Chelsea and Manchester United have also been linked to Timo Werner, the German striker who has torn up the Bundesliga this season.
But according to Ian McGarry on his Transfer Window Podcast, both Liverpool’s rivals have effectively given up the chase because they have accepted the player has his heart set on Anfield after speaking to Jurgen Klopp…
“It has been widely reported that Chelsea and Manchester United have been interested in the player,” he said.
“Our information is that’s not the case.
“The reason for that is that they believe and have been told by the player’s representatives that a deal is effectively done to Liverpool.
“And effectively they would be wasting their time.”
There was a time when Chelsea and United could pip us to any target they pleased, but under Jurgen Klopp’s reign, this has not been the case at all.
In 2017, Chelsea wanted Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, were the Premier League champions and were offering him more money – yet Ox chose Klopp’s Liverpool who had just scraped fourth place. According to the Athletic, Virgil van Dijk similarly decided he had eyes only for Klopp’s project – effectively deeming the interest of Chelsea and the like meaningless.
After securing the player’s loyalty, we could then sort a fee with the selling club – in a position of strength.
It’s this pull in the market that has helped make Liverpool such a force, and it looks like it might be happening again with Werner.
Now the player wants the switch, the only thing left is bartering a deal with Rb Leipzig – which although tricky – will be achievable if the 24-year-old alerts them his only target is to play for the Reds.