Premier League giants Liverpool may need to stump up £30 million to tempt Rennes into selling Belgium international Arthur Theate before the window closes.
Just last year, the Ligue 1 outfit paid £16 million to sign the poodle-haired centre-half from KV Oostende. At leat, should Arthur Theate move clubs again this month, Rennes should be able to console themselves with a profit so large it will see them double their money within the space of 12 months.
According to L’Equipe, Liverpool are keen; Jurgen Klopp hoping to add a left-sided centre-half to his rather light-looking backline. There is also interest from Fulham, and an RB Leipzig outfit looking to offset Josko Gvardiol’s mega-money switch to Manchester City.
Liverpool like Rennes defender Arthur Theate
TMW, meanwhile, believe that Rennes want £30 million. It remains to be seen if any of Theate’s suitors are willing to pay such a fee, though Liverpool still have plenty of cash to splash after filling the defensive midfield void in Klopp’s engine room with the bargain signing of former Stuttgart captain Wataru Endo this week.
An aggressive, front-foot centre-half – what is it about defenders with curly hair, Wout Faes and David Luiz we are looking at you – Theate would likely act as an understudy, and maybe an eventual replacement, for the ageing Virgil van Dijk at Liverpool.
“He is a player who commits himself a lot,” explains Rennes director Florian Maurice, who is also facing a battle hanging into Jeremy Doku amid interest from Manchester City.
“(Theate) likes to defend and he likes challenges. He has a natural aggressiveness and an incredible energy.”
Liverpool looked at Levi Colwill but Chelsea had no interest in selling the England U21 ace. There were links with Micky van de Ven too. But the elegant Dutchman – who was brought to VFL Wolfsburg by new Liverpool director Jorg Schmadtke – joined Tottenham Hotspur in a £34 million deal earlier this month.
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