According to reports from Germany, Jorg Schmadtke could be officially unveiled as Liverpool’s new sporting director on Friday, and he’s already believed to have a list of players he wants to bring in at Anfield.
Sport BILD claimed that the 59-year-old’s impending appointment might be announced as soon as tomorrow, with the Daily Express naming a quartet of Bundesliga players who ‘could emerge on Liverpool’s radar’ as a result.
Their report namechecked Ryan Gravenberch, Josko Gvardiol, Florian Neuhaus and Daichi Kamada as prospective targets the German might seek to attract to Merseyside over the summer.
Gravenbech’s name has been prominent in LFC transfer speculation in recent weeks, with GOAL‘s Neil Jones claiming over the last 48 hours that the Dutchman ‘would be of interest if Bayern Munich opted to sell’.
Despite his club’s supposed stance of preferring to keep him, the 21-year-old is believed to be keen on moving elsewhere, having started only two Bundesliga games all season (Transfermarkt).
Gvardiol’s name has also resurfaced of late amid reports from the Daily Express that Jurgen Klopp sees him as a player who’d improve Liverpool defensively, although he could cost an eye-watering £85m or more.
Neuhaus and Kamada haven’t been mentioned quite as abundantly, but while the former has seen his stock in Germany plummet in recent times (Daily Express), the latter has excelled at Eintracht Frankfurt, scoring 16 goals from an attacking midfield role this season (Transfermarkt).
Given that Schmadtke has worked with a variety of Bundesliga clubs over the past two decades, it’d no surprise if he looks towards the German top flight for prospective recruits, with the 59-year-old better placed than most to assess the quality of players in the division.
It’s unlikely that all four will be signed, especially with a move for Alexis Mac Allister seemingly far along the tracks and the Argentine potentially costing in the region of £70m, but the early signs are that Liverpool’s incoming sporting director will focus heavily on his homeland for summer transfer targets.