Southampton playmaker Dusan Tadic has piqued the interest of Liverpool – but Everton manager Ronald Koeman knows him well.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp wants Dusan Tadic a year after Sadio Mane swoop
Who needs a scouting department when you’ve got a Premier League rival to do your dirty work?
According to The Mirror, Liverpool are set to embark on one of their favourite annual traditions – raiding Southampton for a player they have nurtured and transformed into one of the top flight’s best.
Liverpool have lured Adam Lallana, Ricky Lambert, Dejan Lovren, Nathanial Clyne and Sadio Mane from the South Coast club since the summer of 2014, and only ended their pursuit of talismanic centre-back Virgil van Dijk after The Saints accused Jurgen Klopp’s side of illegally ‘tapping up’ the Dutch international, the BBC reports.
Southampton’s Dusan Tadic has 21 assists in three Prem seasons
And the report adds that Liverpool will make a move again with playmaker Dusan Tadic this time the object of their affections. The Serbian has a £13 million release clause in his contract and is believed to be unhappy at St Mary’s after a high-profile falling out with manager Claude Puel. West Ham are also reportedly interested.
However, you wonder whether, this time, Liverpool could be left disappointed. Because, just a few miles across the city sits the man who brought Tadic to English football in 2014 after a sublime season with Eredivisie outfit FC Twente.
‘One of the best’
Tadic was one of Ronald Koeman’s most inspired signings during his two year stay with Southampton and The Sun claimed last summer that the Dutchman was angling for a re-union at his new club, Everton.
Koeman clearly rates the subtle creator highly and was effusive in his praise after Tadic became only the fourth player in Premier League history to set up three goals in a single game during Southampton’s 4-2 thrashing of Manchester City last season.
“He’s one of the best if he plays really on his top level,” Koeman said in quotes reported by the Daily Echo.
Everton manager Ronald Koeman
“He’s a clever player, he’s strong, a fantastic left [foot].”
Perhaps Liverpool won’t have it all their own way this summer.
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