Man Utd completing swoop for £160,000/week star could cause Liverpool to miss out on perfect attacking target

While the Athletic broke the news on Friday that the club isn't trying to sell Divock Origi, there is a need to sign a new forward even if he stays.

They will listen to offers for the Belgian but they're not desperate to find him a new club even though he scored just one goal this season.

There isn't adequate cover for Roberto Firmino and this manifested itself in poor form for the Brazilian as Jurgen Klopp couldn't rest him when he needed to and there was nobody to push him to perform.

Signing Donyell Malen would change that for sure. Liverpool are planning to contact Mino Raiola to discuss a deal to sign the Dutchman but Dortmund have moved first.

Romano hasn't mentioned any of the interested English clubs by name but Anfield Central knows that Liverpool are very keen on the Dutchman with his age, value, speed and clinical finishing key details that make this a promising move.

He'd provide Firmino with the healthy competition he needs and would not look out of place in Liverpool's starting XI.

Malen has the pace and the movement necessary to be a success at Anfield and his ability to press from the front would be very valuable to Klopp.

The only issue is that Klopp might run into another Patson Daka scenario where the player wants to join the club but needs assurances over game time which Liverpool may be unable to offer.

Manchester United could spoil Liverpool's party

The Red Devils signed effectively signed Jadon Sancho this week after an agreement was finally reached with Borussia Dortmund over a year after talks first started with the Bundesliga side.

He currently earns £160,000/week and if reports are to be believed, he will become the second-highest earner at Old Trafford on £350,000/week which makes it quite easy to understand why he wasn't signed by Liverpool.

And their move to sign the Englishman could derail Liverpool's plans to sign Donyell Malen as BVB are now in need of a new attacker and PSV Eindhoven's £25million man could be the player to replace him.

While primarily a centre-forward, Malen is able to play anywhere across the front free and is even able to thrive in a free-roaming no.10 role which would utilise his pace and dribbling in a similar way to how Sancho found success at the Westfalenstadion.

Liverpool need to move quickly or risk losing out

The Reds admitted defeat by allowing Leicester City to beat them to Patson Daka who is going to be a sensational player next season but they cannot afford to miss out on Donyell Malen and especially not in a way that Manchester United fans could use to banter us.

There aren't many forwards available for just £25million that are better suited to leading Liverpool's front line and missing out on Malen would leave Michael Edwards in an increasingly difficult situation.

He's already required to sell before he can sign his first choice targets but if Malen isn't signed, the sporting director will either need to look at more expensive players or consider settling for a less talented, less suitable target.