Reds hit transfer snag as reported Spain U21 star insists on eventual Real return

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There seems to be some further movement on the Reds’ reported interest in Real Madrid midfielder, Dani Ceballos, as Liverpool continue to compete with Tottenham Hotspur for the 22-year-old.

Sport claim Ceballos remains of interest to Liverpool while claiming that Mauricio Pochettino has asked Spurs’ top brass to ensure they can count on Ceballos’ abilities for the 2019/20 season.

As the Spanish outlet report, Ceballos wants to build on his growing reputation after winning the U21 UEFA Euros by relaunching his career away from the Spanish capital.

According to Sport, his intention is “to leave Real Madrid to have more minutes, but with the possibility of returning to the Santiago Bernabéu once he shows his quality.” It seems likely a loan deal could be on the cards then.

Sport also suggest what many have thought, that any potential deal for Ceballos to Spurs could see long-term Real target, Christian Eriksen, move the other way.

The issue with a move to Anfield is that Jürgen Klopp is allegedly playing hardball over the terms of the purported deal – the boss wants a “definitive transfer” (presumably a permanent move or one with no buy-back clause), something both Ceballos and Real are reluctant to agree to.

Equally, there may be some stumbling blocks over just how many minutes Ceballos would get were he to start playing for the Reds. Yes, we’ll have a sizeable number of fixtures, but would he realistically start in the number of games he is likely expecting to?

It’s these sticking points that have allowed Arsenal to apparently enter the conversation. With a limited transfer budget and the pressing need for a player of Ceballos’ profile, they could be willing to accept a short-term gain by taking him on loan. The Reds, thankfully, are in no such dire straits.

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It looks much more likely that Ceballos’ future will be in London rather than on Merseyside after Sky Sports reported Arsenal’s interest. Similarly, the amount of words dedicated to talking about Spurs over the Reds in the Sport article suggests as much.

Despite not having significantly added to their European Cup-winning side, the Reds seem to be aiming to furnish their youth ranks with the next-best talents in Europe.

The transfer window for Premier League clubs closes in just under a month, on the 8th August, but the Reds have remained quiet on the incoming front adding just 17-year-old centre-back Sepp van den Berg, with 16-year-old Harvey Elliott looking likely to be added fairly soon.

While a creative midfielder is what some fans are clamouring for, the return of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and the hope that Naby Keïta fulfils his exciting, attacking potential seem to be at the forefront of Klopp’s thinking for the upcoming season.

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