Insider reveals Liverpool ‘very interested’ in signing 21 y/o striker who boasts G/A every 85 minutes this season | OneFootball

Liverpool are poised to go head-to-head with Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund over the signing of one of European football’s most in-form strikers this season – and the player in question looks poised to get the green light to seal a transfer for a hugely modest fee.

The Reds may have splashed out some £325m ($375m, $440m) this summer on freshening up their forward line, with the club twice shattering their transfer record for Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, while also sanctioning the £79m capture of Hugo Ekitike in between those deals.

However, a Premier League champions, like any of their rivals, are always looking to evolve and bring in the next big thing, especially when the right opportunities present themselves.

And now, sporting director Richard Hughes firmly has his eye on a Guinea-Bissau international striker, who has terrorised defences this season and already boasts 21 goals and three assists from just 30 appearances – a G/A every 85 minutes of action he has enjoyed this season.

The player in question is Franculino Dju, who has been in red-hot form for Midtjylland this term, where he tops the Danish Superliga goalscoring charts.

His form has also translated into the Europa League too, where he has three goals from five matches to his name; form which has alerted some of Europe’s big-hitting sides.

Now, according to the well-connected Christian Falk, Liverpool are among a clutch of three big-name sides locked in a ‘poker battle’ for Dju’s services.

“The interesting thing for England is that FC Bayern aren’t the only club at the table! Premier League champions Liverpool are also very interested in him,” Falk told CF Bayern Insider.

“So perhaps we might get an exciting poker game between Arne Slot’s side and Bayern Munich.

“Also, Borussia Dortmund is said to be interested in this player. So this will be an intriguing transfer topic for us next year.”

According to Falk, Dju will cost his suitors a relatively modern transfer bargain with the Danish side seeking a fee in the region of £21.8m -£26.2m (€25m – €30m, $29.3m – $35m) this summer – a fee which would, however, comfortably shatter their transfer record currently set by Alexander Sorloth’s €16m move to Crystal Palace in 2018.

“Bayern Munich are taking a closer look at Franculino Dju,” Falk explained.

“Last summer, they really tried to get him, but they were only allowed to make loan signings. FC Midtjylland said no to this and made it clear that if they were to lose the striker, they only wanted to sell him. So, there was no deal!

“This coming summer, Bayern Munich could make this deal happen, as he’s not so expensive – we would think €25m-€30m perhaps. He’s 21 years of age, so he’s very much one for the future.”

Of the sides interested, Falk is adamant that Bayern’s pursuit looks the strongest.

Their need arises from the wish to bring in quality cover and competition for Harry Kane, and with the club already openly admitting that they are highly unlikely to trigger a permanent deal for current loanee, Nicolas Jackson, who arrived over the summer from Chelsea.

As for Liverpool, any move to Anfield would see him battling both Ekitke and Isak for first-team berths; no easy feat and despite the questionable form so far from the latter.

Any move for Dju is highly likely to come next summer rather than in January, however, as the forward has just undergone surgery after sustaining an injury, and it could reportedly take him until March to recover.

We can also confirm that Liverpool could face further competition from local rivals Everton for Dju’s signature, as the Toffees have scouted him extensively in recent months.

Further down the pecking order, manager Arne Slot can also call on youngster Jayden Danns, though the 19-year-old has only featured five times since the Dutchman’s appointment and just once so far this season; perhaps a sign that may make former Benfica youngster Dju think twice over a move to Merseyside.

Latest Liverpool news: Isak sale warning; Salah talks reveal problem

On the subject of Isak, stunning claims that the £130m Swede could be sold after just one season at Anfield have been made, with one observer explaining why the form of another Reds attacker could prove decisive.

Elsewhere, initial talks between Liverpool and Mohamed Salah’s camp have yielded one early conclusion – the Egyptian will NOT accept being a squad player.

That poses a problem for Liverpool, not least because the 33-year-old’s attacking output this season has dropped, and does not justify being given a free pass on the defensive side of the game.

Further talks between the two parties will be held, with issues still to be resolved.

Finally, Kostas Tsimikas could see his loan spell with Roma cut short and return to Anfield in January.