Reliable transfer reporter Jacque Talbot has suggested that Liverpool could pull out of the race for Mason Mount in order to avoid getting dragged into a bidding war.
The Chelsea midfielder has been one of the Reds’ most prominent summer targets, with Neil Jones reporting for GOAL in recent days that they ‘believe they have a chance’ of landing the 24-year-old.
However, in light of the Daily Mail claiming that Manchester United will launch a bid for the £80,000-per-week (FBref) England international, the Merseyside club may yet decide to turn their attention elsewhere.
According to Talbot for Football Transfers, Liverpool have ‘fears’ over Mount’s £85m price tag, despite having ‘a good deal of legwork’ done in terms of trying to convince the Blues player of a move to Anfield.
They are reluctant over the prospect of engaging in a bidding war with the Red Devils and could instead look to alternative lower-cost targets.
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It seems staggering that Chelsea have slapped an £85m asking price on a player who’s about to enter the final year of his contract and hitherto been unwilling to agree fresh terms at Stamford Bridge, with the club failing to offer him the pay packet he’s seeking (football.london).
Talbot did state in his report for Football Transfers that the Blues view the academy product as a ‘symbolic’ figure and don’t want to sell him to a Premier League rival, but they could yet be forced into accepting less than their apparent price tag to avoid the risk of losing him on a free transfer.
If Liverpool have already invested a lot of effort into trying to persuade Mount to join them, it’d be a shame to walk away now and let all that work be in vain, particularly with a direct rival in United signalling their intentions to pounce.
It’s understandable that the Reds are reluctant to become embroiled in an out-and-out auction for the 24-year-old, but the truth is they need to go big on midfield recruitment this summer, and the Chelsea man has the big-level experience to justify a substantial outlay.