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With 2020 being a year of misery and dark nights approaching, an inpatient audience is counting back with eager enthusiasm before the big day …
We’re talking about the January transfer window opening, of course, not all those stupid folks who have put up their Christmas decorations early before the ringing of the Bonfire Night fireworks has left our ears.
Given that, here is a rundown of the latest Liverpool-related transfer rumors circulating the web on the gossip trail.
WHO?
Kylian Mbappé, the Paris Saint-Germain superstar who has broken the 30-goal barrier over the past two seasons and has started the current campaign in spectacular fashion, scoring seven times in just eight outings so far.
Where?
Sport Witness cites a report from the Spanish publication Sport that says that Real Madrid will not have it easy when it comes to hiring Mbappé, since Liverpool is also ‘going to give it all’ with the Reds ‘willing to fight’ for his signing.
The article reads: “Jurgen Klopp has been following the World Cup winner since 2016.
“A year later, the English champions tried to sign him after the former Borussia Dortmund manager met the player.
“Since then, the German has had a ‘direct line’ with Mbappé.”
They add: “Klopp ‘wants to train’ Mbappé next season, and also Zidane.”
What?
Mbappé has openly declared his admiration for Liverpool and, earlier this year, hailed them as a winning ‘machine’.
In football terms, moving to Anfield could be mutually beneficial, but Klopp has always stated publicly that the cost of such a venture would make the move prohibitive.
Perhaps with the Reds’ three legendary forwards now all in their twenties, could something give in next summer to allow for a possible blockbuster deal?
WHO?
Dayot Upamecano, the RB Leipzig center-back whom Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher named as a possible pick for January after Virgil van Dijk suffered a long-lasting injury.
Another French international, he has only three caps to date, but is a couple of months older than Mbappé after turning 22 on October 27.
Where?
Sport Witness again, this time citing Sportbild, focuses on the defender’s potential suitors.
Examining Bayern Munich’s ambitions to land Upamecano, they say the European champions “are running out of time.”
The article reads: “The interest shown by United, Liverpool and City in Upamecano, and the Premier League clubs could ‘fix the deal in January’.
“Upamecano has a termination clause of 45 million euros that will come into effect from next summer.
“If United, Liverpool or City want to take it to the winter market, they will have to negotiate a rate with Leipzig, or they could pay the clause earlier and wait until the end of the season.”
What?
Conflicting reports in recent weeks have suggested that Upamecano is first on Liverpool’s wanted list or that the Reds do not intend to beef up their central defense numbers in January, despite Joe Gomez joining Van Dijk at the margin.
Upamecano appears to tick off many of the required boxes, but given Thiago Alcantara’s prolonged chase this year, Liverpool could be prepared to bide their time.
WHO?
Another Bundesliga center-back, Malick Thiaw from Schalke.
At just 19 years old, the youngster was born in Dusseldorf to a Senegalese father and a Finnish mother and has so far played just seven senior matches for Klopp’s old Ruhr rivals.
Where?
Sports Mole quotes Thiaw discussing Liverpool ties to Schalke TV.
He said: “Of course you are happy when the big clubs are after you, but it was actually clear to me that I would stay at Schalke.”
What?
Some publications claimed that Thiaw had emerged as a potential Liverpool target, presenting a more affordable option than his teammate, Schalke center-back Ozan Kabak, who had also been linked to the Reds.
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Klopp’s close friend David Wagner was in charge of the Gelsenkirchen-based club until his firing on September 27 and could tell his old friend the truth about the pair.
However, Thiaw, who has a contract with Schalke until 2024, is in the embryonic stage of his career.
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