Klopp’s “special liking” for Pépé tested as Lille receive €90m offers – L’Equipe

L’Equipe journalist, Bilel Ghazi, has claimed that apparent Reds target, Nicolas Pépé, has been the subject of new €90 million offers from Inter Milan and Atlético Madrid.

Bayern Munich seemed to be in the running, though rumours suggest they have since cooled their interest.

Now, newly led by Antonio Conte, Inter have emerged as transfer rivals to for Pépé by leading the way with a €90 million offer, while Atlético have reportedly matched their bid.

A report from The Guardian, suggesting the Serie A side would need to sell Mauro Icardi to be able to afford Romelu Lukaku, seems to run counter to notions Inter have €90 million to spend.

L’Équipe add: “Jürgen Klopp has a special liking for Nicolas Pépé,” but that nothing concrete from Liverpool in the way of an offer for the Lille winger has occurred.

— Get French Football News (@GFFN) June 22, 2019

Perhaps this is merely noise being fed out to the press by the player’s agent to drive up his fee or guarantee that it stays as high as it is.

More costly than Virgil van Dijk, if these rumours are to be believed we would have to make Pépé our club record signing.

We’re not definitely sure that Klopp is necessarily sanctioning a move for Pépé – all we purportedly ‘know’ is that he has a “special liking” for him.

With 22 goals in Ligue 1 last season, the 24-year-old was prolific for Lille; that said, a step-up to the Premier League still makes him something of an unknown quantity at the very highest level.

In all truth, it seems unlikely the Reds are going to break their transfer record for a player who will arrive as an understudy to our attacking trio.

A marquee signing may not arrive at Anfield this summer, but we’ve already got a side studded with stars and we’re the Champions of Europe! We just need to add some supporting cast members.