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The Reds, in Jurgen Klopp’s last year at the club, struggled in the middle of the park, and Arne Slot was very keen to address that issue.
The top target was the Real Sociedad midfielder, but Zubimendi rejected Liverpool and decided to stay in San Sebastian.
Now, reports have claimed that Arsenal will sign Zubimendi in the summer transfer window, which is a blow for Liverpool as they clearly like him too.
Slot’s side are looking at similar players elsewhere now, and there is another La Liga midfielder they have an eye on.
Liverpool can sign Frenkie de Jong for a bargain fee but there’s a problem
Frenkie de Jong has been at Barcelona since joining them from Ajax in 2019.
The Dutchman has played 234 games for the Catalans over the years, and he has produced several excellent performances.
Now, De Jong has entered the final 18 months of his contract at the Camp Nou, and CaughtOffside have claimed that the Spanish giants are ready to sell him for just €35 million (£29m).
Liverpool have been mentioned as a club that like De Jong, and the Netherlands international will fit in really well under his compatriot, Slot.
But, there is a problem.
The report claims that De Jong’s huge wages have put off Liverpool and many other clubs in the past, and that could be an issue again in the summer.
De Jong, who signed a new contract at Barcelona in 2020, earns £304,000-a-week in base wages. If bonuses kick in, that number goes up to over £403,000 every week.
Frenkie de Jong of FC Barcelona reacts during the LaLiga EA Sports match between FC Barcelona and Granada CF at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on Fe…Read more>>
Liverpool are targeting another talented midfielder
De Jong would be fantastic for Liverpool this summer, but he isn’t the only name on Slot’s list of targets.
The report claims that the Reds also like Angelo Stiller, the 23-year-old German midfielder who plays in the Bundesliga for Stuttgart.
It has been revealed that ‘depending on the financial details of the potential deal for De Jong’, Liverpool could also consider a move for Stiller in the summer.
The midfielder will cost slightly more than De Jong. He has a €40 million (£33m) release clause, but his wages will be significantly less than the Barcelona man.
Stiller currently earns just over £72,000-a-week at Stuttgart. Even if Liverpool offer to double that, it’ll be less than half of what De Jong’s base salary is at Barcelona right now Read more>>
