Liverpool will have to make a ‘crazy offer’ to sign Manu Kone if the Premier League giants opt to renew their interest in Borussia Monchengladbach’s Bundesliga enforcer.
Make no mistake, Jurgen Klopp’s side have not yet accepted defeat in their summer-long pursuit of Romeo Lavia.
But with The Telegraph reporting that Liverpool are now attempting to hi-jack Chelsea’s move for Moises Caicedo – all the while eyeing up a deal for Fluminense’s Andre Trindade – the signs certainly suggest that the Merseyside giants are growing increasingly frustrated as Southampton hold out for £50 million for their Belgian ball-player.
And while Manu Kone appears to have fallen by the wayside over the last month or so – a man who started the summer as one of Liverpool’s leading targets slipping behind Lavia in the pecking order – do not rule out a renewed approach for the three-lunged Frenchman, with Caicedo’s £100 million asking price likely to be well beyond Klopp’s reach.
Liverpool could still make a move for Manu Kone
Kone won’t come cheap either.
Gladbach’s sporting director Roland Virkus insists that a ‘crazy offer’ will be required at this late stage of the window. But, still, Gladbach’s definition of a ‘crazy offer’ is likely to be very different – and a lot lower – than Brighton’s.
“We have decided that Manu Kone will stay with Borussia,” Virkus tells BuliNews. “Of course, you can never rule out anything in football. If there would be a crazy offer, we would have to talk again.”
Kone’s chances of a big-money summer move suffered a big blow in July; the one-time Leeds United target suffering a knee injury during the U21 European Championships.
Kone should, at least, be out of action until no later than September.
“Actually, the goal – and this has also been discussed with the player – is that he stays here first and gets back to full fitness,” Virkus adds.
“Manu sees that something is happening in Gladbach at the moment. And he might want to be a part of it.”
After a promising start to the window – Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister arriving early on – Liverpool’s midfield arguably looks weaker now than it did at the end of last season, the departures of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho leaving Klopp without a genuine deep-lying option for the number six role.
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