Liverpool could revisit a solution they’ve used in the past in order to win the race for a reported transfer target.
According to Bild, the Reds are ‘exploring various options’ to try and land Willian Pacho, who’s valued at around €60m (£51.2m) by Eintracht Frankfurt.
The German outlet claims that Merseyside chiefs are considering a mutually beneficial proposal whereby they sign the Ecuador defender on a permanent deal this summer but loan him back to the Bundesliga club for a season so that he’ll still be assured of regular game-time, rather than having to complete for a place at Anfield straight away.
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There’s actually a not too distant precedent to which Liverpool can refer with the proposed move for Pacho – a decade ago, the Reds completed the signing of Divock Origi to Lille but loaned him straight back to the Ligue 1 outfit for a year in order for the then-teenager to continue gaining first-team experience.
The Belgian had to wait a few more years to truly make his mark at Anfield but, despite never being a guaranteed starter under Jurgen Klopp, scored some of the most famous goals in the Reds’ modern history, particularly during the 2019 Champions League triumph.
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If Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes propose a similar deal for Pacho, it could be an option which’d make everyone a winner.
Liverpool would hold the 6 foot 1 defender’s contract and have him acquired before his market value rises further; the player will benefit from another season of regular minutes at Frankfurt, where he’s been a constant starter this term; and the Bundesliga outfit would have the use of him for another year while also seeing their budget nicely topped up from his sale.
If the reports from Bild are indeed accurate, then the Anfield hierarchy may stand a very good chance of persuading the 2022 Europa League winners to sell the Ecuadorian centre-back to them.