Liverpool are willing to pay the £22.5million release clause for River Plate playmaker Juan Fernando Quintero, according to Don Balon.
The Spanish publication claims that the Colombian international wants to prove himself away from the Argentine giants and that several Premier League sides are interested in signing him.
The Reds are thought to be one of those teams, with their top flight rivals Arsenal and Everton also keeping tabs on the mercurial 26-year-old.
Any potential move would see Quintero return to European football for the first time since an underwhelming, loan-filled spell with Portuguese heavyweights Porto.
OPINION
This is an interesting one. Quintero has long been thought of as someone with immense potential, however, he has never quite been able to realise it. His time at Porto was immensely disappointing, while he failed to do much during a loan spell with French side Rennes either. So he has yet to truly cut the mustard in Europe, making signing him a fairly risky proposition for Liverpool or anyone else. Having said that, the Reds are incredibly short on creativity in midfield and singing Quintero would go some way towards fixing that issue. The Colombian, whatever else can be said about him, is always capable of creating or scoring a goal. Consistency is obviously the key for him, but that’s where Liverpool could be the right team for him. Jurgen Klopp is the rare manager of a high level club who actually gives his players time to settle in. That could be crucial in persuading Quintero to move to Anfield, and in his success once he arrives.
