Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta has held discussions with Liverpool, according to reports in the French media.
Foot Mercato claim that the forward and his agent “met with Liverpool representatives in Paris” regarding a potential transfer to Anfield.
Mateta still has two years left on his contract at Selhurst Park, after putting pen to paper on a one-year extension last December, and it is believed that Palace have set an asking price between €50m (£43m) and €60m (£52m).
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You can’t see the Reds agreeing to pay that much for a forward who has just turned 28 years of age.
Mateta could be seen as Nunez’s replacement
Napoli have been locked in talks to sign Darwin Nunez in recent weeks but the Serie A champions have not managed to agree a fee for the Uruguayan international.
Arne Slot’s side are said to be holding out for €60m to €70m (£52m to £60.7m), which Napoli are not willing to pay. They have been considering a move for Udinese’s Lorenzo Lucca instead.
Even if Nunez’s transfer to Italy does fall through, though, he will have interest from elsewhere, with teams in Saudi Arabia keen on securing his services. Were he to be sold, it could free up the funds required for Mateta.
Liverpool could target another French player
Up until now, Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike has been regarded as the Reds’ preferred option to strengthen the front line, but the main obstacle has been the striker’s price tag.
Mateta’s fellow countrymen could cost €100m (£87m), almost double the amount it would take to snap up the Palace forward.
There is an expectation that Frankfurt will lower their demands for Ekitike later in the summer, but it remains to be seen if that will happen.
In other news, a report details whether Liverpool or Arsenal are in “pole position” to buy a Real Madrid forward