Liverpool Eye Bayern Munich Starlet As Barcelona Close In On Philippe Coutinho
REUTERS/Edgar Su
Liverpool want to bring in Bayern Munich midfielder Renato Sanches should their star man Philippe Coutinho depart, according to Sports Bild.
Sanches’ future in Munich has been under a cloud of doubt this summer, but the youngster is widely expected to make an exit. Moreover, Bayern boss Carlo Ancelotti has publicly revealed that the player could depart this summer, as he is in search for more regular first-team action.
The teenager signed for the German champions following an impressive display during the Euro 2016 for Portugal. However, Sanches managed to make only 6 Bundesliga starts since the switch, and struggled to establish a permanent place in the starting lineup for the German side last season.
Liverpool, however, are doing everything they can to tie Coutinho down at Anfield, as Barcelona are committed to bringing him to Nou Camp.
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Furthermore, the Reds’ boss, Jurgen Klopp, is adamant on keeping the playmaker, labeling him as a ‘key player’ for his side, and insisting that he will not be sold at any price.
Nevertheless, the Catalans have continued with their efforts to prise the midfielder away from Merseyside, as Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde sees him as a potential replacement for Andres Iniesta, who has just 1 year left on his current contract.
Reuters / Eddie Keogh
Though their previous bid of £72 million was rejected, Barca are willing to raise their bargain to £80m in order to bring the 25-year-old to Catalonia.
Meanwhile, latest reports claim Liverpool are holding out for as much as €100m for the Brazil international, who scored 14 goals and laid 7 assists across all competitions last season.
However, in the hypothetical scenario where Coutinho would sign for Barca, the Premier League giants shall turn to Renato Sanches, whose future opportunities in Munich appear bleak following the arrival of James Rodriguez from Real Madrid.
The Merseyside club will have to fend off intense competition from European elite for the Portuguese international’s services, however, as AC Milan, Manchester United, and Chelsea have also kept tabs on the talented midfielder.
Klopp’s men are set to face Bayern soon in the semi-final of the Audi Cup on Tuesday night, giving him the perfect opportunity to examine Sanches thoroughly before making a move for him. Although keeping Coutinho would be ideal for the German manager, Barcelona’s pulling power could intimidate him into scouting for replacements.
Written by Ashish Sreejith 
Have had two addictions in life- playing football and watching football. Usually described as introverted but not when it comes to speaking and writing about the beautiful game of football.