According to reports from France, Liverpool have discovered how much they’ll need to pay if they’re to land one of their rumoured transfer targets.
Lille centre-back Leny Yoro is believed to be of interest to the Reds, who are far from alone in their admiration of the 18-year-old.
Foot Mercato have claimed that the Ligue 1 outfit have set an asking price of €50m (£43m) for the teenager, whose contract the club’s hierarchy are now trying to extend.
Joel Matip’s anterior cruciate ligament injury has left Liverpool at risk of being light for centre-back options, with the excellent Jarell Quansah still finding his way at senior level, Ibrahima Konate’s fitness record less than exemplary, and Joe Gomez frequently preferred at right-back of late.
Many Reds fans are imploring Jurgen Klopp to seize his chance to strengthen in that position during the January transfer window, desperate to prevent a repeat of the defensive crisis of 2020/21 which saw midfield duo Jordan Henderson and Fabinho briefly shoehorned into a centre-back partnership.
Yoro only turned 18 last month but has already made 35 senior appearances for Lille (Transfermarkt), and his performance figures suggest that his elevation to the first-team ranks is not before time.
As per FBref, his passing success rate of 90.5% this season effectively matches Virgil van Dijk’s 90.6% and is superior to Konate (89.8%), Matip (87.6%) and Gomez (85.4%). The teenager also outperforms all his Anfield positional peers apart from the captain in the current campaign for interceptions made (15) and tackles won (14).
A fee of £43m seems substantial for a player who’s still only starting out on his senior career, but the French prodigy already appears well able to look after himself at a high level and make a very valuable contribution to his team. He definitely offers food for thought for the Liverpool transfer hierarchy.
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If we’re short and thinking about a youngster I’d prefer to see if we can call Sepp van den Berg back from loan and give him a chance. That would give in order: VVD, Konate, Gomez, Quansah and Sepp vdB. Cant see us buying Yoro as it would inhibit Quansah’s progress and that isn’t how Klopp usually works. In preference though I’d sign Hincapie so we had 3 senior CB and a clear plan for VVD slowing down. That gives in 2 or 3 years Hincapie and Konate with JQ and Joe G and is SvdB makes it him too. A top, young, back line.