Liverpool are genuinely interested in signing Lille champions Jonathan Ikone and believe they can agree an affordable deal to sign him, according to sources close to Anfield Central.
Last week, reports from Pedro Almeida claimed that the Reds had made a bid of €25m + Xherdan Shaqiri and while these claims are wide of the mark, there is genuine interest in signing Ikone this summer.
With his agent actively working to get him a summer move, Shaqiri will need to be replaced and while Jonathan Ikone isn’t the most prolific attacking midfielder, he is a player with a lot of potential and one that Jurgen Klopp seems to think will thrive at Anfield.
All in all, the France U21 star has 14 goals and assists this season and at just 23, he has all the time in the world to develop and grow into a player that can make a serious impact for his next club.
With Lille only looking for €40million, Liverpool are exploring the possibility of a reduced first instalment and a favourable repayment schedule to help them cope with the financial constraints that have been placed on them by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ibrahima Konate has already been signed but that was a deal that we reported was in the works since February.
That, and the fact that Liverpool used the revenue generated by a top-three finish in the Premier League to sign him, the club’s next signings will need to be a lot more nuanced as far as the financials involved are concerned.
