Liverpool could look to return for Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde in the January transfer window after failing to sign the Uruguayan in the final days of the summer with an £86.5million bid.
The Reds were forced to dip back into the transfer market towards the end of August following a tough start to the Premier League campaign as a result of a horrendous amount of injuries to their midfield, as Jurgen Klopp's options became severely limited.
Liverpool eventually signed Arthur Melo on a season-long loan deal from Juventus but should their injury issues persist by the time the new year comes around, a fresh swoop for Valverde could very well be in order if their season becomes dependent on it.
As reported by Spanish outlet Dario AS, Liverpool made a bid of £86.5m in the final two days of the summer transfer window in order to sign Valverde, yet Real Madrid didn't even respond to this offer as they found it 'brutal' and 'offensive' - dismissing they would sell the star, let alone that late in the transfer window.
The fee itself would have made Valverde the second most expensive sale at the club ever, although Los Blancos clearly feel he is worth more than this having only just extended his contract last summer in order to remain with the club for five more years, until 2027.
The 24-year-old has made 155 appearances since moving to the Santiago Bernabeu from Penarol in July 2016 and has made a bright start to the current season with two goals and two assists in seven games across all competitions, yet he remains in fierce competition for a starting spot.
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Aurelien Tchouameni was signed from Monaco this summer to add to a midfield that already consists of Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Eduardo Camavinga and Dani Ceballos, although Valverde has already been utilised on the right wing this season. However, should he fall down the pecking order, his situation regarding a transfer could change completely.
And it is no secret that Klopp is a huge fan of Valverde, with Spanish newspaper Nacional revealing back in July that Klopp is 'waiting' for the Uruguayan international after becoming 'obsessed' with signing him following the Champions League final defeat to Carlo Ancelotti's side in May.
Following that game at the Stade de France, which the Reds lost 1-0, Klopp supposedly 'left the door wide open' for Valverde in case he 'plans to land at Anfield in the future'. The report then added that the German is 'convinced [that] is quite likely' due to the nature of the 24-year-old’s relationship with Ancelotti.
Valverde featured 46 times across all competitions last season, his most in one season since arriving at Real Madrid six years ago, starting in 29 of those fixtures but completing a full 90 minutes on just 17 occasions, as per transfermarkt.
But should Valverde 'consider his future' at Real Madrid then Liverpool 'will take very little time to come to his rescue' with the Reds prepared to 'pay whatever it takes' to seal a transfer, which they have already proven with their monster bid of £86.5m during the summer.
Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita, Curtis Jones and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are all currently out through injury, while Thiago has only recently returned from his own problem, but should these issues persist by the time January comes around then the Reds could look to revisit a potential move for the Real Madrid midfielder once more.
