Alexis Mac Allister’s second-half header earned struggling Liverpool a hugely important 1-0 win over Spanish giants Real Madrid on Tuesday.
After a goalless first half, the Argentine headed home to put the hosts in front at Anfield, and Arne Slot’s side held on to move up to sixth place in the Champions League group phase table.
Domestically the Reds have been struggling lately, losing four Premier League games on the bounce before a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa on Saturday night.
Away from the action, however, it has how emerged that Liverpool are one of two huge Premier League sides chasing a Dutch defender.
According to The Chronicle, both Liverpool and rivals Chelsea are monitoring Newcastle United defender Sven Botman.
The report suggests that the Dutchman is one of the Magpies’ top earners at present, with his current contract set to expire in 2027.
Botman, 25, joined Newcastle from French side Lille in the summer of 2022 and has since made 88 appearances for the Magpies across all competitions.
Botman has formed a strong defensive partnership with Malick Thiaw in recent months (Photo: Sipa US/Alamy)
The centre-back has been plagued by injuries over the past two years, but he has reinstated himself as an important player for Eddie Howe’s side this term, featuring in their last eight Premier League games.
Botman is said to be content at St. James’ Park and isn’t looking for a move away from the North East, with the report even suggesting that he could be open to discussing a new contract with the club.
At present Botman is said to earn around £90,000-per-week, but the Dutchman is someway behind the likes of Anthony Gordon, Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton, who are all believed to earn around £150,000-per-week.
Chelsea are said to be long-term admirers of Botman, while Liverpool could be on the hunt for a new defender having missed out on Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi over the summer.