Liverpool are believed to be in pole position to complete the signing of Atalanta full-back Marco Palestra, according to a fresh transfer claim.
This season, the Reds have had major issues at right-back, with Conor Bradley suffering a campaign-ending knee injury away to Arsenal in January.
New signing Jeremie Frimpong has also had fitness issues of his own, meaning Joe Gomez, Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones have all had to fill in.
It will be interesting to see Liverpool delve back into the transfer market for a right-back this summer, especially if Bradley is expected to miss a chunk of next season, too.
According to a report from Spain [via Caught Offside], the Reds are interested in signing Atalanta ace Palestra, who is on loan at fellow Serie A side Cagliari currently.
The 21-year-old is also wanted by Barcelona, but it is claimed that Liverpool are leading the race, due to their superior financial resources.
Can Marco Palestra solve Liverpool’s right-back woes?
Palestra is an exciting young player, with Inter Milan president Giuseppe Marotta heaping praise on him, saying he has lots of long-term potential:
“People talk a lot about the crisis of Italian talent, about the national team not producing important values, but Palestra is a talent with a great future ahead of him. He is currently producing excellent performances and it is not easy to get there, because you have to know how to manage the important moments. I am proud as an Italian director and a national team supporter.”
It may be that Liverpool trust Bradley and Frimpong moving forward, but there are some doubts over the pair, with the former an injury-prone figure and the latter not always shining with his physicality and final ball this season.
But if Palestra is a genuine option, there is so much to admire about him, with two caps for Italy already coming his way, and plenty more surely to come as the years pass.
He is reportedly valued at £39.2m, which could eventually look like a bargain, and it is a piece of transfer business that is worth keeping an eye on.
