Liverpool are weighing up a move for Ruben Neves as the Portuguese midfielder’s contract ticks down at Wolves.
Kop boss Jurgen Klopp has claimed that the Reds have spent their entire transfer budget on £43million January wigning Cody Gakpo. But Klopp is a big admirer of Neves, and with just 18 months left on the 25-year-old’s deal at Molineux, it may suit Wolves and Liverpool to strike an agreement now.
The Midlands club once valued their most influential player at £70 million, but they know his price is falling with every week he fails to sign fresh terms. While Newcastle are also monitoring Neves’ situation, they are unlikely to make a move until the summer.
That gives Liverpool a window of opportunity to move this month or risk getting into a bidding war with cash-rich Toon. Klopp needs reinforcements in central midfield after his team failed to keep pace with the Premier League pacesetters in the first half of the season. Saturday's defeat at Brighton further laid bare their issues.
Thiago, Jordan Henderson and James Milner are in their 30s, while 29-year-old Fabinho has been unable to maintain his form.
Liverpool added some attacking menace by meeting PSV Eindhoven’s asking price for Gakpo and hijacking Manchester United ’s planned move for the Dutch winger. But Neves would bring a creative spark in central areas.
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Klopp did get snappy at his press conference this week when asked about transfers. Asked if there could be more incomings during his pre-Brighton press conference, Klopp got visibly frustrated. He replied: "I've had 6000 press conferences at Liverpool, I have to tell you again the money story?
"Why could it be the reason we have money like crazy and we still don't buy players? You know the answer! It's not that we have so much money we don't know what to do with but we think, 'Ah we don't need anyone'.
"It's just not that easy, we cannot sort the problems [in the January window] with injuries. We cannot solve all problems in the transfer market. In a dreamland, you just buy players."
