Liverpool continue to be connected to Real Madrid on the transfer marketplaceholder image
Liverpool continue to be connected to Real Madrid on the transfer market | Getty Images
Real Madrid could make Liverpool’s pursuit of this transfer target difficult
Liverpool are on the market for new defensive signings this transfer window and are focusing on the centre-back and right-back positions specifically.
The latest injury blow to Conor Bradley means he will not play again for the Reds this season. The Northern Ireland international will need to recover from surgery on a knee injury sustained against Arsenal, which has also cast his World Cup chances into doubt, should the Green and White Army qualify.
Options at centre-back are also at risk of stretching dangerously thin. Summer signing Giovanni Leoni is ruled out with an ACL injury and the futures of both Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez are uncertain.
Liverpool are on the market for players who can provide depth to their backline and also challenge for a starting role, especially beyond this season.
Liverpool rival Premier League clubs for centre-back target
According to CaughtOffside, Liverpool are ‘closely monitoring’ rising star Jacobo Ramon of Como. The 21-year-old signed for the Italian club from Real Madrid last summer and he has multiple clubs chasing him already.
Alongside Liverpool, Ramon is receiving ‘intense interest’ from other Premier League teams. Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are also in the running for Ramon’s signature, while Newcastle United, Brighton and Crystal Palace have all ‘sent scouts’ to watch the 21-year-old in action this season.
Ramon is described as a ‘composed and technically gifted’ centre-back, a figure who Liverpool ‘admire’ due to his pace and composure. These are traits that ‘match perfectly’ with the Reds’ current playing model and tactics.
However, if competing with several other Premier League clubs wasn’t enough work to do, Liverpool may also need to look out for Real Madrid.
Real Madrid ‘must be involved’ in Jacobo Ramon transfer talks
As Ramon joined from Real Madrid last summer, the Spanish club still hold a lot of cards when it comes to negotiating the player’s future. The ‘decisive element’ is in Madrid’s court and they have two options when it comes to the centre-back.
When Los Blancos sold Ramon to Como, they included an €8 million (£7m) buy-back clause in the deal, as well as a 50 percent sell-on clause. This means Real Madrid are heavily involved in any deals moving forwards and the report claims that they ‘must be involved in all discussions’.
The La Liga giants can either wait and see what kind of offers come in for Ramon naturally or they can intervene completely and activate their buy-back clause. This will allow Madrid to orchestrate a further sale themselves by holding onto the defender and selling to whichever club is the highest bidder.
Liverpool are finding themselves increasingly linked with Real Madrid as far as transfers go. The Reds have reportedly offered them the chance to sign Ibrahima Konate this window, before his contract expires in June.
However, Los Blancos have moved their interest on to other candidates and are no longer pursuing the Frenchman, whether that’s this month or in the summer.
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