Everton once lost out on Liverpool target Sander Berge.
Liverpool already have one of the top holding midfielders in world football, but could yet add another during the January transfer window.
The Reds have seen Fabinho become a world-class anchor man since arriving from Monaco, and the Brazilian’s importance was recently underlined by him being left out against Aston Villa to protect him from being suspended against Manchester City.
That situation may well tempt Jurgen Klopp into the transfer market come January, with another big, athletic and energetic holding midfielder potentially on the radar.
Genk star Sander Berge appears to be a top Liverpool target, with Genk sporting director Dimitri De Conde telling Footnews.be that Liverpool were challenging Napoli for his signature.
Add in that Berge has told TV2 in his native Norway that he wants to play at Anfield as much as he can and loves Virgil van Dijk, and you begin to feel that the Reds can lure Berge ahead of Napoli.
Berge, at just 21, has huge potential, and whilst Liverpool could be looking at a considerable fee to lure him to Merseyside, it’s worth noting that Everton once passed up the opportunity for less than £2million.
Berge’s former Valerenga boss Kjetil Rekdal told Sport/Foot last year (as relayed by Sport Witness) in 2016 that Everton ‘weren’t being generous enough’ when they wanted Berge, and wouldn’t match Genk’s relatively modest bid of £1.7million, which is basically loose change to Premier League clubs.
Off Berge went to Belgium, where he has now become one of the top young midfielders in Europe, and he will now likely move on for more than 10 times that £1.7million fee.
Everton will no doubt be regretting that stance now, and even more so if Liverpool swoop in and take him to Merseyside, as he could face the Toffees with their bitter rivals – and possibly rub salt in the wound for years to come.
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