Liverpool have reportedly contacted Domenico Berardi’s agent to sing his praises after winning the UEFA EUROs with Italy.
The 26-year-old scored 22 goals and got 8 assists this season for club and country and has previously said he’d love to play for Liverpool.
Berardi told Gazzetta dello Sport in 2018, via the Daily Mail: “Being able to choose, I would play in Liverpool. Changing remains difficult for me, but it no longer frightens me, I would do it.”
LONDON, ENGLAND – JUNE 26: Domenico Berardi of Italy attempts a shot during the UEFA Euro 2020 Championship Round of 16 match between Italy and Austria at Wembley Stadium at Wembley Stadium on June 26, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)
He was linked with a move to Anfield in June, with a report from the print edition of La Gazzetta dello Sport stating that the financial repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic mean that Italian clubs cannot afford to sign Berardi and so his Premier League suitors are the favourites to land him.
They claimed that Leicester City, Tottenham and Liverpool are keeping an eye on the winger with Sassuolo valuing the 26-year-old at €50million – a price that is reportedly out of the realms of possibility for Serie A teams.
Now, also from Italy, Corriere dello Sport claims that Liverpool contacted Berardi’s agent to praise him after he won the EUROs.
FLORENCE, ITALY – JUNE 13: Domenico Berardi of Italy in action during an Italy training session at Centro Tecnico Federale di Coverciano on June 13, 2021 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)
The Reds are reportedly ready to join the ‘auction’ to secure his signature but despite impressing with his country this summer, I’m still not convinced by Berardi.
In 2018, my issue was that he did not score enough as he notched just 8 league goals that season and even though he scored 17 goals and assisted 8 this season, he still doesn’t operate at the level required at Liverpool.
Despite Italy reaching the final of the EUROs, Berardi didn’t score a single goal and contributed just one assist.
Meanwhile, the race to sign Donyell Malen is slipping away from Liverpool as Borussia Dortmund have agreed on personal terms with the Dutchman.
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – JUNE 27: Donyell Malen of Netherlands reacts during the UEFA Euro 2020 Championship Round of 16 match between Netherlands and Czech Republic at Puskas Arena on June 27, 2021 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Attila Kisebenedek – Pool/Getty Images)
If the Reds do miss out on the PSV Eindhoven star it will be fascinating to see who Liverpool turn to and my first pick would be Leeds United’s Raphinha.
Admittedly, he would cost too much to be a feasible option but he has everything necessary to be a top attacking option for the Reds.
He is fast, skilful, scores, assists and would be able to provide Mohamed Salah with competition and, in turn, would allow the Egyptian to move to a central role if Jurgen Klopp wanted him to.
