Liverpool have earmarked Galatasaray right-back Roland Sallai as an alternative to first-choice target Lutsharel Geertruida, according to Sacha Tavolieri.
The Premier League champions have had to deal with a depleted squad for most of the campaign, with players sometimes slotting into unnatural positions due to incessant injuries.
Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones have had to play at right back due to injuries. Conor Bradley suffered a season-ending injury last month in the clash against Arsenal, while Jeremie Frimpong sustained what Slot described as a muscle injury in the UEFA Champions League group stage clash against Qarabag.
As a result, the Reds have been linked with several right-back options, with Football Talk, citing reputable sources, reporting the club’s interest in Inter Milan’s Denzel Dumfries and, most recently, Sunderland’s Geertruida.
However, recent reports reveal that Slot’s side have pulled out of a deal for Geertruida, who is now set to remain at the St Mary’s Stadium, with the club now looking at other alternatives.
One of the options the club are looking at is Galatasaray’s Sallai, according to Tavolieri, who claims that Liverpool have set their sights on the Hungarian international for a possible move.
Alternative
The 28-year-old is being earmarked as a viable option should Sunderland rebuff the Reds’ approach for Geertruida, according to the report, so it’ll be interesting to see if the club will present an offer around his £8m Transfermarkt valuation or move on to other targets.
Liverpool fans had a first-hand experience of the right-back’s qualities this season after he came off the bench to secure Galatasaray’s lead in the last 18 minutes as the Turkish champions recorded a memorable 1-0 win in the UEFA Champions League.
With eight goal contributions, it’s no surprise the club’s manager, Okan Buruk, revealed he’s close to becoming a ‘world star’ due to his enormous qualities.
While concerns may be posed over his age, the club have largely tilted towards bolstering their squad with younger players. Sallai could still be an invaluable short-term addition to the team as they look to go the distance in the UEFA Champions League and the Premier League top-four race.
