanded a higher fee for the highly-rated centre-back and a deal couldn’t be agreed.
Tottenham are expected to revive their interest in the January window but they’ll now face stiff competition as 90min says that Liverpool are ready to join the race for the talented defender this winter.
Liverpool were in the market to sign a left-sided centre-back in the summer and were linked with a move for Chelsea’s Levi Colwill and Micky Van de Ven – who ended up joining Tottenham.
Jurgen Klopp allowed academy graduate Nat Phillips to leave the club to join Celtic on loan until January as he promoted Jarell Quansah to the first-team set-up. The 20-year-old has impressed so far in his first two games for the Merseysiders this season.
Quansah is expected to gain more playing time due to Liverpool’s participation in four competitions including the UEFA Europa League, however, Klopp seemingly wants to bring in another defender in January.
Target
Kelly has emerged as a target and may assess his options in the winter as he approaches the end of his contract at Bournemouth. His current deal expires at the end of the season and 90min says he’s in no rush to commit his future at the Vitality Stadium.
The 24-year-old could leave Bournemouth on a free transfer if he fails to sign a new deal with the club so the Cherries may look to cash-in in January if a new contract isn’t signed over the coming weeks.
Tottenham and Liverpool are ready to battle it out over a deal while Newcastle are also watching the situation, as per 90min. With three Premier League big hitters in the running, it could push the price tag beyond the £20m Spurs offered in the summer.
Kelly has become a fan favourite at the Vitality Stadium since joining from Bristol City in 2019. The England centre-back has been hampered by injuries so far during his time at the club but he’s still managed to make 119 appearances for the club.
Last season, Kelly featured in 24 games and registered two assists as Bournemouth avoided the drop from the Premier League after finishing 15th with 39 points, just five points above 18th-placed Leicester City.
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