Liverpool set to consider $38m transfer option as Jurgen Klopp unveils ideal ‘plan B’

Should Liverpool be without Jude Bellingham at Real Madrid, manager Jurgen Klopp could find the perfect transfer alternative across town.

The recruiting team springs into action, the focus seems to be on areas for improvement over the summer.

Of course, Jude Bellingham would be the perfect target to transform Liverpool’s midfield. However, as the options are few and there is no guarantee of winning the race with Real Madrid to win him, other options should also be considered.

And there is a La Liga star who has already hurt Liverpool, that could be a wise signing. In fact, Jürgen Klopp just has to look across the city.

Atlético Madrid have encountered some difficulties this season. Forbes reveal they are “heavily in debt”, a factor Liverpool were expected to exploit over the summer. While Chelsea could try to sign João Félix on a permanent basis, the Reds are likely to turn to Marcos Llorente instead.

The Spain international was the star who once knocked Liverpool out of the Champions League with his goals at Anfield and with the ability to play at right-back as well as a range of midfield roles he appears to be a Klopp’s ideal player. There would also be no qualms playing high intensity as he has been a major contributor to Diego Simeone’s system in recent years.

Although he has suffered a slight dip in form this season – along with most of the Atlético Madrid squad – it is a factor Liverpool can capitalize on when negotiating a compensation package. transfer.

Transfermarkt value him at $38m (£31m/€35m) – a reasonable amount for a player of his caliber, especially considering the depth it would add. With Naby Keita’s contract expiring this summer, Llorente would be an almost ideal successor. He has experience at the highest level, having helped Atlético Madrid win a La Liga title in 2021 while being part of a series of impressive runs in the Champions League. The added benefit of being able to add reliable cover for Trent Alexander-Arnold would also give Calvin Ramsay more time to develop without pressure. Likewise, Klopp could feature him regularly in the Premier League. Llorente has the physical attributes needed to handle difficult away games with fewer opponents, and is also an option to miss games when Liverpool are ahead.

AS revealed in August that the La Liga side have no plans to part ways with Llorente for a Champions League rival if his $130m (£105m/€120m) release clause is not met, but that was before that they reach an agreement to take over Antoine Griezmann of Barcelona.

Diego Simeone has a contract with Wanda Metropolitano until 2027 and could very well ask Llorente for more than his current worth, but the reality is that he is one of the gems the manager may need to part with if the club is to help make up. of him current debt problems. If nothing else, Liverpool should be keeping tabs: Klopp may have just been given the perfect plan B.

Also…

Jurgen Klopp has found a new ‘playmaker’ in the chaos of Liverpool as a $79m transfer will pay off

Liverpool’s press may have waned this season, but a new playmaker Jurgen Klopp could emerge, warranting a massive transfer call.

Given the suspicion that Jurgen Klopp is too loyal to Liverpool players, there is a European model the Reds have benefited from before

Some doubted Thiago Alcântara would stay at the top level following his move to Merseyside from Bayern Munich, but as the club’s best midfielder it’s clear that loyalty and faith in class consistency can pay off – but find the perfect time to do it yourself. with a player in decline can be difficult

It’s a level of cruelty not quite on display during Klopp’s tenure, perhaps no better exemplified than when Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was handed a new contract following the injury he suffered against Roma.

Sure, Liverpool do things differently – and are sometimes forced to do so in a climate where transfer fees rise every year – but could the Reds learn from Julian Nagelsmann?

The Bundesliga champions were never shy about taking on players they felt were outdated, paving the way for the next generation. When Thiago left the Allianz Arena, more minutes were then available for players like Leon Goretzka, who came to the club as one of Germany’s most promising talents since his move to Schalke 04. With Liverpool’s success last season leaving Klopp just two games short of a historic quadruple, it’s clear Thiago wasn’t at his best, but Bayern Munich have normally made the right decisions. He moved on to 30-year-old Bastian Schweinsteiger in 2015 despite him being part of eight Bundesliga wins and one Champions League, with no qualms about sacking Arturo Vidal when he turned 31.

It is unlikely captain Jordan Henderson, who turns 33 in the summer, would be at the club if Liverpool used such a ruthless model. The merits of such an achievement are up for debate, but there are lessons to be learned. The Reds have faced tough situations in recent seasons, relying at times on Tyler Morton and now Stefan Bajčetić to make the switch early in their careers.

This left Liverpool slow in the transfer market at times when it seemed obvious a move was needed. The club have also been observed making hasty decisions under pressure – such as the transfer of Arthur Melo, who has played just 13 minutes this season but is now set to return to first-team training.

While it may be unreasonable to sell players at the first sign of decline, there are times when the Reds could have used the Bayern Munich model. Naby Keïta, despite his quality when fit, was too unreliable during his five-year tenure. And with Oxlade-Chamberlain unable to return to his best form, he could have benefited from a move that would have guaranteed him more starting minutes.

It’s perhaps a noble element that makes Liverpool so special, with the club eyeing a new deal for James Milner but with little activity in the transfer market in their search for a midfielder – and Klopp often comes across his last available options – there are elements of the ruthlessness of the Bayern Munich hierarchy that could have made things easier this season.