Liverpool appear to have missed out on Aissa Mandi for a second year in a row with the Real Betis defender agreeing a move to Serie A leaders Inter Milan, as reported by La Razon.
Last summer the Merseyside giants were doing their level best to lure a late-blooming Algeria international to Anfield.
According to The Mirror, however, Liverpool’s £9 million bid fell short of Real Betis’ expectations and, with the Premier League champions unwilling to raise their offer for a player with just 12 months left on his contract, it all went quiet (August 2, page 67).
But, with Estadio Deportivo recently reporting Liverpool were reigniting an old flame, Mandi’s dream move to England appeared to be on the cards once more.
Not for long, though.
Because all roads now lead to Milan for the versatile 29-year-old.
Inter are in the market for an affordable, experienced central defender and Mandi, who can also play right-back, ticks every box.
La Razon believes the Nerazzurri have all but tied-up the deal too, with the former Reims ace expected to earn about £35,000 a week at the San Siro.
Considering far bigger names have been linked with Liverpool recently, including Stefan de Vrij, Alessandro Bastoni and most notably Ibrahima Konate, Mandi’s impending move to Italy is unlikely to cause too many sleepless nights on Merseyside.
But with a variety of sources proclaiming Liverpool’s interest in the tough-tackling North African, missing out on Mandi once more may cause a smattering of disappointment at Anfield.
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