Liverpool are aiming to exploit Tottenham’s reluctance to pay more than £20million for Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish, according to The Sun.
The national newspaper state that Spurs have made the 22-year-old playmaker their No.1 target this summer but that the club are currently arguing with the Villans over the cost of the player.
The Sun report that while Daniel Levy won’t sanction making an offer above £20million, Jurgen Klopp’s side have registered an interest in Grealish and are willing to pay above that amount for him.
Good move for Liverpool?
Sort of.
The Sun claim that Grealish is a natural fit for Klopp’s team as the German boss looks to build a squad capable of challenging in Europe and for the Premier League title, however he is a little unproven.
The 22-year-old previously showed glimpses that he could be Premier League quality when he featured for the Villans in England’s top-flight but he wasn’t consistently putting in good performances.
Grealish was sensational in a lot of his 31 appearances for the Villans last season, registering six assists, but he was playing at a slightly lower level in the Championship.
The midfielder has a lot of potential but paying a fee above £20million seems like it’s too much of a risk to take on someone who might not develop into the player people hope he will be.
Live 4 Liverpool rating: 6/10
Likely to happen?
Levy is certainly not going to raise his offer based on The Sun’s report as he is confident the Villans’ financial problems will see them lower their demand.
This means the door is open for the Reds to swoop in and win the race by bidding higher than their Premier League rivals as they were previously thought to be in powerful position when it came to getting him.
The Reds would also have an advantage over the other teams listed in the race, who are Everton and Leicester City, as Klopp’s team have Champions League football, but this deal still seems unlikely.
While Grealish has a lot of clubs keen on him after an impressive 2017/18 campaign, the Reds seem to be smarter when it comes to splashing large amounts of money and there is an element of risk to signing a playmaker from the Championship.
Live 4 Liverpool rating: 5/10
