According to the Daily Mail, Liverpool are interested in signing Borussia Dortmund defender Manuel Akanji in the January transfer window.
It’s claimed that Akanji is one of Liverpool’s alternative transfer targets if they can’t bring in RB Leipzig centre back Dayot Upamecano.
Liverpool don’t want to be held to ransom over a new centre back, meaning they may hope for a favour from Jurgen Klopp’s former club in the pursuit for Akanji.
The Swiss centre back has played 17 times this season, scoring one goal, but his future is now unclear with compatriot Lucien Favre losing his managerial job.
Akanji, 25, impressed at Basel before then joining Dortmund in 2018, with the German side forking out around £16million to sign him.
That’s the kind of fee that wouldn’t put Liverpool off, but whether Dortmund are seeking a profit on Akanji remains to be seen.
Akanji is quick and can play out from the back, which are two key attributes required to play in Klopp’s defence, and this isn’t the first time Michael Edwards and co have targeted him.
The Independent reported in December 2017 that Liverpool had picked out Akanji as a target if they couldn’t sign Virgil van Dijk, but he joined Dortmund instead.
With Van Dijk now injured, Liverpool’s interest in Akanji appears to be returning – and he’s a name to keep an eye on in next month’s transfer window.
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