The Liverpool Echo have surprisingly claimed that we are interested in taking Nico Gaitan from Benfica this summer. The 27-year-old Argentine, who has also been linked with Manchester United, has a buyout clause of 36m euros, while the Portuguese giants are believed to be chasing a fee of around £21m.
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Liverpool transfer news
An attacking midfielder by trade, who can also play on both the left and right hand side, Gaitan is unlikely to be a top priority for the Reds his summer, even if these rumours are to be believed.
Considering the wealth of options we already have in that position, the only possible reason for us to chase him would be the departure of one of our current squad members.
Let’s not forget that someone leaving is not beyond the realms of possibility. Earlier this week, it was suggested that Lazar Markovic could be on his way out, after failing to adapt to English football (via The Metro) – although such reports feel very much premature.
There’s little doubting Gaitan’s credentials – he’s scored 30 goals in 215 games for Benfica, won seven major honours and earned nine caps for his county – but you’d hope that our focus remains on securing a striker, a central midfield, a right-back and a goalkeeper. Once all that is done, maybe we can look at what else is still available to us.