Liverpool Transfer News: £40m Attacker Linked | Klopp Eyes South American Defender

The opening of the summer transfer window is fast approaching so we’ll bring you all the latest transfer rumours and gossip from around the globe. Today, Liverpool will have to stump up £40m to land Sadio Mane while Jurgen Klopp is eyeing a move for Gabriel Mercado….

Mane to cost £40m

First up and the Mirror claim that Southampton have told Liverpool they’ll have to pay a whopping £40m to sign attacker Sadio Mane this summer.

Mane has been strongly linked with a move to Anfield in recent weeks as Jurgen Klopp looks to strengthen his attack ahead of next season but it appears the Saints aren’t ready to let their man go without a fight.

The newspaper says that Southampton are demanding a fee of £40m for the Senegalese international while the player is also understood to be demanding wages of around £125,000-a-week, meaning it’s going to be an extremely expensive deal for Liverpool to pull off.

Mane moved to St Mary’s from Red Bull Salzburg in 2014 and has been a huge hit on the south coast having scored 15 goals and providing 9 assists to help Ronald Koeman’s side finish sixth in the Premier League last season.

I think he’d be an excellent signing for the Reds but £40m sounds like a huge amount of money for the 24-year-old so I personally think Klopp will walk away unless Southampton lower their demands.

Mercado linked

Next up and the Mirror are also reporting that Klopp is eyeing a move for River Plate defender Gabriel Mercado as he looks to strengthen his defensive options this summer.

With Kolo Toure released and Martin Skrtel set to be sold this summer Klopp needs reinforcements at the back and it looks as though the German coach has cast his eye to the South America market.

The newspaper claims that Klopp scouted Mercado while attending an Argentina game at the Copa America earlier this month while they say that River Plate president Rodolfo D’Onofrio has already confirmed Liverpool’s interest in signing the 29-year-old defender.

No potential transfer fee has been suggested in the report but you’d expect Liverpool should be able to snap Mercado up at a reasonable price given his age and he could be a useful addition as he’s able to play at both right-back and centre-back.

READ MORE –> Liverpool transfer news

However, I’m not convinced he’d be able to get a work permit as he’s only got 6 international caps to his name after making his debut for Argentina in 2010 and he won’t qualify for a ‘special talent’ visa either.

So that’s your round-up of Liverpool rumours. Would you pay £40m for Mane? What defender would you like Klopp to sign?