Liverpool have announced that they have offered Yasser Larouci a new contract, amid speculation that Marcelo Bielsa wants the left-back at Leeds United.
The Mirror reported in March that Leeds are looking at Larouci as a potential signing in the summer transfer window.
The Whites need to sign a specialist left-back.
Stuart Dallas has done well at left-back, but the Northern Ireland intentional is a winger by trade.
Likewise, Ezgjan Alioski is also a winger by trade despite being adaptable enough to operate at left-back.
Larouci is a talented and promising young left-back who could gel under Leeds head coach Bielsa.
If Alioski leaves, then Dallas could become the first-choice left-back and Larouci could be his back-up initially.
The Algerian – described as a player who is “lightning quick” and has “a real good personality” by Liverpool coach Barry Lewtas on the club’s official website in April 2019 – is actually out of contract at the Premier League club this summer.
However, the former Premier League champions have announced today that they have actually offered the youngster a new deal.
“Contract offers have been made to Yasser Larouci and Remi Savage at the Academy,” reads the statement.
Just because Liverpool have offered Larouci a new deal does not mean that Leeds cannot sign him.
The youngster could just decide not to accept it, and then Leeds need to pay Liverpool a compensation fee, if indeed the left-back wants to move to Elland Road.
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