According to Estadio Deportivo, Real Betis defender Aissa Mandi is set to sign a new deal and finally rule out a move to Liverpool.
It’s claimed that Betis now believe a deal to keep Mandi long-term ‘will not take long’ to be finalised, and they’re rushing to get the contract sorted.
Mandi is out of contract at the end of the season, meaning that he can sign a pre-contract agreement with another club from January 1st as things stand.
Betis don’t want it to get that far, and with less than six weeks to the deal sorted, they’re now pressing ahead with a move.
The report notes that Liverpool have had ‘very good reports’ on Mandi and spoke to his representatives over the summer, but didn’t strike a deal.
Their interest is now described as ‘loitering’, seemingly keeping tabs on him ahead of the January transfer window.
Liverpool will surely be in the market for a centre back having lost Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez to injury, and Algerian ace Mandi would be a finance-friendly option.
At 29, Mandi doesn’t fit Liverpool’s usual strategy, and it may well be that Betis get a new deal sorted before the Reds can decide whether or not to make a move.
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