Many clubs, including some of the most prominent in Europe, are utilizing a tried-and-true strategy to snag players for free as Liverpool searches for a midfielder in the January transfer window; but, the Reds haven’t used it much in previous years.
Any foreign team may negotiate a pre-contract agreement with a player when their contract is in its last six months. If such an agreement is reached, the player will sign with that club at the conclusion of their initial deal. Through this strategy, Liverpool has in the past acquired players like Jol Matip, James Milner, and fan favorite Fábio Aurélio.
While several clubs, like Liverpool, are lining up multi-million dollar agreements, other clubs, like Bayern Munich, are having success with this tactic. They were able to attract a large number of celebrities, like Robert Lewandowski and Leon Goretzka, who helped them achieve great success. Daley Blind joined them this week after Ajax decided to end his contract there.
Here are three players Liverpool could consider signing when their contracts expire in order to follow Bayern’s lead and make an impact in the transfer market while staying within FSG’s financial restrictions because this is frequently a cost-effective strategy.
Tielemans, Youri
Everyone is aware of how limited Liverpool’s midfield options are right now. However, even though the team is need for a January transfer solution to brighten the outlook for the remainder of the season, Youri Tielemans may be a fantastic choice for the following one.
The 25-year-old Belgian joined the Foxes in 2019, and since then, he has played a significant amount of Premier League football. He cost the club $39 million (£32 million/€36 million).
At the conclusion of the current campaign, his contract ends, and manager Brendan Rodgers has stated that his team lacks “masses of resources that can support every single player’s requirement, especially from a financial aspect.” It is therefore apparent that no new contract will be on the table.
A midfielder who can fit into the team has been a top priority for Klopp in his extensive quest. At Leicester, the choice might, however, be right in front of him.
Transfermarkt valuation: $42m (£36m/€40m)
Yossef Moukoko
One of the hottest forwards on the market right now is Youssoufa Moukoko of Borussia Dortmund, who has six league goals in 14 games. Even though he is only 18 years old, the German is dominating the Bundesliga and has recently caught the eye of Chelsea and Barcelona, two of Europe’s biggest clubs (via Football.London).
Moukoko’s contract ends this summer, and while there are rumors that forward Roberto Firmino may leave Liverpool (Media Foot actually claims Bayern Munich could be an option for him on a free), he could be an excellent replacement for the Brazilian and bring some youth to the team.
But Klopp and his colleagues would have to move quickly to get his pen to paper because so many elite teams would be circling him.
$32 million (£27 million/€30 million) is the transfer market’s valuation.
Theresoufa Moukoko
Youssoufa Moukoko, a teenage forward for Borussia Dortmund, is one of the hottest forwards available right now after scoring six league goals in 14 games. Even though he is only 18 years old, the German is dominating the Bundesliga and has recently caught the eye of European powerhouses Barcelona and Chelsea (via Football.London).
While there are rumors that Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino is departing (Media Foot actually claims that Bayern Munich might be a possibility for him on a free transfer), Moukoko’s contract expires this summer, and he could be a wonderful alternative to replace the Brazilian and bring some youth to the team.
However, Klopp and his colleagues would need to act quickly if they wanted to get his pen to paper because numerous elite teams would be circling around him.
Transfermarkt valuation: $32m (£27m/€30m)
Aouar Houssem
Houssem Aouar is a different midfielder Liverpool has to keep an eye on. His contract is about to expire despite the fact that he graduated from the Lyon academy and has played 222 times for the team.
The French-Algerian star was a transfer target for many Premier League clubs in recent campaigns, and it is certain that many sides will be interested now that he may join a pre-contract agreement.
According to reports, Real Betis is attempting to sign Aouar in a similar manner to how they unexpectedly acquired Nabil Fekir from Lyon. Given the caliber of the midfielder, this is not surprising.
Transfermarkt valuation: $21m (£18m/€20m)
Players like these ought to be on Liverpool’s radar, with alternatives like signing Aouar or Tielemans for nothing at all or paying top dollar for Jude Bellingham also intriguing. The former Borussia Dortmund manager may end up using Bayern Munich as a smart transfer example.