Liverpool would be able to sign PSV’s Ibrahim Sangare for around €25m, much less than the mooted €37.5m release-clause, a source close to PSV has told us.
Marco Timmer, a Dutch journalist of high standing at Voetbal International, explained to EOTK yesterday that Liverpool scouts have been regularly seen at PSV games to watch the giant Ivorian.
The Reds have been most impressed with his performances in Europe, in which he more than held his own in the Champions League and Europa League.
Sangare is 24-years-old and anchors PSV’s midfield. Notably, Sangare has come on leaps and bounds this season and has gone from a promising midfield battler to one of the standout players in the Eredivisie in the space of 12 months.
Much like Luis Diaz, his recent improvement has been enormous – and there’s a feeling that Liverpool might get him just before he blows up – just as we did with the Colombian in January. This is how the club is wanting to operate in the market: buying potentially elite 22/23/24-year-olds who have so far gone under the radar but will thrive in the environment Jurgen Klopp has established. Ibrahima Konate, Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz all fit this mould, with Thiago the only recent outlier.
€25m for Sangare equates to about £21m; a small fee in today’s transfer market; and a number which could likely be made up by offloading the likes of Neco Williams and or Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Sangare is very keen on a Premier League switch, and has been watched by the likes of Newcastle United (who made an approach in January), Leicester City and Aston Villa, who may be out of the running since acquiring Boubacar Kamara on a free. PSV would rather keep hold of him, but won’t stand in his way if a legitimate offer arrives, EOTK understands.
With Ox set to leave and James Milner’s future still up in the air, there is a likelihood for central midfield investment at Anfield this summer.
EOTK can confirm Aurelian Tchouameni has been watched heavily and is a much more expensive option who is also being touted by our Champions League Final opponents Real Madrid. Klopp loves Jude Bellingham, but he won’t be leaving Borussia Dortmund until next year.